OREANDA-NEWS. December 29, 2014. Sumitomo Forestry’s wholly-owned subsidiary Sumitomo Forestry Crest Co., Ltd., which handles the manufacturing of wood building materials, has decided to close its Nagoya and Kyushu plants due to the consolidation of its production bases, as the company said in the press release received by Lesprom Network.

Sumitomo Forestry Crest has plants at six locations in Japan and engages in the manufacturing and sales of wooden interior components, dressed lumber and other various types of housing building materials, as well as chemical products (adhesive).

At this time, in view of the housing market in Japan, the company decided it was necessary to consolidate its six plants to four, closing the Nagoya and Kyushu plants, to undertake restructuring to focus management resources, to improve optimization, and enhance productivity. Efforts will be made to ensure the reassignment within the group of employees from the two plants subject to closure or alternatively provide all possible support to facilitate their alternative employment. Regarding the products of the two plants, production will be transferred to other plants of Sumitomo Forestry Crest and its partners and sales will continue.

The Sumitomo Forestry Group conducts its comprehensive housing and wood products businesses on a global level, with a focus on timber businesses, both upstream (forestry business) and downstream (housing business).

Sumitomo Forestry Crest is a core company responsible for the manufacturing and processing of wood building materials, thus linking the upstream and downstream businesses.