Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd. to Resume
Production in Mid-November 2012
Reconstruction of the Plant's Production Lines Will Start in May 2012
Tokyo, May 9, 2012 - Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc. will start reconstruction of production lines of Group company Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (AFT) in May 2012, and production will resume in mid-November 2012. Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc. suspended production activities at AFT due to damage from flooding in Thailand in 2011.

Established in September 1990, AFT manufactures frozen processed chicken products for Japan and frozen food products, primarily gyoza (Chinese dumplings), for export to Europe and Asia. AFT suspended production activities on October 7, 2011 due to the flooding in Thailand in that month. Key facilities in Lopburi Province including Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (ABF) and Ajinomoto Betagro Specialty Foods Co., Ltd. handled alternate production of AFT products. With progress in construction to reduce the risk of recurring flood damage at the High-Tech Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya Province where AFT is located, reconstruction of AFT's production lines will start in May 2012, and production will resume in Mid-November 2012.

Resuming production will eliminate the risk of single-sourced production of products for Japan at ABF. AFT will also study the production of new products for existing markets in Europe and for new ASEAN markets with growth potential.

With a view to enhancing competitiveness, AFT will construct a more compact, highly productive and profitable manufacturing system that will specialize in main retail frozen food products for Japan and Gyoza products (Chinese dumplings) for export to Europe and Asia. Construction will also ensure supply capacity and space for increasing production for future growth.

Overview of AFT and Its New Production Lines
(1) Company name      Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
(2) Location      Ayutthaya Province, Thailand
(3) Established      September 27, 1990
(4) Paid-in capital      THB 105 million
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc: 80%; Ajinomoto Thailand Group: 20%
(5) Representative      Kazuaki Takagi, President
(6) Land and buildings      Land: approximately 18,500m²
Buildings: approximately 12,080m²
(7) Investment      THB 833 million (approximately JPY 2.2 billion)
(8) Start of construction      Mid-May 2012
(9) Start of operation      Mid-November 2012
(10) Production lines      Two lines
(11) Production capacity      Approximately 7,000 tons/year
(12) Products manufactured      Two types:
Tender Fried Chicken (volume pack) for retail use
Gyoza products (Chinese dumplings) for export
(13) Number of employees      400

 

About Ajinomoto
Ajinomoto is a global manufacturer of high-quality seasonings, processed foods, beverages, amino acids, pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. For many decades Ajinomoto has contributed to food culture and human health through wide-ranging application of amino acid technologies. Today, the company is becoming increasingly involved with solutions for improved food resources, human health and global sustainability. Founded in 1909 and now operating in 26 countries, Ajinomoto had net sales of JPY 1,197.3 billion (USD 15.1 billion) in fiscal 2011. For more about Ajinomoto (TYO: 2802), visit www.ajinomoto.com.

For further information, please contact:
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Public Communications Department; pr_info@ajinomoto.com

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