Local commercial printing companies Hawaii Hochi Ltd. and Obun Hawaii merged Wednesday.
Hawaii Hochi, established in 1912, publishes Hawaii Hochi, a Japanese-language daily newspaper of the same name, as well as The Hawaii Herald, which covers local Japanese-American topics and is published twice a month. Hawaii Hochi also provides commercial printing services in Hawaii. Hawaii Hochi is a subsidiary of Shizuoka Shimbun and the Shizuoka Broadcasting Group, a multimedia company headquartered in Shizuoka, Japan.
Obun Hawaii, whose parent company is aio, will mark its 50th anniversary this year as a full- service commercial printing company in the state. Obun Hawaii offers high-quality offset and digital printing, mailing, bindery and design services. Obun Hawaii’s distribution and fulfillment division, Hawaii Distribution Center, is not part of the merger. Obun Hawaii was part of the aio family of companies, a locally owned, diverse group of businesses which includes some of Hawaii’s most recognizable brands in media, sports, technology and food.
Taro Yoshida, president of Hawaii Hochi, will be president of the combined operations.
“Hawaii Hochi, Ltd. and Shizuoka Shimbun are excited to welcome Obun Hawaii to their Hawaii operations,” Yoshida said. “Our common values and long-term commitment to Hawaii provide the foundation for our companies coming together.”
The two companies will continue to operate at their current locations and maintain their current names.
“We see this as a great partnership and opportunity for both companies,” said Susan Eichor, president of aio. “We are very pleased that Hawaii Hochi recognized Obun Hawaii’s outstanding employees as its most important asset and will be carrying over employees into the merged company.”
