Begins Construction of a New Research Building for Ajinomoto-Genetika Research Institute (AGRI)
December 13, 2005 - Tokyo - Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (Ajinomoto; President & CEO: Norio Yamaguchi; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan) today begins construction of a new R&D building for Ajinomoto-Genetika Research Institute (AGRI; President: Vitaly G Paraskevov; Headquarters: Moscow, Russian Federation) that will serve as a base for amino acids/nucleotides fermentation R&D. Approximately 1.3 billion yen is being invested in the facilities, with completion scheduled for April 2007.
AGRI, Russia’s first joint research company, was established in December 1998 by Ajinomoto and Genetika Research Institute, a Russian national research organization renowned worldwide for its research on microorganisms involved in fermentative production of amino acids and nucleotides.
In response to increasing global competition in the field of amino acids/nucleotides, Ajinomoto’s core business, our goal is to construct a new R&D base in order to improve our basic fermentative production technology and solidify our business superiority in this area. In June 2003, Ajinomoto increased its investment ratio in AGRI from 75% to 100%. Seven years after the establishment of AGRI, Ajinomoto has decided to construct a new R&D building capable of expanding its R&D in this field. With the aim of achieving new research results, the facilities will house the latest research equipment and will prom,ote the development of new products via fermentative production. The design of the new R&D building is based on the image of a sailboat to ship on the future.
Overview of new building
(1) Location: City of Moscow, Russian Federation
(Address: 1st Dorozhny pr.,1, 117545, Moscow, Russia)
(2) Building: 1 basement floor and 9 floors above ground; Area: approx. 6,000 m2
(3) Budget: Approx. 1.3 billion yen including leasing fee for land
(4) Scheduled completion: April 2007
At AGRI, Ajinomoto fully respects the creative input of Russian researchers led by President Paraskevov and strives to combine the strengths of Japan and Russia to achieve optimum research results. The research results of AGRI have already been incorporated at our manufacturing bases worldwide and are making a huge contribution to strengthening the competitiveness of the Ajinomoto Group.
Overview of Ajinomoto-Genetika Research Institute (as of December 2005)
(1) Company name: Ajinomoto-Genetika Research Institute (AGRI)
(2) Location: City of Moscow, Russia (Address: 1st Dorozhny pr.,1, 117545, Moscow, Russia)
(3) Capital: 166,163,823 rubles (approx. 631.42 million yen, Rate: 1 ruble = 3.8 yen)
(4) Investment ratio: 100% Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
(5) Business objective: Research and development of microorganisms involved in amino
acids/nucleotides production and related basic research
(6) Board members: 9 (6 Japanese, 3 Russians)
President, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Corporate Executive Officer: Vitaly G. Paraskevov
Vice President: Hiroyuki Kojima
(7) Employees: Approx. 100, including 93 researchers
(4 researchers from Ajinomoto Co., Inc.)