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To Ensure That Medical Care Does Not Stop Even in Times of Disaster

Business continuity plans (BCPs) began to attract attention following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Even before that, the New Growth Strategy Implementation Plan was approved by the Cabinet in 2010, setting specific implementation rates as targets. As a member of the medical industry, our group has been working to establish a stable supply system to ensure the continuity of medical infrastructure. The earthquake prompted us to review our BCPs. We first conducted thorough interviews to identify issues that arose at actual logistics sites during the earthquake, and then began selecting a seismically isolated logistics warehouse. We secured a seismically isolated warehouse in Kanagawa Prefecture as a logistics base that will cover product supply to parts of the Tokyo metropolitan area, including Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa, and will constantly stock 10,000 to 15,000 types of medical equipment and materials. This logistics base is seismically isolated, including the building itself and the ramps used for vehicle access. It is also located along National Route 16, designated as an emergency transportation route. Furthermore, we are equipped with satellite phones, in-house power generation equipment, redundant internal networks, and other facilities to ensure uninterrupted logistics even in the event of a disaster. We are confident that these unique initiatives will earn the trust of medical institutions with a high level of disaster prevention awareness.

Additionally, to accommodate the growing product inventory that accompanies the expansion of our handling scale and the expanding delivery needs throughout the Kanto region, and to ensure a stable supply, we are constructing a core logistics warehouse in Gunma Prefecture with an automated warehouse facility on a site area of 43,000 sq. m and a total floor area of 31,000 sq. m.

Due to the impact of the declining birthrate and aging population, as well as changes in the medical system, all medical institutions are under pressure to provide high-quality medical care and improve profitability and efficiency. Our challenge is to provide medical materials that meet the needs of the field. _® In planning and developing SELECT (ASOURCE SELECT), we are exploring the possibilities of a wide range of new products that reflect the voices of those in the field, starting with general-purpose consumables such as tongue depressors and examination sheets.

Rather than simply mass-producing low-priced products, ASOURCE_® SELECT's goal is to find the best balance between quality and price. Having transformed from a medical supplies retailer to a manufacturer, we strive to select and supply products responsibly. For example, when manufacturing products at overseas factories, we carefully select factories to address country risks, such as political changes, and maintain a stable supply of reliable products. In consideration of environmental pollution caused by coal, we select factories that utilize LNG (liquefied natural gas) and waste heat from incinerators. As a manufacturer, we also naturally consider the environmental friendliness of our products, such as complying with wastewater regulations for immersion and ultrasonic cleaners and labeling product packaging for recycling.
Going forward, we will also work on developing ASOURCE_® SELECT “NEXT” with even higher added value, and will contribute to even greater safety and security in medical care through our products.

In addition, part of the sales of products covered by ASOURCE SELECT is used for the "school lunch support" conducted by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) through the "Red Cup Campaign". Together with medical professionals, the We supports this activity, which aims to eradicate hunger and poverty among children in developing countries while expanding educational opportunities, and supports the future and hopes of children.

At a time when medical institutions are required to operate more efficiently, our role as a medical device supplier has grown to include supporting the operation and management of medical institutions, and resolving management issues. We helps to improve safety and operational efficiency in medical settings through the development of unique medical support tools.

For example, we support the efficiency of medical operations in various ways, such as SURGELANE_®, an operating room management support program that enables visualization of operating rooms, and SPD and STORE_®, an item logistics management system.

The basis of these operations is the ASOURCE_® DATABASE (ASOURCE database), our own vast database of medical materials. It realizes instant updates of the products we handle, and also plays a dictionary role with one of the most accurate product masters in the industry. In addition, in ICT operations, in accordance with our internal security policies, we work with each operating company to develop a secure and highly convenient information infrastructure.

Through the stable operation of these systems, our group contributes to smooth communication, operational efficiency, and improved safety in medical settings.