News Release

Mar. 2, 2003
In response to the rapid development of the Chinese auto industry, Daifuku establishes a new company in China to handle all aspects of its automotive production system operations there, from sales to installation to after-sales service. The company will commence operations on April 1.
Known as Daifuku Automation (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. (DAT), the new company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daifuku. The existing Tianjin, Chongqing, and Beijing representative offices will now become DAT offices, with the Tianjin and Chongqing offices tentatively responsible for sales and after-sales service, and the Beijing office for installation and training of supervisors.
DAT will initially begin operations with a staff of 13 (consisting of two Japanese resident staff and 11 Chinese employees). The company plans to expand its workforce to 20 by year's end.

Daifuku opened its Beijing office in 1993 to supply automotive production systems in China, and has done so to date for more than 20 companies. Last year, the company opened representative offices in Tianjin and Chongqing, strengthening its ties with local manufacturers in further response to rapidly growing demand for auto production lines. Plans to build new plants and extend and boost the capacity of existing plants have surged in China, prompting Daifuku to make it a high priority to establish a local company to provide sales and consulting services. A decision was made to set up a head office in the bonded area of Tianjin port and launch a local company. This allows all aspects of operations, from sales to procurement, outsourcing production, installation, and after-sales service, to be handled locally.

Daifuku's automotive production system business in China is expected to continue its rapid growth, with the company projecting sales there of 3 billion yen in FY2004.

Company profiles

Daifuku Co., Ltd.
Osaka, Japan

Name:

Daifuku Automation (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.

Tianjin office
Address:

Room 31E, Block B, Mansion Triumphal Arch No.66, Nanjing Road, Tianjin 300042 CHINA

Tel:

86-22-2311-1291

Chongqing office
Address:

4-2, 4 GATE, No.68 Xing Sheng Road, Yang Jia Ping District, Chongqing 400050 CHINA

Tel:

86-23-6867-2118

Beijing office
Address:

Room 1503, Block B, Lucky Tower No.3, Dong San Huan Bei Lu
Chao Yang District, Beijing 100027 CHINA

Tel:

86-10-6462-0159

Capital:

50 million yen

Commencement of
operations:

April 1, 2003

Representative:

Chairman: Haruyoshi Amakusa
President: Katsuyoshi Makimura

*DAT is Daifuku's second subsidiary established in China, following Daifuku (Shanghai) Ltd., the distribution system sales and service company, which was launched in Shanghai March 2002.