Japan Tobacco International

JTI - Japan Tobacco International is the international tobacco division of Japan Tobacco,[3] a leading international tobacco product manufacturer. The holding company is JT International SA and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and sells its brands in 120 countries.

JT International SA
Typesubsidiary
IndustryTobacco
Founded1999
HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
Key people
Eddy Pirard President and CEO Koji Shimayoshi Deputy CEO and Executive Vice President Business Development and Corporate Strategy
ProductsCigarettes, vaping products, roll-your-own tobacco, snus, pipe tobacco, cigars[1]
OwnerJapan Tobacco (Government of Japan)
Number of employees
45,000 (2019)[2]
Websitewww.jti.com

As of 2018, JTI employed around 40,000 people around the world at 400 offices, 27 factories, five research and development centers, and five tobacco-processing facilities.[4]

Eddy Pirard is the president and CEO, and Koji Shimayoshi is the deputy CEO and executive vice president for business development and corporate strategy.[5]

History

JTI was formed in 1999, when Japan Tobacco Inc. purchased the international tobacco operations of the US multinational R.J. Reynolds for $ 7.8 billion.

In 2007, Gallaher Group, a FTSE 100 business, was acquired by Japan Tobacco Inc. for GBP 9.4 billion. At the time, this was the largest foreign acquisition by a Japanese company.

In 2009, the JT Group acquired part of the worldwide business of Tribac Leaf Limited (a company that trades tobacco in Africa), as well as two Brazilian companies active in the tobacco business, Kannenberg and KBH&C. In the same year, the JT Group also set up JTI Leaf Services, a joint venture with two leaf suppliers in the US – Hail & Cotton Inc. and JEB International.[6]

Canadian class action lawsuit

The three largest Canadian tobacco companies, Imperial Tobacco Canada, JTI-Macdonald Corp, and Rothmans Benson & Hedges, are the subject of the largest class-action lawsuit in Canadian history. The case started 12 March 2012 in Quebec Superior Court, and the companies face a potential payout of C$27 billion (US $20.18 billion) in damages and penalties. In addition, a number of Canadian provinces are teaming up to sue tobacco companies to recover healthcare costs caused by smoking.[7]

On 1 June 2015, Québec Superior Court Justice Brian Riordan awarded more than $15 billion to Quebec smokers in a landmark case that pitted them against three Canadian cigarette giants, including JTI-Macdonald Corp.[8][9] JTI was ordered to pay 13% of the total, or C$2bn. The company stated, "JTI-Macdonald Corp. fundamentally disagrees with today’s judgment and intends to file an appeal.". "The company strongly believes that the evidence presented at trial does not justify the court’s conclusions." The plaintiffs in the court case stated that even if an appeal were lodged, the companies were required to pay C$1bn within 60 days.[10]

Patron of the University of Latvia

Japan Tobacco International is a silver patron of the University of Latvia Foundation. It has supported the university since 2010 by donating to long-term projects of the University of Latvia Senior Association.[11]

Brands

Flagship brands

These brands account for 72% of JTI's sales:[12]

Other tobacco products

Other brands

JTI also has a portfolio of cigarette brands that the company markets regionally, including Export in Canada.

References
  1. "Our Brands". JTI. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  2. "About Us". JTI. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  3. "Global Site". Japan Tobacco. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. "Where We Operate". JTI. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  5. "Our leadership". JTI. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  6. "Facts & Figures | When". JTI. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  7. "C$27 billion suit vs Big Tobacco starts in Montreal". Reuters. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  8. Banerjee, Sidhartha (1 June 2015). "Judge awards $15 billion to Quebec smokers". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  9. "Tobacco companies ordered to pay $15B in damages". CBC News. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  10. Rankin, Jennifer (2 June 2015). "Tobacco giants vow to fight Canadian judgment handing C$15bn to smokers". The Guardian. London UK. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  11. "Japan Tobacco International". University of Latvia Foundation. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  12. "Our brands". Japan Tobacco International – a global tobacco company. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
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