Corporate profile, IR

History of Chugai Ro

1945
Establishment of Chugai Ro Co., Ltd.
Minoru Tamura appointed as President, and Masao Tanigawa appointed as Managing Director.
1954
Technology introduction from Midland-Ross Corporation, U.S.A. on advanced industrial furnaces, enabling Chugai Ro to take the initiative in modernizing furnace facilities in Japan.
Start of manufacture of atmosphere heat-treat furnaces such as gas carburizing furnaces, establishing a foundation for the high quality and mass production system resulting in the growth of the automotive industry.
1955
Start of manufacture of cold rolled steel strip coil bright annealing furnaces and supply of the latest industrial furnaces to the nonferrous metal, electric, and glass industries for modernizing production facilities.
1958
Completion of Combustion Equipment Factory, and start of mass production of high precision combustion equipment.
1959
Start of manufacture of “Kathabar” humidity conditioners and installation for brewing, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
1961
Start of manufacture of industrial machinery such as coating lines, tire cord heat-treat line and paper machine hoods.
Masao Tanigawa appointed as President.
1962
Listing on stock exchanges.
Export of soaking pits and reheat furnaces to Brazil, leading to advance into the overseas market.
1966
Development of the top and bottom fired walking beam type reheat furnace, contributing to manufacture of large-size furnaces and improvement in quality of rolled materials.
1969
Technology transfer to France and U.K. on the top and bottom fired walking beam type furnace.
Completion of the Head Office building.
1973
Advance into the business of sewage sludge incinerating systems.
1975
Completion of Sakai Factory resulting in improvement in the prefabrication and shop assembly percentage, decrease in field construction periods and reduction in costs.
1976
Success in putting into practice the continuous annealing lines for cold rolled steel strip with innovative improvements for energy saving and productivity. Export contract with U.S.S.R. for the world’s largest furnace of this kind.
1977
Technology transfer to Korea Machinery Co., Ltd., Korea on atmosphere heat-treat furnaces, contributing to development of heat-treat technologies in Korea.
Masao Tanigawa appointed as Chairman of the Board, and Muneyuki Komo appointed as President.
1978
Masao Tanigawa passed away. (Feb. 20)
1979
Export contact with China Steel Corporation, Taiwan for large plants including a reheat furnace for hot-rolling and annealing furnaces for cold-rolling.
1980
Start of construction in Japan, Russia and Sweden of continuous annealing furnaces for cold rolled steel strip utilizing the world’s most advanced technology.
1981
Technology introduction from Sulzer-Escher Wyss GmbH, Germany on sewage sludge drying and incinerating plants.
Technology transfer to Midland-Ross Corporation, U.S.A. on the walking beam type reheat furnaces for steel mills.
Technology transfer to Stein Heurtey S.A., France on the catenary type annealing furnace for stainless steel strip.
1983
Muneyuki Komo appointed as Chairman of the Board, and Hiromasa Maekawa appointed as President.
1984
Muneyuki Komo passed away. (Dec. 30)
1985
Cross license agreement with Somerset Technologies, Inc., U.S.A.
1988
Sales assistance and technology transfer to Surface Combustion, Inc., U.S.A. on heat-treat furnaces.
Receipt of the first order for an in-line sputtering system.
Receipt of the first order from Kyoto Prefecture for a fluidized bed type sewage sludge incinerating system.
1989
Success in developing ash brick manufacturing systems by recycling sewage sludge and in receiving orders for such systems.
1991
Hiromasa Maekawa passed away. (Oct. 17)
Tadashi Tanigawa appointed as President.
1992
Receipt of the order for the 700 “HI-SHIFTER™” batch heat treating furnaces.
Receipt of the first order for an environment-conscious cleaning and drying unit “SOLMATE™” using no organic solvent.
1994
Receipt of a turnkey order from ACERINOX S.A. for a continuous stainless steel bright annealing furnace.
Receipt of the first order for a regenerative thermal oxidizer.
1995
Receipt of orders for thin steel slabs holding furnaces for U.S.A and Korea.
1996
Receipt of order for various facilities for manufacturing large size color plasma display panels (PDP).
