XN000022-1982-11-29 — Page 6

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1982

INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT BRINGS IN JAPANESE TECHNOLOGY

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A FACTORY SET UP IN TUEN MUN BY THE WORLD'S LARGEST ELECTRIC APPLIANCES ENTERPRISE AND ITS SUBSIDIARY WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY (MONDAY).

THE FACTORY, CALLED THE INTERNATIONAL FAN MANUFACTURING CO. LTD (IFM) IS A JOINT COMPANY ESTABLISHED BY MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD AND ITS SUBSIDIARY MATSUSHITA SEIKO CO. LTD.

IFM IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT TO FACILITATE FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.

ALMOST TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS AFTER THE DEPARTMENT'S PROMOTION CONSULTANCY DIVISION FIRST CONTACTED THE JAPANESE COMPANIES, THE FACTORY HAS STARTED PRODUCING ELECTRIC FANS MAINLY CEILING FANS FOR MARKETS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA, THE MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.

+THE FAN MOTOR INCORPORATES A REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN SO THAT IT CAN RUN FOR LONG PERIODS WITHOUT GETTING HOT, AND SO EXTENDS THE LIFE OF THE MOTOR, A COMPANY SPOKESMAN SAID.

IN APRIL 1980 AN INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION MISSION TO OSAKA HEADED BY THE PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT, MR C.L. CHU, MET SENIOR MANAGEMENT AT THE MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL COMPANY'S HEAD OFFICE IN KADOMA-CITY,

THE HONG KONG DELEGATION LEARNT THAT THE COMPANY'S SUBSIDIARY, MATSUSHITA SEIKO, HAD ONCE CONDUCTED A DETAILED FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THEIR BUSINESS EXPANSION TO HONG KONG.

HAVING ESTABLISHED THE COMPANY'S INTENTION TO CONSIDER HONG KONG AS AN OFF-SHORE MANUFACTURING BASE, THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT CONTINUED WITH ITS EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN THE COMPANY'S INTEREST.

AT THE REQUEST OF BOTH COMPANIES, A MISSION TO OSAKA AT THE END OF 1980 HELD FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THEIR OFFICIALS ON THEIR PLAN TO SET UP AN ELECTRIC FAN FACTORY IN HONG KONG.

A SERIES OF CONTACTS THEN FOLLOWED BETWEEN THE PROMOTION CONSULTANCY DIVISION AND MR K. IKEDA, WHO THEN REPRESENTED THE MATSHUSHITA SEIKO HONG KONG AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM JAPAN.

THEY WERE PROVIDED WITH DETAILED INFORMATION AND ADVICE ON THE SETTING UP OF A MANUFACTURING PLANT IN HONG KONG.

THIS INCLUDED THE ACQUISITION OF INDUSTRIAL PREMISES, LABOUR LAWS, AND THE RECRUITMENT OF STAFF.

THEY WERE ALSO HELPED TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SUPPLIES OF COMPONENTS AND PARTS.

/TO FIND