“Since July 2 when a new sterilization center was completed by Kyushu AWI as the regional entity of the AWI group in the Kyushu District , the center has been successfully brought into regular operation .

The new center named “Fukuoka Sterilization Center” of Kyushu AWI Sterilization Division functions as a plant to sterilize, on a consignment basis, medical equipment and tools used in the medical institutions in the Kusami area of Kokura Minami-ku, Kita-Kyushu City located close to Kita-Kyushu Air Port. Likewise, a new plant has also been under construction since 2011 when a land of about 5000 m2 was obtained to renew the aged sterilizing factory located in Tobata Ward of Kita Kyushu City, after the start of consideration for renewal 3 to 4 years ago. With the base color of AWI Black for appearance, the plant looks creating an atmosphere of a cafe or a beauty salon. Such an innovative attempt to overturn the conventional image of sterilizing plant has been applied to not only appearance.

The attempt has also been applied to its structure with the U-shaped layout of each glass-walled workroom to take in outside light from the patio installed in the center of the plant, although there is no difference from the existing plant in the one-way process of cleaning→assembling→sterilization→discharging deck where objects to sterilize flows from the recovery deck. With a bright and open-air image, it looks like a showroom rather than a workshop. Furthermore, the floor of each zone of cleaning, disinfection, assembling and sterilization is color-coded, and is elaborated to draw attention to the category of work and adequate care. The recovery and discharging doors are not made of cold stainless steel, but employ a wood-grain design.

Regarding the reason of adopting the unconventional style for both internal and external appearance of the sterilization plant, Takashi Hirakawa of AWI’s Sterilization Business Department said, “We wanted to get rid of the negative image for sterilizing business, and to create circumstances for our staff to work with pride.” Thus, AWI tackled to improve the working circumstances for its competent staff members, so that they may get well entrenched be engaged in their work with pride as professionals of sterilization. He said,”We expect that such a workplace in a creative atmosphere will surely come up with a new idea for our sterilization business.””