1997
Receipt of turnkey orders from Krupp Thyssen Nirosta GmbH, Germany and Taiwanese steel companies for continuous stainless stell bright annealing furnaces.
Technology transfer to Hanwha Machinery Co., Ltd., Korea on the bubbling fluidized bed type sewage sludge incineration system.
ISO9001 certified.
1998
Joint development with Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., Japan of a reflected electron feedback electrode system which stabilizes plasma production.
Completion of a sewage sludge drying and incinerating system at Kokufu River Basin Sewage Treating Plant in Niigata, Japan which is a new model sewage sludge disposal system for relatively small municipalities.
Joint development and sales tie-up with Anelva Corporation, Japan of a MgO deposition system for the production of large plasma display panels.
Receipt fo the first order for a rotary melting furnace which makes ash from municipal garbage incinerators innoxious.
1999
Receipt of an order from Acciai Speciali Terni S.p.A., Italy for the world’s largest stainless steel strip bright annealing line.
Receipt of the first order for a next generation vacuum carburizing furnace.
2000
Installation of an environment-conscious reheat furnace which reduces the fuel consumption to 30% and halves NOx emission as compared with the conventional type.
Installation of the first order for a dioxin destruction system at Clean Center in Nomura Town, Ehime Pref., Japan.
Receipt of successive order for TABLE COATER™, MgO deposition system and frit sealing exhausting equipment for mass production of plasma display panels.
Development and installation of EBC automatic air ratio control device.
Receipt of order from Avesta Polarit, Finland for the world’s largest annealing furnace for the world’s first full-scale RAP Line.
2001
Receipt of the first order for a circle drawing coater.
Receipt of an order for a dioxin destruction system at Oumihachiman City, Shiga Pref., Japan.
Receipt of an order for one-chamber-type vacuum furnace units 1 and 2 adopting a high-pressurization cooling system.
Receipt of an order of a bell-type coil-annealing furnace (H2-BAF) for 100% hydrogen atmosphere from Sumitomo Metal Industries in Wakayama.
Development of the next-generation TABLE COATER™ “FLOLIA™”, which enabled super high-precision paint coating in units of sub microns.
Receipt of orders of advanced exhaust gas processing systems of bag filter type from Ago-cho, Mie Pref., and the Shirone area in Niigata Pref.
Installation of steel bar edge heating equipment incorporating an oxygen combustion system in response to an increasing demand for high-quality steel bars.
Receipt of an order of chicken-dropping carbonization systems as the first equipment making use of organic waste disposal technology from Mori Plant.
Brisk placement of orders of systems for PDP mass production.
2002
Development and installation of rotary type regenerative thermal oxidizer, in addition to a one-tower, five-room type, in response to an increasing demand for strong-wind deodorization equipment.
Receipt of an order of oxygen injection equipment from the Makino Pump Station in the Takashima Valley area in Shiga Pref. for a countermeasure against the generation of hydrogen sulfide in a sewage pipe ditch.
Receipt of an order of special frit sealing equipment for PDP mass production.
Installation of the first stripe coater.
Receipt of an order from North American Stainless, USA, for a stainless annealing line.
Receipt of the first order from Toyoda Machine Works, Ltd. for a URX gas carburizing furnace.
Receipt of the first order from Jatco Ltd. for a multi incineration system that processes a variety of waste materials simultaneously.
Receipt of an order from the NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) for the Demonstrative Test Project 2002 for Biomass and Other New Energy Sources along with a survey on the project.
2003
Installation of the first aluminum crucible furnace using a self-regenerative burner and immersion-type burner for an aluminum melting and holding furnace in sequence.
Receipt of a simultaneous order of three MgO deposition systems for the mass production of large-scale PDP facilities.
Installation of an incineration system of fluidized circulation type with Japan’s maximum capacity of 110 tons per day at the Kyoto Pref. Rakusai Sewage Treatment Center.
Receipt of an order for a full automatic continuous frit sealing and exhaust system for the mass production of large-space PDP facilities.
Receipt of an order for large-sized drying equipment for industrial waste.
Receipt of an order for a TABLE COATER™ for large-scale substrates exceeding 2000 mm.
2004
Receipt of continuous orders from the JICA (Japan International Corporation Agency) for energy-saving promotion equipment for China and Iran.
