Local companies seeking word on Japanese colleagues, operations

The fate of an untold number of workers and facilities remained heavy on the minds of suburban business executives late Friday, despite daylong efforts to reach their operations in earthquake-ravaged Japan.

The tsunami reached the U.S. shores in more ways than via the California coastline. It drove into the hearts of about 400 Chicago and suburban businesses with direct ties to Japan.

“Any number of our corporate members have family and workers there and are trying to get in touch with them,” said Andrew St. John, a spokesman for the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Chicago.

With the employees’ welfare and company facilities at stake, some suburban business executives were relieved with good news, while others continued to work various forms of communication to overcome the devastation after the 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan. Many said it was too early to tell the costs in lives and bricks-and-mortar.

McDonald’s has more than 3,000 restaurants throughout Japan and was unclear on the condition of its work force and facilities, especially those around the epicenter, said spokeswoman Becca Hary.

“Communication channels have been unreliable, and we are still gathering information on the status of our people and our restaurants,” said Hary. “McDonald’s Japan has established a relief fund to help support local efforts. We’ll continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Schaumburg-based Motorola Solutions facilities in Tokyo, Osaka and Kanagawa-Ken “experienced minor physical damage,” said spokeswoman Tama McWhinney. “We have no known impact to our employees at this time.”

Many area pharmaceutical companies have parent companies or other operations in Japan. Deerfield-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America said its offices in Tokyo and Osaka were safe, but it was unsure about its other operations and workers who may live in affected areas.

Deerfield-based Baxter International received good news about its 885 workers in Japan, along with its offices, manufacturing and distribution facilities, said spokeswoman Deborah Spak.

“All of our employees and facilities are accounted for,” Spak said. “But phone communication has been very spotty, so we have mostly been communicating via e-mail.”

Chicago-based United Continental Holdings Inc. said it is closely monitoring conditions in Japan and across the Pacific. The parent to United and Continental Airlines said no injuries were reported with its work force, said United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy.

Later, the airlines will need to assess the revenue loss due to the flight cancellations and delays.

Lisle-based Molex has employees in Japan who are safe, said Molex spokeswoman Susan Armitage.

“Our plants are secure and were not damaged,” said Armitage. “We have a plant in Shizuoka that was evacuated as a precaution but received the all clear after about an hour. No damage was reported at our plant in Kagoshima, which is far south, or at our facility in Yamato City, which is near Tokyo.”

Mitutoyo America Corp., an Aurora-based manufacturer of precision measuring equipment and a subsidiary of Mitutoyo Corp. headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan, also is unsure of the condition of its operations.

The company has a factory in the Tochigi Prefecture, said company Vice President Laura Newman.

“We have heard that they have sustained some damage,” Newman said. “Thank goodness none of our employees are traveling there right now. Many of the employees who work at the Kawasaki headquarters near Tokyo haven’t been able to go home yet. We really don’t know anything more than that. It’s the weekend now so we expect to hear a lot more come Monday when the offices reopen.”

Like many other companies now, Mitutoyo likely will start a fundraising campaign to help with earthquake cleanup and to help those affected.

“I think right now we are waiting for an assessment of what has happened and what they need,” she said, “but we certainly stand ready to help them any way we possibly can.”

ŸDaily Herald Staff Writer Madhu Krishnamurthy contributed to this report.