Mitsubishi Materials assessing earthquake impact

The company's distribution and inventory centre in Japan; which temporarily suspended operations due to the damage by the earthquake, re-started operation on 22 March. However, Tsukuba Plant and MMC Hard Materials (a subsidiary company), which are located nearer the epicentre were damaged by the earthquake. Repair procedures are already underway and some production is expected to resume around the end of April. Existing inventories, located in sales companies, will be used to sustain supply to customers while alternative sources of production are established. Mitsubishi will divert production to its other manufacturing plants and affiliated companies that were unaffected so as to minimise any negative impact. "With the growing concern about radioactive material in Japanese products," commented Hiroshi Nojiri, president of MMC Hartmetall GmbH, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, "We would like to take this opportunity to emphasise that in all areas where our manufacturing plants and warehouse are located, the radiation levels detected there do not represent any threat to human health, and therefore, the products manufactured in our plants, and our products in stock in Japan are safe. "Under our corporate social responsibility philosophy we wish to ensure our business partners and employees that we would not put them under any risk whatsoever by circulating any goods that may have been contaminated. Furthermore, all imports are under strict control of the European authorities for radiation protection before distribution into the marketplace." Mr Nojiri concluded: "We would like to say thank you for the enquiries and messages of good will for our colleagues, their families and the Japanese people that are suffering from this unprecedented situation."