TSK Group
The TSK Group was founded in 1948 by the original founder Yonesaburou Kawashima, who later received the prestigious “Order of the Rising Sun” from emperor Akihito in 2011 for significant achievement and contribution to the nation for his work in the medical field. His son Yukio Kawashima started TSK Laboratory, Japan in 1974. Shortly after founding his new company Mr Kawashima launched a very special kind of Biopsy needle, called SURECUT, invented by Mr. Yukio Kawashima. SURECUT was unique and offered physicians and the pathologists working with them a new tool in diagnosing Cancer and other diseases.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
- Year Founded:
- 1948
About Us
This meant more accurate diagnosis, better treatment, and lives saved. SURECUT became a market leading biopsy needle and over time was copied by many companies. Millions and Millions of these biopsy needles have been sold all over the world.
In the early 80’s TSK Laboratory introduced a new two-stage histological biopsy device called ACECUT. The advantages of that product have also improved diagnosis, and thereby allowing the appropriate treatment, which again, has saved millions of lives around the world.
Throughout the 1980-1990 TSK Laboratory several new needle innovations would be added the line of medical devices. The first international office was openend in Vancouver Canada by Mr Kawashima’s son in law Mr Shane Johnson. After TSK Laboratory Europe was established in 2010, TSK began producing needle products for the Aesthetics market.
In the years that we have been producing these products, TSK Laboratory has improved the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world. Over the past two decades, TSK Laboratory went through several manufacturer plant expansion plans. Again bringing forward industry leading needle innovations. Innovations that allow people to feel better, look better, with less pain, and put simply- improve their lives.
In 2019 the company celebrated its 45th Anniversary, the achievements and retirement of Mr. Yukio Kawashima, and the beginning of a new Era at TSK under the leadership of Mr. Ken Kawashima. We currently have three different production sites in Japan, global offices in Japan, Canada, The Netherlands, China and soon to be expected in the USA and Australia.
At our facilities, we dedicate ourselves to apply the highest quality standards, from product development to production, in order to ensure the safety of every patient that is being treated with our products. All facilities and ISO certified cleanrooms pass the highest level of inspection and auditing standards, incorporated by major overseas pharmaceutical companies, medical companies and authorities.
Vision & Values
TSK focuses on quality, innovation and customer intimacy. We aim to provide safe, high quality products, enabling doctors and specialists to provide their patients with the best possible treatment. By improving our manufacturing processes and developing new innovations within the market we continuously improve our products as well as the way they are implemented by medical experts within their field.
In order to provide the best products and solutions we put great emphasis on direct contact with our customer base. Interacting with doctors and medical practitioners aids us in acquiring first-hand feedback of our products, an integral part of the development process to continuously improve our products and meet customer needs.
As we continue to grow we concentrate on retaining our growth ambitions. As TSK envisions long-term developments we aim to continuously provide the interventional radiology, ophthalmology and aesthetics industry with new product innovations and solutions.
Establishing and maintaining a healthy growth means having a great responsibility not only to our customer base but even more so to our employees. We strive to provide a great workplace and we take on a local responsibility at all of our worksites. By employing locally and promoting a sense of family value throughout our entire company we aim to show the greatest appreciation to our employees, ensuring a friendly and familiar working environment.
We take pride in radiating a great sense of respect to our teams, not just within TSK but also to everyone we work with on a daily basis from doctors and practitioners to our distributors and pharmaceutical partners. TSK aims to establish long-term relationships that is built on trust in our company as well as in the products and solutions we provide.
Needle Innovations
At TSK, we put great emphasis on developing new technologies and product innovations. We aim to deliver new solutions to the aesthetic, interventional radiology, ophthalmology and dental market, that improve the clinical outcome while simultaneously improving patient safety and comfort. Two examples of those innovations are the ULTRA Thin Wall and the LOW DEAD SPACE hub design.
Due to the high viscosity of dermal fillers, and small particles contained within the dermal filler, injecting the filler can become quite difficult. Regular needles can easily dislodge from the syringe due to the applied pressure, or get occluded. Needle leakage and needle pop-off further complicate the injection of dermal fillers with regular needles.
In order to overcome these issues and simplify the injection process, TSK developed ULTRA Thin Wall needles. The increased inner diameter of the needles ensures that up to 35% less extrusion force is required, allowing for a smoother and more controlled injection.
Combining the ULTRA Thin Wall Needles with the PRC and HPC needle hubs, TSK was able to further improve on the injection of dermal fillers. The hard polymer of these needle hubs, optionally combined with external threading (HPC hub), prevents product leakage and needle pop-off.
Using blunt tip cannulas instead of needles for injecting dermal fillers, practitioners significantly reduce the risk of injecting into a blood vessel. The blunt tip makes for a safer injection, but also comes with a downside: the introduction into the skin required quite a lot of force, frustrating aesthetical professionals and providing discomfort for their patients.
In order to overcome the downsides of using cannulas instead of needles, TSK developed the STERiGLIDE cannula. The dome shaped tip and a proprietary surface treatment offer an easier cannula introduction and provide up to 50% better gliding. Less introduction force is needed, reducing the risk of bruising and patient discomfort.
The STERiGLIDE cannula also provides the nearest to tip filler delivery, ensuring a more accurate filler placement and reducing the product loss in the tip ending. This, combined with a clear side-port marking on the hard polymer hub, allows practitioners to implement a more accurate filler placement and offers the best possible handling.
With BoNT injections, doctors and practitioners are working with a high value substance. Ideally, a minimal product loss ensues when injecting these substances. Traditional needle hubs have a large dead space, often causing significant product loss. To counter this issue, TSK developed a shorter needle hub, with a minimized dead space: the Low Dead Space hub.
Further improving on the experience of applying BoNT injections, TSK developed a new needle innovation: THE INViSIBLE NEEDLE. THE INViSIBLE NEEDLE is the first needle of its kind, and it is the thinnest needle available to date. Being 14% thinner than a 33G needle, THE INViSIBLE NEEDLE provides a near painless injection, while also strongly reducing the risk of bruising. THE INViSIBLE NEEDLE provides the best overall patient experience and has set a new standard for injecting high value substances within a variety of markets.
Other recent innovations by TSK Laboratory:
- 2006: Introduction of ULTRA Thin Wall needles
- 2008: Introduction of PRC and HPC hub
- 2009: Introduction of 33G Micro needles
- 2010: Introduction of CSH cannula
- 2013: Introduction of STERiGLIDE cannula
- 2014: Introduction of Low Dead Space Hub
- 2016: Introduction of THE INViSIBLE NEEDLE
- 2020: Introduction of THE BPA FREE NEEDLE: NO BPA, BADGE or TiO2
Over the years, we have never stopped developing new technologies, making continuous efforts to develop safe and practical product solutions that fit in with our credo: Injections made perfect.