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- Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Division
Telephone: +81-80-5912-0321
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Main Contents
Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ("Mitsui", Head Office: Tokyo, President and CEO: Kenichi Hori) announced its acquisition of a minority stake of 39.2% stake in Aramark Uniform Services Japan Corporation ("AUSJ") held by the American company Vestis Uniforms and Workplace Supplies, Inc. ("Vestis"), and has concluded a share purchase agreement with Vestis. AUSJ is Japan's largest uniform rental service business and has been a consolidated subsidiary of Mitsui. The acquisition of the remaining shares will take Mitsui's shareholding to 78.4%. Aim Services Co., Ltd. ("Aim"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui, holds 21.6% of AUSJ, taking Mitsui's ownership to 100% post acquisition. Mitsui intends to complete the acquisition by October 2024.
AUSJ was established in 1988 as a joint venture by a group of companies including Mitsui and Vestis' former parent company Aramark Corporation, to provide uniform rental services in Japan. Since then, it has grown to be the largest uniform rental services company in Japan, on the back of effective marketing activities catered towards addressing clients' needs and a strong ability to maintain high-quality operations. AUSJ provides services to 550,000 people in a wide range of sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and various other manufacturing industries, as well as the retail sector medical institutions, and pharmacies.
Outsourcing services provided by AUSJ to meet client needs include the planning, arrangement, rental, cleaning, and maintenance of uniforms and other services, along with delivery and collection. Employees in client companies are always able to wear clean, hygienic, and well-maintained uniforms. In addition to providing clean, hygienic and well-maintained uniforms, the services provided by AUSJ contribute to employee satisfaction and engagement for clients, helping them their human capital management goals.
Mitsui is engaged in a variety of business initiatives aimed at creating systems to help individuals enjoy mental and physical well-being. This acquisition is a tangible initiative that will strengthen group collaboration toward the provision of integrated hospitality services designed to create spaces where people smile and live healthy.
Wellness, the new wealth—We will create a brighter future in which the wellness we offer provides new wealth to people around the world.
Company profile
1. Profile of Vestis
| Name | Vestis |
|---|---|
| Location | Roswell, Georgia, U.S.A. |
| Established | 2023 |
| Representative | Kim Scott, Chief Executive Officer |
| Employees | 20,000 (as of September 30, 2023) |
| Business overview | Provides uniform services and workplace supplies to a broad rage of North American customers |
| Website | |
| Other information | In 2023, Vestis was spun off from Aramark Corporation (founded in 1936). |
2. Profile of AUSJ
| Name | Aramark Uniform Services Japan Corporation (AUSJ) |
|---|---|
| Location | Tokyo, Japan |
| Established | 1988 |
| Representative | Tatsuhiro Hayashi, Representative Director & President |
| Employees | 1,578 (As of March 31, 2024, including contingent workers) |
| Business overview | Rental and sales of uniforms for employees of business corporations and factories |
| Website |
3. Profile of Aim Services
| Name | Aim Services Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Location | Tokyo, Japan |
| Established | 1976 |
| Representative | Makoto Kodani, President & CEO |
| Employees | 44,730 (As of March 31, 2024, including contingent workers) |
| Business overview | Catering and support services for offices, factories, hospitals, social welfare facilities, schools, sports stadiums, training facilities, etc. |
| Website URL |
Laundry factory of Uniform (Shizuoka Factory) (1)
Laundry factory of Uniform (Shizuoka Factory) (2)
Mitsui’s Materiality
“Build brighter futures, everywhere” as our corporate mission, and to gain the trust and expectations of our stakeholders to realize a better tomorrow for earth and for people around the world, we have identified five material issues (“Materiality”) for Mitsui’s sustainable growth. We anticipate this particular project/ business to contribute especially to the realization of “Enhance quality of life”
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Secure sustainable supply of essential products
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Enhance quality of life
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Create an eco-friendly society
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Develop talent leading to value creation
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Build an organization with integrity