Nipro Medical Device Company Intelligence Report

Summary

The company's core medical device activities, including dialysis devices, insulin needles, lancets, infusion, blood glucose monitoring and circulatory system products, are undertaken by its Medical division, which is Nipro's largest unit, accounting for 44% of the company's total revenue in fiscal 2005. In addition, its Pharmaceutical division represented 17% of total sales and offers and pre-filled injection and container systems, in addition to pharmaceuticals such as dialysate products, lower dose drugs and infusion drugs which are not covered by this profile.

The Medical division is also due to be expanded through Nipro's August 2006 agreement to purchase Edwards Lifesciences' remaining perfusion products business. Under terms of the agreement, Nipro Medical Ltda, Nipro's subsidiary in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will acquire Edwards' perfusion products business, which is also based in Sao Paulo. Its products are sold throughout Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East and Africa. Approximately 140 Edwards employees who work in the perfusion products operations are expected to transfer to Nipro.

In Japan, Nipro owns two main research centres and three factories. The company also operates at 37 locations, with four major manufacturing bases and 34 sales locations. In recent years, Nipro expanded the production capacities of its international manufacturing facilities in order to reduce costs and compete more successfully in the international market, and has also enhanced its global presence with the expansion of sales activities in Europe, the Americas and Asia.

Nipro's total number of employees at 31st March 2006 increased by 431 compared with the previous year to 9,048. The number of staff in Japan increased by 418 to 4,612 and the number in other countries rose by 13 to 4,436.

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