Hochiki Europe announces sponsorship of Gillingham Football Club

Hochiki, whose European head office and manufacturing plant was established over 30 years ago in Gillingham, has been an industry leader in the production of commercial fire detection and emergency lighting products since being founded in Tokyo, Japan back in 1918.

Gillingham was chosen for the site of the company’s European factory due to the link between Will Adams and Japan. Will Adams was a 16th Century navigator who was born in Gillingham in 1564.  He was the first European to establish a trade route between England and Japan.

The company is now spread across three sites in the South East region of Medway in the wake of recently announcing a multi-million pound investment into a new shipping and warehousing hub in Chatham. The new facility has the capacity to increase from 480 to 2,450 pallets with picking times reduced by more than 50% (from seven minutes per line down to just three), in turn ensuring a continued and efficient supply of the highest quality production of life safety devices and systems.

Joe Comper, managing director at Gillingham FC, explained: “We are excited to welcome Hochiki as The Rainham End’s official partner. We have been working closely with Hochiki over the last year and they have been amazing. It’s very important for the club to have partners that value the community of Kent as much as Hochiki does. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team there for their fantastic support and I’m now very much looking forward to watching this partnership grow.”

Shinsuke Kubo, managing director for Hochiki Europe, responded: “Hochiki Europe has operated from headquarters in Gillingham for 31 years and we’re proud to continue our support of the local community. To celebrate our new partnership, and courtesy of Hochiki, Gillingham FC fans will have the chance to win a host of prizes including a VIP experience at the Millwall FC friendly, training ground visits and match tickets. Fans should keep an eye on Gillingham FC’s social media channels to find out how to win.”

This exciting partnership between Hochiki Europe and Gillingham Football Club promises a winning combination for both sides. Fans can look forward to exclusive prize giveaways, while the club gains a committed partner that values the community.

*Further information is available online at www.hochikieurope.com