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Joint Establishment of a CTA Dialyzer Production Plant with Toyobo
Joint Establishment of a CTA Dialyzer Production Plant with Toyobo —Strengthen the production system to meet growing global demand
Nipro Corporation has decided to build an integrated production plant for cellulose triacetate (CTA) dialyzers (artificial kidneys) jointly with Toyobo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Kita-ku, Osaka; President & Representative Director: Takeuchi Ikuo; hereinafter “Toyobo”). The new plant will be located within the premises of the Company’s Odate Factory (No. 7 Building). To meet global demand, which is expected to steadily increase, for dialyzers, the two companies intend to increase production capacity and aim to begin operation of the new plant in July 2024.
A dialyzer is a medical device used to purify blood and remove body wastes and other toxins by dialysis for patients with chronic renal failure resulting from kidney function loss. The Company has manufactured dialyzers at the Odate Factory using CTA hollow fiber membranes supplied by Toyobo’s Iwakuni Production Center (Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) since the early 1980s. Dialyzers with CTA hollow fiber membranes have excellent biocompatibility and ability to remove substances, and theyhave been widely used around the world.
At the new plant, Toyobo will make hollow fibers from raw materials during the front-end process, while the Company will process them to make finished products (dialyzers) in the back-end process. This smooth integrated system that seamlessly combines the two companies’ manufacturing processes will drastically improve production efficiency.
The number of patients requiring artificial dialysis is expected to increase globally at a rate of 7 percent per year, which will inevitably boost demand for dialyzers. The Company will work closely with Toyobo to meet the wide-ranging needs of patients who require dialysis treatment around the world.
Outline of the new plant
- Location: Hanukiyachi 8-7, Niida, Odate City, Akita Prefecture (within NIPRO’s Odate Factory site)
- Total floor space: Approx. 31,000 m2 (NIPRO: 15,000 m2; Toyobo 16,000 m2)
- Structure: Steel frame, three stories
- Production item: CTA dialyzers
- Start of construction: July 2021
- Start of operation: July 2024 (scheduled)
- Capital investment: Approx. 17 billion yen
- Employees: 80 (planned)