Trust Recovery Growth Vitalization - Marubeni

North America
In the United States, Helena Chemical Company and Carlisle Leasing
International, LLC, the most important subsidiaries of
Marubeni America Corporation, continue to perform well.
We plan to continue using these two companies as a platform
for executing our North American regional strategy that calls for
enhancing our business activities and profitability.
Marubeni America Corporation, the Marubeni Group’s largest
overseas corporate subsidiary, is the platform for executing
Marubeni’s North American regional strategy that calls for enhancing
the Group’s business activities and profitability. In the United
States, Helena Chemical Company and Carlisle Leasing International,
LLC, two of the most important subsidiaries of Marubeni
America continue to perform well.
Marubeni America has 12 subsidiaries with about 3,000 employees
as well as 22 affiliated companies. In 2004, the economy
of the United States expanded along with growing investments
and exports due, in part, to low interest rates and a rebound in the
global economy. In this environment, Helena Chemical and Carlisle
Leasing International, the two largest businesses of Marubeni
America, both achieved record earnings. This performance helped
propel consolidated pretax earnings of Marubeni America to an alltime
high.
Helena Chemical is a diversified marketer of agricultural products,
such as agrochemicals, fertilizer and seeds, with 250 sales
bases throughout the United States. Despite challenges from a
contracting agrochemical market and rising competition from
imports, this company reported record earnings. One reason was
growth in its agrochemical market share due to an increase in
direct sales to farm operators. Another factor was growth in the
scope of operations through numerous acquisitions, including in
the fertilizer industry. Carlisle Leasing International leases refrigerated
containers for maritime transportation. Backed by growth
in international trade, especially exports from China, and strong
Marubeni Corporation 2005
demand for ocean transport, Carlisle Leasing International ordered
more than 10,000 containers in 2004. This lifted its share of the
container operating lease market to about 30%, making it the
effective global leader in the business. In addition, backed by
growing domestic food consumption, MAC Trailer Leasing LLC,
which leases refrigerated trailers, is posting steadily higher earnings
each year.
Regarding Marubeni America’s trading business, Marubeni
America consolidated its three bases in the Silicon Valley region to
form the new Silicon Valley Branch. This brings together sales
personnel handling metal resources, IT, chemicals and other businesses,
providing a unified platform for increasing sales of materials
and products used by high-tech industries. To set the stage for
future growth, Marubeni America is investing in a variety of funds
and biotech venture companies with the aim of earning capital
gains. Other forward-looking actions include the identification of
products and businesses, and associated investments, for which
demand exists in Japan. Examples are fuel cells, radio frequency
identification (RFID), new materials and composite semiconductors.
Another goal is increasing business with customers in China
and other Asian countries.
Marubeni America is currently working on achieving the goals of
its “V” PLAN. One way is by achieving further growth at Helena
Chemical and Carlisle Leasing International. Marubeni America is
also placing priority on building businesses with deep local roots
that can become new profit centers, as well as on identifying and
developing other business opportunities.
Tank facilities at Helena Chemical. An office at Helena Chemical. A refrigerated trailer for overland transport handled by
MAC Trailer Leasing LLC.
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