HORIBA ABX SAS Completes New R&D Laboratory

|   Press Release

HORIBA ABX SAS, a French subsidiary and the core company in HORIBA’s medical business, completed construction of a new R&D laboratory on the premises of the subsidiary’s head office and held an opening ceremony on July 10. The head office of HORIBA ABX SAS is working on the development and production of medium-size to large blood cell counters and test reagents and supplies its products globally. The new laboratory is expected to improve research efficiency and foster exchanges between engineers. The HORIBA Group is putting its resources into the growth sector of the medical business. Positioning HORIBA ABX SAS as a knowledge center that creates high value over the long term, the Group strengthens its research and development efforts toward the frontiers of the medical sector for enhanced product competitiveness.

<HORIBA’s Medical Business>
In the medical field, HORIBA, Ltd. intends to secure stable revenues by selling test reagents as a set with blood test systems. In February 2014, the Company launched blood cell counters in the growing Chinese market, through technical cooperation between the Group’s Japanese and French development staff. Furthermore, globally in four countries, the Group is newly building or expanding reagent plants to enrich product lineups and strengthen its business system. The recent construction of the new R&D laboratory by HORIBA ABX SAS is anticipated to facilitate the development of products designed for global markets by strengthening its research and development activity in novel areas and promoting joint development projects with the Company’s R&D staff in Japan.

<Company Profile>
HORIBA ABX SAS is a manufacturer of blood cell counters founded in 1983. In 1987, the company furnished HORIBA, Ltd. with technical resources on small to medium-size blood cell counter models through a domestic sales and manufacturing license agreement. In 1996, the company became a subsidiary of HORIBA, Ltd. Currently, HORIBA ABX SAS plays the leading role for the HORIBA Group in conducting its medical business in overseas markets, by manufacturing and selling inspection equipment, and selling reagents and providing related services. In 2003, HORIBA ABX SAS acquired a firm specializing in biochemistry and is now working on research and development of biochemical test systems.