Analytik Jena AG Appoints New MD at Japanese Subsidiary

Analytik Jena AG has appointed Dr Marco Tilgner as the new MD of the Japanese subsidiary AJ Japan as of 1 January 2014. Mr Tilgner, who will report in his future role to Analytik Jena CEO Klaus Berka, already took over responsibility for finance and administration at the subsidiary two months ago as its CFO as part of comprehensive restructuring measures.

"Marco Tilgner has international experience in the areas of finance and business management. He has also worked in Asia over many years and especially developed firm roots in Japan. His primary task will now be to implement the restructuring measures that are needed at our Japanese subsidiary in a consistent manner and to position AJ Japan effectively," said Klaus Berka.

The previous managing director, Yoshiharu Tada, who had led AJ Japan since its foundation in 2007 and built up the company successfully, will leave the company as planned at the end of the calendar year when he retires. Berka thanked Tada for his tireless dedication in building the subsidiary. Analytik Jena is represented in Japan with its two core business units, Analytical Instrumentation and Life Science. In the past business year, total revenue of approximately €5.5 million was generated here. AJ Japan was, however, not able to meet the expectations of the parent company as part of changed regulatory conditions for measuring radioactive cesium with X-ray fluorescence devices, that were included as sales product into the portfolio after the Fukushima catastrophe.

In reaction to the overall negative developments, Analytik Jena had already begun a comprehensive program of reorganisation and cost reduction before the end of the past financial year. The focus now lies on structures concentrating on cost and revenue as well as new sales initiatives in addition to the changes that have been made to the management. Analytik Jena expects its Japanese subsidiary to reach operative break even in the fourth quarter of the current 2013/2014 financial year once these measures have been implemented.