Iris Ohyama to build manufacturing, research facilities in Incheon
(INCHEON=Yonhap News) Japan's biggest maker of household goods is working to build manufacturing and research facilities in the free economic zone of Songdo International Business District in Incheon City.
The City of Incheon announced Mar. 8 that Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, currently visiting Japan to attract cutting-edge companies to invest in the city, signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Iris Ohyama.
Famous for making the world's first transparent storage cases and full-cover hose reels, Iris Ohyama Inc. manufactures a wide range of household products, including home appliances and LED goods, and ranks second in sales on Amazon Japan.
The company is also known for its excellent product designs, having received Japan's prestigious Good Design Award 103 times.
With KRW 3.6 trillion in annual sales, a workforce of some 11,000, and 16 manufacturing facilities overseas in the U.S., China, Europe, etc., Iris Ohyama is a true global leader in the industry.
A third-generation immigrant from Korea, the company's president Kentaro Ohyama is a legendary self-made man who rose to the top in a country with one of the strongest manufacturing industries in the world.
On the day of the signing, Mayor Yoo met with President Ohyama at the company's headquarters, and toured its manufacturing facilities and promotion center.
Mayor Yoo expressed his delight in Iris Ohyama's decision to invest in Incheon, and hopes "the city's strategic location in the world help's the company achieve great success in the future."
The company decided to invest in Songdo as a base for increasing sales in the Korea, seeing that Incheon is equipped with cutting-edge logistics infrastructure, such as air and sea ports.
President Ohyama noted, "With both air and sea ports, Incheon is the perfect location to invest in as it enables companies to hire from an excellent pool of human resources," adding that he hopes "Iris Ohyama and the City of Incheon continue to strengthen cooperation in the coming years."
smj@yna.co.kr
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Source: Yonhap News (Mar. 8, 2017)