TOYOBO Ideas & Chemistry Biotechnology Operating
Department

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INTRODUCTION

Established in 1882, TOYOBO has long been a leading manufacture of overall textiles in Japan. In response to the changing commercial environment we are expanding our product lines, and moving into more diversified non-textile business areas such as films, plastics, and electronics-, biochemistry-, and medical-related areas. One of our most important product line-ups is TOYOBO ENZYMES, which is based on the the remarkable technological progress in fermentation and purification made over the last few decades.

HISTORY

Back in the 1950s TOYOBO began studying microorganisms when seeking ways of treating waste water from one of our plants processing pulp for rayon. Scientists in our laboratories discovered that a certain type of yeast uses sugar in the waste water, substantially reducing the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). We then filtered out the yeast to market it as animal food. As the content of nucleic acids in the yeast was extremely high, we separated them out and looked into their use as food seasonings. In the 1960s, based on our success in commercializing uricase from Candida sp., the first of its kind, we started to focus on the clinical chemistry field. TOYOBO now excels in this area, with more than 60 kinds of enzyme for use as diagnostic reagents, of the highest quality, which as given us an excellent reputation in both the domestic and overseas markets.

Quality

In 1997, the Quality Management System of Tsuruga Biochemicals Plant and Tsuruga Institute of Biotechnology was approved in the US, UK, Germany, Holland, Australia and Japan as meeting the requirements of ISO 9001 by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance , Ltd. (LRQA), in relation to the development and manufacture of enzymes. We are also proceeding with R&D and manufacturing activities in preparation for an application for the environment management system of TOYOBO Tsuruga Plant, which was certified in 1999 by JAB and JIC, as meeting the requirements of ISO 14001.

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