News

Osaka-Gunze Limited (Headquarters: Osaka, Japan, President: Toshiyasu Saguchi) [TOKYO: 3002] is pleased to announce that Gunze has completed construction of a new R&D facility and will hold an inauguration ceremony on April 2 to accelerate the growth of its medical business. The purpose of this facility is to strengthen the development capabilities of next-generation products in the medical business and to efficiently launch mass production. In particular, the facility will provide a place for the exchange of technical personnel and create a work environment that combines efficiency, comfort and creativity.
In addition, the facility is an environmentally friendly building that uses high-efficiency air conditioning and photovoltaic power generation to save energy, and has achieved ZEB (Net Zero Energy Building) certification and *CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency) B+ certification.
Gunze promotes company-wide activities to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities, strives for environmentally friendly management, and contributes to the development of the local community by revitalizing the economy and creating new employment opportunities in Kyoto.
*CASBEE is a method for evaluating and rating the environmental performance of buildings and the built environment. CASBEE was developed by a research committee established in 2001 through the collaboration of academia, industry and national and local governments, which established the Japan Sustainable Building Consortium under the auspice of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan.
(Source: Institute for Built Environment and Carbon Neutral for SDGs)

■Overview of the new R&D facility in Kyoto

Location

1 Zeze, Aono-Cho, Ayabe City, Kyoto, Japan

Total investment

Approx. 800 million JPY

Structure

Steel frame, 2 stories

Total floor area

1,189 square meters

Features

- The first floor is designed for interactive communication and can be used for meetings, lectures, guest services, lounges and refreshment areas for a variety of uses outside of the lunch hour.
- The second floor is an Activity Based Working concept, where employees can choose where and when to work according to the nature of their work, rather than having fixed seats as in traditional offices. This office is designed to encourage communication, which was not possible with the traditional free-address system. The office also incorporates many refreshment areas that can be used as a place for members to change their mood and communicate with each other.

■About Gunze and its Medical business
Gunze, founded in Kyoto in 1896, is a leading developer and manufacturer of medical devices, plastic films, engineering plastics, and apparel. Gunze employs more than 5,200 people in 10 countries worldwide.
The medical business has had a substantial footprint in over 35 countries since its establishment in 1985. The head office and manufacturing facilities are located in Kyoto and has subsidiaries in the U.S., EU, China, and Osaka, Japan. By applying innovative fiber and polymer processing technologies, Gunze manufactures a comprehensive range of medical products focused on bioabsorbable and biocompatible materials such as skin substitutes, tissue reinforcement felts, bone fixation devices, dural substitutes, and suture threads. Gunze’s mission is to advance the quality of life of patients by providing innovative solutions.
*Medical business website:https://www.gunze.co.jp/english/products/medical