Receipt of an order from the Bureau of Port and Harbor Tokyo Metropolitan Government for the removal of an existing incinerator with measures against dioxin taken.
Delivery of the first flame-type spray synthesizing equipment as a research installation for next-generation rechargeable batteries to Fukui University.
Release of the FLOLIA 2000 Coater System as an ultrahigh-precision coating and drying system for LCDs and organic ELs.
Receipt of the order for the large steel plate reheating furnaces for large-scale steels in sequence.
Receipt of the order for the baking furnaces for developing the FED.
Receipt of the order for the 150 regenerative thermal oxidizers.
Receipt of the first order for FLOLIA 2000 Coater System.
2005
Receipt of the order for continuous galvanizing lines for automobile steel strip in sequence.
Immersion tube self regenerative gas burner (ISRG) won the Japan Machinery Federation (JMF) President Award as 2006 Energy Saving Equipment.
Achievement of one of the longest 500hrs continuous operation in the world by woody biomass gasification and co-generation demonstrative system at the Yamaguchi Pref.
Receipt of the order from domestic and overseas steel mills for reheating furnaces and metal processing lines in sequence.
Biomass gasification and co-generation technology won the Global 100 Eco-Tech Awards from Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc. and Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition.
Construction is completed on the Sakai Works Engineering Center.
2006
Biomass gasification and co-generation system won the Japan Organics Recycling Association (JORA) President Award.
Brisk placement of orders of regenerative thermal oxidizers for amendment of Air Pollution Control Law.
Tadashi Tanigawa appointed as Chairman of the Board, and Yoshihiko Sato appointed as President.
Receipt of an order for a vacuum annealing furnace, in response to an increasing demand for the titanium for aircraft.
Receipt of the orders for the optical film production lines in sequence.
Receipt of the orders for a motor core annealing furnace and a continuous gas carburizing furnace by local content in sequence, in response to an increasing demand for the motor and the electrical appliance in China.
Receipt of an order from a liquid crystal display (LCD) maker in China for a FLOLIA 2000 coater system as a mass production line of the large size substrate.
Receipt of an order for a degreasing furnace for a new development of motor exhaust gas purification equipment.
Receipt of the first order for a new model regenerative thermal oxidizer.
Receipt of an order for a source gas heating system for the production of the silicone.
Receipt of an order for a biomass gasification and co-generation system in Aso City, Kumamoto Pref., Japan.
Receipt of an order from Shanghai STAL Precision Stainless Steel Co., Ltd.(STAL), China for a continuous ultra-thin stainless steel strip bright annealing line (SUS-BAL).
Receipt of an order for a biomass gasification and co-generation system in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Pref., Japan.
Receipt of an order for an intermittent continuous coater as an expand to the fuel cell market.
Receipt of an order for a vertical loading type clean baking furnace for the mass production test of the flat panel display (FPD).
Receipt of an order for a vacuum deposition system SUPLaDUO for the production of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
2007
Receipt of an order for an in-flame treatment equipment.
Installation of a new model recu-burner for heat treatment furnace at PSM, Inc., Korea.
Receipt of an order for a large size TABLE COATER™ for ITO (transparent conductive films of indium tin oxide) coating
Receipt of the orders for equipment for space and aviation industries
Receipt of an order for special heat treatment furnace of magnetic materials
Receipt of an order for Japan’s first gas quench type continuous gas carburizing furnace, which is environmentally friendly and contributes to reduction in the amount of distortion in heat treatment.
Completion of a pilot plant for compact type biomass gasification and co-generation system at Sakai Works
Have received a total of 250 orders for the regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO)
Receipt of an order for vacuum clean dryer for the glass substrate for flat panel display
With strong demand throughout the world continuing for steel products, have received orders from steel mills in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan for environmentally friendly reheating furnaces able to substantially reduce energy consumption.
Completed the demonstration of new FLOLIA 3000 coater system able to handle G6 (1850 x 1500 mm) substrates.
2008
Nagoya Sales Office moved to the Honshu- Meieki Building.
Acquired a total of 3 million of our own shares in three lots on August 24 and December 21, 2007, and February 28, 2008.
