On December 25, 2008, the Steel Company was certified as a specific exporter by the Ministry of Finance Customs Bureau (Osaka Customs).

The Textiles Company was certified as a special importer on June 27, 2007, a first for a trading company. Certification varies by company and product, and receiving both export and import certification is rare. Sumikin Bussan is only the second trading company in the industry to have received both certifications.

Certification as both a specific exporter and a special importer was based on an evaluation of the execution and accuracy of our export and import operations and underlying internal compliance structure.

Being certified simplifies the customs inspection and examination procedures for both exports and imports, significantly reducing the amount of time for customs clearance. It also facilitates the creation of a speedy and seamless supply chain process that will enable us to provide an even higher quality logistics service to our customers.

Furthermore, as the AEO system continues to evolve, we expect to receive the privilege of a simpler, easier and faster freight inspection and custom clearance process from the customs authorities, both domestically and for our trading partner countries.