Yokohama, Japan - JGC Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary, JGC Information Systems Co., Ltd.(J-SYS), have set up the Plant Solutions Business Development Office (PSBDO) with the intent of expanding their IT solutions business.

This expansion derives from policies set out in the medium-term management plan, "Scenario 2010", which aim to make use of the group's various technological capabilities to further JGC's growth by developing business models that combine plant EPC businesses with non-EPC businesses. The office is located in the J-SYS building and is staffed by plant engineers from JGC and by J-SYS engineers who are familiar with information systems.

PSBDO initially plans to target customers in the domestic oil refining and petrochemical industries. It will offer a visual simulation tool dubbed "Next Generation Headquarters"(XHQ) as the key to quick decision making at levels from corporate management to on-site operations, along with other solutions for plant operation and management. XHQ is in use at over 45 businesses, worldwide and several major companies in Japan have already begun using it.

J-SYS has taken over administration of the XHQ sales agreement made between JGC and Siemens of Germany in March of last year to handle XHQ sales, exclusively. The company intends to offer specific operational management systems to help customers operate their plants, as well as plant facility management systems. Individually-tailored systems will also be available.

PSBDO will eventually expand its operations to include customers in iron smelting, pharmaceuticals, and food-processing industries. It will also target foreign customers associated with JGC's plant construction activities overseas. PSBDO will use the knowledge accumulated through JGC projects to offer electronic documentation management systems accommodating work flows which are complex and likely to require overhauling numerous times. Engineering solutions, developed by us as an engineering group, will be provided, as well.