Menicon Accelerates Global Business Expansion with Opening of R&D and Manufacturing Facility in Singapore

NAGOYA, Japan, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Menicon Singapore, a subsidiary of Menicon Co., Ltd., Japan's first and largest contact lens manufacturer, has opened its new R&D and manufacturing facility. Located at International Business Park, the 6,000-square-meter facility is the company's first manufacturing facility in the world producing daily disposable contact lenses, and will also house Menicon's first R&D center in Asia outside Japan.

    
    (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20110310/MM62756-a)
    (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20110310/MM62756-b)

The new US$97 million dollar facility, which will feature quality control systems and unique state-of-the-art manufacturing technology developed by Menicon, was officially opened by Mr. S. Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Education, on March 2.

Menicon is dedicated to all areas of the contact lens business including material development, lens design and the manufacture of contact lenses and care solutions. The new facility will expand Menicon's capacity and competitiveness for the supply of daily disposable lenses to global markets.

In addition to producing daily disposable contact lenses, the new facility is slated to become a hub for the development of new technologies, complementing research conducted in Japan. Menicon Singapore will utilize technology developed locally in Singapore to produce state-of-the-art disposable contact lenses.

Speaking at the official opening, Dr. Hidenari Tanaka, CEO, Menicon Co., Ltd., said, "The opening of Menicon Singapore's manufacturing and R&D facility will propel Menicon into a global contact lens manufacturer and strengthen our position as a global vision care company. Singapore's economic and social stability, pro-business policies, competitive production costs, leading-edge medical technology, outstanding human resource capabilities and advanced industrial development were key factors behind our decision to set up this facility as the company forges ahead with global business expansion."

    
    Menicon Singapore Overview:
    Location: 8 International Business Park, Singapore 609925
    Site area: Approximately 6,000 square meters
    Production item: Daily disposable soft contact lenses
    Start of production: March 2011
    Investment capital: USD 97 Million (approx. 8 Billion JPY)
    Number of employees: 79

About Menicon:

Headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, and represented in over 30 countries, Menicon is Japan's first and largest contact lens and care product manufacturer. Menicon is dedicated to every aspect of the contact lens business from material development and lens design to manufacturing of lenses and lens care solutions. Menicon offers an expanding portfolio of innovative contact lenses, packaging and related products that maximize user comfort and convenience. Founded in 1951, Menicon aims is to deliver safe contact lenses worldwide, placing priority on eye health by pursuing research and development, unique advanced manufacturing technology, and delivering support services for healthier vision. 2011 marks Menicon's 60th year in business.

    
    Contact:
    Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Toshio Matsushima
    Global Strategies & Operations
    Tel: +81-52-937-5021
    Fax: +81-52-935-1121
    e-mail: matsushima@menicon-net.co.jp
    URL: http://www.menicon.com
    
    Menicon Singapore
    Rani Ramasamy/Serene Tan
    PR Communications Pte Ltd
    Tel: +65-6227-2135
    e-mail: rani@prcomm.com.sg/serene@prcomm.com.sg
    
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SOURCE Menicon Co., Ltd.