Manac's functional chemicals bolster Asia's technological industries

As sales and production destinations for electronic and pharmaceutical materials shift to China and other Asian nations, Manac is boosting its technological capabilities to maintain its leading position as a chemical specialist. Rooted in seawater chemistry and originating from the Seto Inland Sea, Manac technologies are evolving and spreading from Fukuyama to the international arena.

Leveraging its 60-year experience in bromination and iodination technologies, Manac has accumulated numerous techniques and has been able to enter various fields such as flame retardant, health support and fine chemicals. Customers have highly rated the company's products and services consistently throughout its decades of operations.

Aside from producing fine chemicals used in the functional and electronic material fields, Manac also supports new drug development, supplying raw materials to partner pharmaceutical companies. It invests heavily in human resources, including research and development sections, to maintain its ISO 9001/14000 and GMP management systems.

"Environment and quality management systems are important for us," says Shoji Suginohara, president. "We are confident to continue our business owing to these systems. We go through an audit every year to maintain global quality standards."

Keen on developing innovative techniques and creating new business avenues, Manac has acquired Hakko Tsusho, a Japanese firm that operates a factory in Nanjing. The acquisition is a strategic move to better support the company's clients on the mainland and Asia. Furthermore, Manac plans to acquire a production base in China.

"We continue to look for potential collaborations with pharmaceutical and electronic companies to develop more high-valued compounds and explore other business fields," Suginohara says. "As a company that serves niche sectors, it's easy to continue our core business of producing materials for advanced markets, but creating a final product takes a long time. So, we would like to work with partners to create more innovative products."