Photographic and imaging company Fujifilm South Africa has officially opened its new local head office, located at 18 Holt street, in Sandton, Johannesburg.

The opening of the newly built building was attended by several local dignitaries, international Fujifilm management, as well as the Japanese ambassador to South Africa Shigeru Ushio.

The opening of the head office coincides with Fujifilm South Africa’s ten-year anniversary celebration in South Africa, having first opened its doors in March 2012 as a subsidiary of Fujifilm Holdings Corporation.

At 999 m², the five-storey building incorporates the Fujifilm Technology Centre Africa, office space for employees, boardrooms, a Fujifilm repair centre and a 30-seater auditorium for training purposes.

“Today is truly a special occasion in the history of Fujifilm since it marks a new chapter in our relationship with South Africa. Our new head office emphasises Fujifilm’s ongoing commitment to the country, having celebrated a successful decade of local presence. We are proud to be a part of South Africa and we hope to be able to further serve the public through this new premises,” Fujifilm South Africa MD Taro Kawano said, speaking at the opening.

Importantly, the South African head office was constructed to fall in line with Fujifilm Holdings’ climate action targets: to produce net zero carbon dioxide emissions by the fiscal year ending March 2041.

The 18 Holt street office is set to meet this goal, having been designed with the help of a green energy consultant. As such, it incorporates the use of solar power panels with a capacity of 65 kVA, biometric access control, motion sensors, day/night lighting and energy efficient plumbing that consumes less water.

Fujifilm’s head office in Johannesburg was designed by Empowered Space Architects and follows the opening of a new Fujifilm office and repair centre in Cape Town during 2021 and the building of the Fujifilm warehouse in Roodepoort in 2017.

The offices were built by Bantry Construction between March 2022 and the end of January.  

Present at the new office is the Fujifilm Technology Centre Africa, which moved from its previous location at the Fujifilm warehouse to the new premises. It is the only Fujifilm Technology Centre on the continent, taking up two floors and providing a demo centre for Fujifilm’s different departments to showcase a myriad of solutions to customers.

This includes products from medical systems (radiography, mammography, pathology, X-ray diagnostics), graphic communication (wide format printing, packaging, commercial digital and commercial offset), as well as imaging solutions (Instax instant cameras and printers, Fujifilm X-series and GFX mirrorless cameras).

Moreover, a 30-seater auditorium now gives Fujifilm South Africa the opportunity to offer product training to customers, run photography workshops and the ability to host events.

Kawano indicated his belief that Fujifilm can play a significant part in the future of South Africa, through printing and imaging solutions, as well as contributing to African healthcare through Fujifilm’s medical technologies.