Ichiro Takesako, a Sumitomo Precision Products (SPP) Co. Ltd. executive, has joined the board of directors at Visualant Inc. His appointment fills one of the vacancies created by the recent resignations of directors Dr. Masahiro Kawahata and Yoshitami Arai. Visualant provides chromatic-based authentication, identification and diagnostic solutions using proprietary ChromaID technology, which was recognized as a 2013 Prism Award winner. (See: Prism Awards Honor Innovations in Photonics) Takesako, the current general manager of Hyogo, Japan-based SPP’s business development department, has held several executive positions with the company’s subsidiaries in the US and England. His board appointment is the result of a joint research and product development agreement between the two companies entered into in May 2012 and recently extended through the end of 2013; it also is an outcome of SPP’s investment in Visualant and of a joint licensing agreement for selected Asian markets. “Our relationship with Sumitomo Precision Products has developed into a true partnership,” said Visualant Chairman Marco Hegyi. “Mr. Takesako’s participation on the board will further strengthen our relationship with SPP as we move our ChromaID technology into the marketplace.” For more information, visit: www.spp.co.jp or www.visualant.net