In order to launch an offensive on the Indian market, Nagase & Co., Ltd. has opened an overseas subsidiary in Mumbai, India. Nagase, which began its initiatives under the new medium-term management plan, known as "WIT2008," in last April, is promoting the reinforcement of its overseas businesses primarily in China/Asia as one of its priority strategies. Moreover, Nagase's sales in the ASEAN region have recently been growing exponentially and might very well reach the 100 billion yen mark in the near future.

Nagase is promoting the four fields of Electronics, Life Science, Automotive, and Overseas Operations as its priority areas in the "WIT2008." As part of its overseas operations, Nagase has been engaged in investment activities mainly in China/Asia and as of the end of the interim period ended in September 2006, overseas sales increased by 17.5% compared to the same period of the previous year to reach 140 billion yen (260 billion yen for the FY ended March 31, 2006), which accounted for over 40% of total sales. "WIT2008" proposes to increase the ratio of overseas sales to 45% of total sales, which is equivalent to 350 billion yen by the final year of the plan. To achieve this objective, overseas investments are thought to be indispensable.

In the ASEAN region, bases in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam operate under the overall supervision of the Singapore Office. In addition to the ten Japanese representative staff members, the Singapore Office boasts of more than 100 local staff members, and in the entire ASEAN region, local staff number more than 300. Sales from every office in the entire ASEAN region have been increasing dramatically, mainly generated through plastics and electronic materials; and sales for the coming fiscal year are expected to reach the 100 billion yen mark.

On the other hand, Nagase has had a representative office in Mumbai, India for more than 40 years and has been engaged in a wide variety of activities there. Moreover, with the recent BRICs boom and the ensuing increase in the volume of Indian business, Nagase has established a local subsidiary with an eye toward the expansion of the chemicals-related market. Nagase is also focused on the automotive-related market in the Delhi region and is planning to open a sales office in the vicinity of Delhi soon.

Although full-scale operations in Mumbai and Delhi are only expected to commence after the New Year, Nagase has every intention of making them the pillars of sales expansion in the Asian market.