His Excellency Mr Hiroshi Suzuki toured the fire detection manufacturer’s Gillingham headquarters as part of his visit to Medway
Hochiki Europe welcomed His Excellency Mr Hiroshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom, to its Gillingham headquarters on Thursday 24 September 2026. The Ambassador was spending the day in Medway meeting local businesses and celebrating the area’s long-standing links with Japan. He was joined by the Mayor of Medway, Naushabah Khan MP and a delegation of Medway guests.
The visit opened with an introduction to Hochiki’s global business and European operations, given by Yuji Hayashi, Finance and Administration Director. Guests then toured the Gillingham site. The Ambassador and his First Secretary were guided in Japanese by the Hochiki team. The tour began in the training room, where guests saw a complete fire detection system with the devices Hochiki designs and manufactures highlighted. It then moved on to the production facility. During the tour, Darren Pugh, Director of Manufacturing, briefed the group on Hochiki’s plans to extend its Gillingham site.
Hochiki was founded in Japan in 1918 and has specialised in fire detection for more than a century. The Hochiki Group now has a global turnover of more than £400 million and more than 2,000 employees. It has six manufacturing plants, 38 sales offices and 14 subsidiaries, with manufacturing in the UK, Europe, Japan and the USA.
Hochiki Europe has been based in Gillingham for more than 30 years. From here it supplies customers across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean. In September 2023 the company opened Apex House, a logistics facility in Chatham, which increased its warehousing capacity from 480 to 2,450 pallets. As part of our ongoing growth strategy, we are in the final stages of preparing a planning application for the expansion of our Gillingham facility and expect to submit to Medway Council in the coming weeks.
The visit also reflected a connection between Gillingham and Japan that goes back more than 400 years. William Adams was born in Gillingham and reached Japan in 1600, becoming the first Englishman to do so. He went on to serve as an adviser to the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Medway Japan Friendship Association, whose members joined the visit, has long championed that shared history.
Katie Walker, Global HR Director at Hochiki Europe said: “It was a privilege to welcome Ambassador Suzuki to Gillingham alongside the Mayor and our partners from Medway Council. Hochiki has called Medway home for more than 30 year and our success here reflects the skill, commitment and pride of our local team. It was particularly special to share that with the Ambassador and to recognise the people who contribute so much to our business and our community, in a town with such a special place in the history between Britain and Japan. We value the support we receive from Medway Council and look forward to continuing to invest in our people and grow our presence here.”
Following the tour, Ambassador Suzuki reflected “Hochiki is a fine example of the partnership between Japan and the United Kingdom. It is a Japanese company with more than a century of history, now manufacturing here in Medway and employing local people. Gillingham holds a special place in the story of our two countries as the birthplace of William Adams and it is a pleasure to see that connection continue through businesses like Hochiki. I would like to thank the Hochiki team and our friends in Medway for their warm welcome.”
From Hochiki, the Ambassador went on to MidKent College as he continued his tour of Medway.
The full delegation included First Secretary Ms Junko Nakaji; The Worshipful the Mayor of Medway, Councillor Douglas Hamandishe; Councillor Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council; Naushabah Khan MP, Member of Parliament for Gillingham and Rainham; Councillor Nina Gurung, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and Leisure; Councillor Harinder Mahil, Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration and Inward Investment; and Nicolas Maclean, Honorary Life Member of the Medway Japan Friendship Association.
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Dave Staddon - Publisher
Co-Founder of MDM Publishing Ltd. He has worked in fire publishing for close to 30 years. The company's portfolio includes International Fire Protection, International Fire Fighter, Asia Pacific Fire, Gulf Fire & UK Fire.
