Metex Corporation

Metex Corporation (株式会社メテックス) is a Japanese trading company headquartered in Higashi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, with a Kansai branch in Osaka and a distribution center in Funabashi, Chiba, plus overseas offices in New York and Hong Kong. Its roots go back to a textile trading house founded in 1946 (Showa 21), at a time when Japan was still a textile-exporting nation; the company was among the early Japanese firms to begin importing textiles from Europe. Building on that import DNA, in 1993 (Heisei 5) it started importing Western health and comfort products distinguished by function, quality and design, and at the same time changed its corporate name to Metex Corporation. It also strengthened development of original products. The company describes its management philosophy as "credit first," with a spirit of "enterprising reform" and "co-existence and co-prosperity" with business partners. Today it acts as general or designated agent in Japan for roughly 60 companies in about 15 countries, importing and domestically selling consumer products, and since 2014 it has also begun exporting some products. Its stated business scope covers disaster-prevention goods, long-shelf-life emergency foods, health and medical products, sports and outdoor goods, household goods, and foods such as wine and coffee, along with trade consulting. It holds licenses including second-class medical device manufacturing and sales, medical device manufacturing, controlled medical device sales, cosmetics manufacturing and sales, and alcoholic beverage sales. Metex markets both third-party brands and its own house brands. Its own labels include EXELUX (household and health-related goods), TRAVELUX (travel goods), ReLAAAX (health-related goods), EVERBright (torch and light products), EVERPower-Bright (storage battery products) and EX. (Exodus, disaster-prevention goods). Its online shop and catalog span categories such as disaster-prevention supplies (life rafts, life jackets, emergency kits, long-life foods), electrical and electronic devices (power banks, portable power stations, hearing aids, metal detectors), health and fitness (massagers, fitness goods, compression socks), household goods (shopping carts, mats, kitchen items), outdoor and travel gear, fashion accessories, beauty and sports items. Representative Director and CEO is Masao Tanaka, who studied law at Keio University, spent about ten years in London and New York while working for firms including Mitsui & Co., served as Japan representative of the U.S. state of Wisconsin from 1989, and joined Metex as representative director in 1996, becoming chairman in 2016. The company's current head-office building was completed in January 2016.

Metex Corporation traces its origins to a textile trading house founded in 1946 (Showa 21), in the early postwar period when Japan was still a textile-exporting country. According to the company's own account, it was among the first Japanese firms to begin importing textiles from Europe, establishing an import-oriented trading DNA. In 1993 (Heisei 5), the company began importing Western health and comfort products noted for their function, quality and design, and simultaneously changed its corporate name to Metex Corporation (株式会社メテックス). It also strengthened the development of original products. Over the following decades the company broadened its product range from health and comfort goods into branded products, household goods, travel goods and foods. It became general or designated agent in Japan for roughly 60 companies across about 15 countries, importing and selling consumer products domestically, and from 2014 it also began exporting some products. The company established a Kansai branch in Osaka and a distribution center in Funabashi, Chiba, and opened overseas offices in New York and Hong Kong. Its current head-office building was completed in January 2016. Leadership has also shaped the company's direction. Masao Tanaka, a Keio University law graduate who spent about ten years stationed in London and New York while working for firms including Mitsui & Co., served as Japan representative of the U.S. state of Wisconsin from 1989 and as vice chairman of the American State Offices Association (ASOA). He became Metex's representative director in 1996 and chairman in 2016. The company states its management philosophy as "credit first," with a spirit of "enterprising reform" and "co-existence and co-prosperity" with partners, and it continues to develop house brands such as EXELUX, TRAVELUX, ReLAAAX, EVERBright, EVERPower-Bright and EX. (Exodus).

• 2016

  Current head-office building completed in January; Masao Tanaka became chairman.

• 2014

  Began exporting some products.

• 1996

  Masao Tanaka became representative director.

• 1993

  Began importing Western health and comfort products and changed the corporate name to Metex Corporation (Heisei 5).

• 1946

  Founded as a textile trading house (Showa 21).

Import trading house and brand agent specializing in health, comfort and safety consumer products, with a growing portfolio of original house brands.

• EXELUX

• TRAVELUX

• ReLAAAX

• EVERBright

• EVERPower-Bright

• EX. (Exodus)

1. 1株式会社メテックス 公式サイトmetex.co.jp
2. 2株式会社メテックス 会社情報metex.co.jp
3. 3メテックス オンラインショップ 健康・フィットネスmetex.co.jp
4. 4Metex Corporation - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5メテックス - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org