Canon to build new toner plant

Canon Inc. has announced plans to construct a new manufacturing base in Hita City, Oita Prefecture, to step up production of toner cartridges and related parts.

The company has asserted that steadily growing demand for toner cartridges and other consumables has created a pressing need to expand production capacity. Canon has been working to establish a new manufacturing base for consumables and related parts with the aim of realising a manufacturing structure capable of flexibly responding to demand while also avoiding the risk of concentrating production operations in a single location.

As a result, the company decided on Hita City, Oita Prefecture, as the site for the new plant. In addition to convenient access to the cities of Kitsuki, where Canon currently produces toner cartridges at its Oita Canon Materials Inc. operations, and Oita, the location offers close proximity to parts suppliers and the availability of a high quality workforce from surrounding areas.

Construction of the new plant is scheduled to begin in December 2008 with operations to commence in September 2009.  

Location: Oaza Nishiarita, Hita City, Oita Prefecture  

Representative: Kenji Fujiwara, President  

Land area: approx. 390,000 sq. meters  

Total floor area: approx. 97,500 sq. meters (as of end of 2009)  

Business activities: Production of toner cartridges and related parts  

Employees: approx. 1,000 (as of end of 2010)  

Initial investment: approx. 80 billion yen  

Construction (start): December 2008 (tentative)  

Start of operations: September 2009 (tentative)