Receipt of an order for the FLOLIA 3000 coater system for electronic paper manufacture.
Receipt of the orders for equipments for productions of secondary batteries, fuel cells, and solar batteries.
Total orders received for TABLE COATER™ series broke through the 150 mark.
ISO 14001 certified.
Continuing receipt of orders for carbon heat treatment furnaces due to increase in demand for carbon products.
Receipt of an order for a TABLE COATER™ for the world’s biggest ever substrates (over 4,000mm).
Ongoing receipt of orders from chemical companies, tire makers, and others, for large-scale regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTO).
As part of the worldwide trend to prevent global warming, the use of regenerative burners is making progress in the cast and forged steel industry.
Ongoing receipt of orders from steel mills in China and Korea for continuous annealing lines in response to growing demand for stainless steel strip.
Have acquired a total of 5 million of our own shares through the acquisition of 1 million on December 22, 2008.
2009
Receipt of the first order for the regenerative-burner-compatible Easy & Eco. Burner Control System.
Have received a total of 300 orders for the regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO)
Renewal of the demonstration equipment for continuous vacuum deposition of rolled film to satisfy the demand for flexible displays and touch-screen panels.
Regenerative burner further developed for use with steelmaking process such as ladle preheaters.
Completion of Kokura Factory refurbishment.
Installation of the No. 1 Exhaust Gas Condenser in order to utilize waste heat of 180˚C and over, amidst increasing demands for plant energy savings and CO2 emission reductions.
Installation of a small scale biomass gasification system in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture.
2010
5.6 million shares retired.
Announcement of agreement with Solar Frontier (formerly Showa Shell Solar) upon the introduction of CIS solar batteries into Solar Frontier’s mass production plants as a result of joint technical development with Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. and Solar Frontier.
Ongoing receipt of orders for coater systems for next generation displays (touch panels, electronic paper, 3D displays, etc.)
Total number of Easy & Eco. Burner Control Device (EBC series) supplied tops 500.
Renewal of continuous die coating demonstration equipment following that for continuous vacuum deposition of rolled film.
Total orders received for TABLE COATER™ series broke through the 200 mark.
Ongoing receipt of orders domestically and from Taiwan and China for large-scale regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTO).
Ongoing receipt of orders from China and Vietnam for large-scale world-class steel strip processing lines.
Business of sewerage to government offices transferred to MetaWater Service Co., Ltd.
Acquisition of 1 million own shares.
Installation of Solar Frontier 50kW CIS solar battery panels in the Kokura Factory reducing CO2 by approx. 21 tons per year.
Ongoing receipt of orders for large-scale internal renovation work on walking beam type reheating furnaces.
2011
First order for frit baking furnace for organic EL displays.
Acquired 1 million own shares.
Developed rechargeable battery electrode material baking furnace “VPAX™” and introduced it in the exhibition concerned.
Receipt of orders for ceramic powder baking equipments using flame-type powder heat treatment technology.
¥30 million and emergency goods donation for reconstruction and victim relief following the Eastern Japan Earthquake.
Achieved a new record for TABLE COATER™ orders because of vigorous Taiwan/China demand for touch screen coater.
Transfer of consolidated subsidiary “Chugai Air System Co., Ltd.” shares to T-NET JAPAN Co., Ltd.
Orders for large-scale steel strip coating lines received from Taiwan, as from Vietnam in 2010.
Receipt of an order for a vacuum deposition system SUPLaDUO for the production of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
Acquired 1 million own shares.
Awarded the 2011 Magnolia Award by the City of Shanghai (received by Toshikatsu Koto, Plant Division).
Surge in orders received from China for heat treatment furnaces for electrical appliance and auto parts.
Large ongoing orders for burners for cold-rolling equipment in India and hot-rolling equipment in Thailand.
Receipt of orders for glass baking furnaces for electronic parts.
Receipt of order of glass annealer for production of touch panels.
Orders for FLOLIA™ for flexible organic EL displays.
Order for a coater system for organic EL illumination.
Installation of test equipment for a laminating system for large-scale displays.
2012
Order from Taiwan for FLOLIA™ for touch panels.
Awarded the Japan Institute of Energy (JIE) Progress Award (Engineering) for technology for biomass gasification and co-generation power systems.
