Asahi Kasei moves global healthcare headquarters to U.S.

Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei is moving the global headquarters for its healthcare business to the U.S., with the staff and leadership located in the company’s existing offices in Chelmsford, Mass., a suburb of Boston.

Since the acquisition of medical device maker Zoll Medical just over ten years ago, Asahi Kasei’s healthcare business has more than tripled, company officials said in a July 12 statement – currently, healthcare accounts for 18 per cent of Asahi Kasei’s revenue, 33 per cent of operating income, and over 23 per cent of employees. While 78 per cent of Asahi Kasei’s healthcare sales are outside Japan, further global growth is expected, the statement said, centred on the U.S. Asahi Kasei expects the healthcare business domain to be a main driver of its overall growth.

Asahi Kasei has a diversified healthcare product lineup, including devices and systems for acute critical care, dialysis, therapeutic apheresis, transfusion, and manufacture of biotherapeutics, as well as pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents.

“By establishing our healthcare headquarters in the United States – the largest healthcare market and source of most innovation – Asahi Kasei reiterates its commitment to further accelerate the growth of its healthcare business,” said president and CEO Koshiro Kudo. “Furthermore, we anticipate that a greater presence in the United States with the healthcare team will create synergies and provide benefits for our material and homes businesses.”