Uni-Charm enters unit

Uni-Charm enters unit

TOKYO (Reuter): Uni-Charm Corp, a leading Japanese producer of disposable nappies and sanitary napkins, said yesterday that it had formed units in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore with the aim of becoming a top player in the East Asian market.

PT Uni-Charm Indonesia was formed in June to produce and sell sanitary napkins, Uni-Charm said in a statement.

The unit, capitalized at about one billion yen, is 74 percent owned by Uni-Charm and 26 percent owned by Indonesia's Sinar Mas group, the Japanese company said.

Also in June, Uni-Charm formed United Charm Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned unit in Malaysia, to import and sell sanitary napkins, the company said.

In April it formed Uni-Charm (Singapore) Pte Ltd, a wholly- owned finance unit.