Receipt from Indonesia of order for continuous gas carburizing furnaces following that for batch-type heat treating equipments.
Acquired 2 million own shares.
Receipt from Taiwan of order for aluminum strip coating line.
Established local corporations (subsidiaries) in Thailand and Indonesia.
Established a business continuity plan (BCP).
Order from Minamisannriku-cho, Miyagi Prefecture, for biomass gasification and co-generation system to process disaster rubble.
Numerous orders for ultra-low NOx burners.
Ongoing receipt of orders for heat treatment equipments from Mexico, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia spurred by increasing overseas production by auto manufacturers.
First order for induction heater for non-magnetic body.
Order for roll-to-roll coating line for high-performance film.
First order for medical-related coater.
Acquired 2 million own shares.
2013
Development and launch of consecutive models of new-type energy saving burners.
Yuji Nishimoto appointed as President.
Domestic and overseas orders for automotive parts heat treatment equipment.
First order for the new model self-regenerative burner.
Supply of a biomass gasification and co-generation system with the bio-coke production system of Yokote City, Akita Pref., Japan.
Installation of a working demonstration equipment at a bio-coke production system.
Order for development equipment for organic EL illumination.
First order for a new model bio-coke production system.
Acquired 2 million own shares.
2014
Total orders for regenerative burners top the 2,000 pair mark.
Demonstration run of bio-coke technology in Kawamata-machi, Fukushima prefecture, to reduce amount of decontaminated waste.
Orders from China for use in heat treatment of organic EL displays and new-model high precision coating equipment (HP coater).
Orders from China Steel Corporation for two energy-saving type (for slab hot-rolling) reheating furnaces.
Order for newly developed OCR coater for lamination of liquid crystal and touch panels.
Order from Kobe Steel, Ltd. for energy saving-type heating furnace.
Order from Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. for newly developed (multiple chamber cell-type) vacuum carburizing furnace HIFALCON™.
Carries out a Decontamination Technology Verification Project for the Ministry of the Environment at Kawamata-machi, Fukushima Pref., as an experiment for verification, using bio-coke technology.
2015
Order for polyimide (PI) coater and clean oven in China.
Order for a bark-burning biomass boiler, as a local revitalization project in Tono City, Iwate Pref.
Order from Japan for large-size heat treatment equipment for glass.
Order for roll-to-roll coating line and glass baking furnace for electronic component.
Total number of Easy & Eco. Burner Control Device (EBC series) supplied tops 1000.
Order for a continuous stainless steel strip bright annealing line (SUS-BAL) in China.
2016
Order for heat treatment equipments for wind power generator parts.
Order from Southeast Asia for aluminum strip coating line.
Orders from China and Taiwan for coater systems for production of displays.
Established local corporations (subsidiaries) in Mexico.
Order from Thailand for continuous galvanizing line (CGL).
Domestic and overseas orders for coater systems for production of flexible organic EL displays.
2017
Order from Bamboo Energy Co., Ltd. for Biomass Boiler and Organic Rankine Cycle System for Co-generation.
Ongoing receipt of orders for coaters of solar battery panel production from overseas makers.
First order for a new model HI-SHIFTER™ and a new model vacuum cleaning system.
Domestic and overseas orders for HI-SHIFTER™.
Domestic and overseas orders for continuous gas carburizing furnaces.
Order form domestic maker for HIFALCON™.
Domestic orders for continuous copper strip bright annealing lines.
Completed the demonstration of FLOLIA™ coater system is available from substrate cleaning to inspection of coated layer.
Order form Iwatani Corporation for biomass air-heating furnace for Showa Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
Conclusion of a contract execution of solo partnership and license agreement with KOHLBACH Holding GmbH, Austria for selling biomass boiler in Japan.
2018
Ongoing receipt of orders for equipments for development of next-generation batteries.
Domestic orders for FLOLIA™ coater system for PI (polyimide) coating.
Aluminum melting furnace dedicated regenerative burner awarded the 2018 Development Prize by the Japan Aluminum Association.
Domestic and overseas orders for various carburizing furnaces for automotive parts, such as the new HI-SHIFTER™ model.
