The Chugoku Branch Office has Office in Hiroshima, Okayama, Matsue and Shunan, and is developing its business by covering a wide area in the five prefectures of the Chugoku region. In terms of business performance, major semiconductor manufacturing companies are the main customers. However, the situation is difficult due to a decrease in equipment at factories and semiconductor manufacturing companies in the Setouchi Industrial Zone, as well as investment restraints at other customers, but we are working to strengthen our business foundation by strengthening our preventive maintenance proposals and promoting parts replacement with the aim of eliminating PS accidents in order to promote stable operation of installed equipment.
In October 2015, the company adopted a Regional Head Office system, and in order to improve the operational efficiency of the Regional Head Office as a whole in response to a decrease in the number of devices used by major customers, the company transferred the sales of parts for the semiconductor manufacturing equipment department to the Nishinihon Regional Head Office in fiscal 2019, and downsized the department. The number of employees, which was nearly 50 at the beginning of FY2005, decreased to about 30 in FY2014, but the number of devices is now gradually increasing, and as a result of increasing the number of employees along with the revenue growth of major semiconductor manufacturers, the number of employees is now 36 as of July 2024, and sales revenue is also gradually increasing.
However, in 2023, the steel mill of a major steel company in Kure City will close its doors after 72 years of operation, and all facilities will be shut down. The situation in the Setouchi Industrial Zone will remain difficult, but we will continue to steadily expand our business one step at a time through our community-based, down-to-earth activities.
Okayama Office was relocated from in front of Kurashiki Station to the Okayama Station Office in March 2022.
After the Regional Head Office system was changed to a 10-branch Office system in April 2022, the China Branch Office was relocated from Midorii in Hiroshima City to Hacchobori in July 2024 due to reasons such as the aging of the building and inconvenience of access. Both the Okayama and Hiroshima offices needed to adapt to the new normal way of working and create a new office environment that promotes new forms of communication due to the impact of the new coronavirus that has continued since 2020. To this end, we have introduced furniture that encourages interaction between people, and have adopted a new office style of free-address seating, in order to improve the working environment and promote communication.
In addition, in 2024, with the transfer of the Hitachi High-Tech Group to the Healthcare Business Division of Hitachi, Ltd., the Medical Instruments 1st Dept and Medical Instruments 2nd Dept are working together to create new synergies.

China Branch Office

Okayama Office and Rest Area

The Chugoku region is prone to flooding, and in 2014, a landslide caused by torrential rain and in 2018, flooding in western Japan caused extensive damage, including flooding of equipment at our customers' sites.
At one of the hospitals where we have customers, muddy water entered up to the first floor ceiling, and the biochemical autoanalyzer installed on the first floor was flooded and became irreparable. In addition, at the pump station of the water and sewage bureau, the office was completely flooded, and although several pieces of instrumentation and instrumentation equipment were delivered, they became unusable.
At the time, the roads were closed and the surrounding area was flooded, and it took a long time to recover.

Examples of damage caused by torrential rain disasters