Toshiba Creates New Division to Market Faxes

Toshiba America Information Systems said Wednesday that it has formed a new division at its Irvine headquarters to market and distribute facsimile products, which the company began manufacturing locally two months ago.

The company, a unit of Toshiba Corp., said it has named Herbert C. Johnson to be vice president and general manager of the fax products division. Johnson worked previously as director of marketing for NEC America Inc.’s fax division.

The Toshiba fax unit will include operations that were formerly part of the company’s office copier and telecommunication products division.

A Toshiba spokesman said the company plans to hire about 20 employees to staff the new division.

As part of an ongoing expansion of its local operations, Toshiba began manufacturing fax machines in Irvine in August. Previously, the company made fax machines in Japan and exported them to the United States.

The creation of a separate division “is indicative of the growing facsimile market,” said Robert A. Wittenburg, a Toshiba spokesman.