Domestic order for continuous copper strip bright annealing line.
Domestic order for clean oven for mass production of organic EL products.
Domestic order for energy-saving reheating furnace.
Development of world’s first general-purpose hydrogen burner for industrial use by Toyota Motor Corporation in collaboration with Chugai Ro.
2019
Domestic order for large-scale modification project of reheating furnace for steel and new installation of reheating furnace for special steel.
Large number of orders for functional material and carbon heat treatment furnaces for semiconductors.
Order for a continuous stainless steel strip bright annealing line (SUS-BAL) in China.
Order from China for a high precision coating system for organic EL displays.
Orders for newly installation and modification of coater systems/lines for high-functional film in several countries.
Order for a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) for a still mill.
2020
Order for FLOLIA™ coater system for PI (polyimide) coating in China.
Yuji Nishimoto appointed as Chairman of the Board, and Akira Ozaki appointed as President.
Development of fossil fuel-free combustion technology powered solely by ammonia (joint research with Osaka University).
Market release of RS Coater™ as new wafer coating equipment.
Orders steadily arriving for large-scale oxygen burner used in restarting domestic blast furnaces and in other applications.
Orders arriving for the Chinese market-targeted, world’s largest continuous stainless steel strip bright annealing line.
Stronger support for solid-state battery electrolyte manufacturing equipment mass production.
Orders arriving for fuel cell electrode catalyst material mass production equipment.
Order for high-precision PI(polyimide) coating system for mass-production model flexible organic EL substrates in China.
2021
Order from customer in China for high-precision coating system for IC packaging.
Market release of the CRism™ IoT package for heat treatment equipment.
Order, continuing from last year, for the world’s largest continuous stainless steel strip bright annealing line in China.
Launch of the Decarbonization Project to accelerate the development of decarbonization technology, including ammonia and hydrogen burners.
Conclusion of a contract for the Research, Development and Demonstration of Technologies for Ammonia Co-Firing Thermal Power Generation program of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
Receipt of a domestic order for the first RS coater™.
Order from Subaru Corporation for a small-lot processing type vacuum carburizing furnace.
Receipt of a domestic order for a small hydrogen burner test furnace.
Domestic order for energy-saving reheating furnace to be used for wind power generator-related materials.
2022
Ongoing receipt of orders for steelmaking combustion equipment which contributes to low-carbonization (energy-saving) efforts in Japan.
First order for electric furnace dust zinc recycling equipment to be used in the resource recycling process.
Moved from the Tokyo Stock Exchange 1st Section to Prime Market following market restructuring.(April 4, 2022)
Receipt of an order for the radiant tube hydrogen burner No. 1, which contributes to decarbonization.
Ongoing receipt of orders for overseas projects involving high-grade steel strip manufacturing equipment.
Receipt of an order for Japan’s first hydrogen combustion exhaust gas treatment equipment which contributes to decarbonization.
2023
Order for a hydrogen combustion test furnace which contributes to carbon neutrality at a plant of customer in Japan.
Awarded the Cogeneration Award 2022 “Excellence Award” in the Technological Development Category for “commercialization of a waste-heat boiler equipped with a 30% hydrogen co-combustion reheating burner.”
Order from Denso Corporation for a hydrogen combustion-type afterburner furnace for Denso Fukushima Corporation.
Joint development with Olympia Kogyo Co., Ltd. of a gun-type hydrogen burner.
Official signing of decarbonized ultra-thin precision stainless steel bright annealing line with YIEH UNITED STEEL CORP. (YUSCO) of Taiwan.
Closed and sold Combustion Research Laboratory (Kashiwabara City, Osaka Prefecture) due to transfer of functions to Sakai Plant.
Integrated and reorganized research facilities within Sakai Plant and opened the Thermal Technology Creative Laboratory.
2024
Orders for vacuum furnaces are strong due to the trend toward electrification in line with the promotion of decarbonization.
Receipt of the batch type carburizing furnace line for EV parts for the U.S.
Favorable orders for decarbonized combustion equipment such as heat treatment furnaces for semiconductor and battery-related functional materials and hydrogen burners.
Received order for roll-to-roll coating equipment for all solid-state batteries for the Japanese market.
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