Sakura Finetek, a provider of automated tissue and slide preparation solutions for anatomic pathology, has announced a partnership with imaging technologies firm Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., to empower standardised, scan-ready slides and clear digital images to support confident clinical decisions.
Together, both companies are focused on reducing variability and rework by aligning high-quality slide preparation with reliable digitisation, empowering pathology teams to move efficiently from biopsy to diagnosis. The partnership is guided by a shared belief that engineering excellence ultimately serves one purpose: to improve patient care. Sakura Finetek and Hamamatsu commit to collaborating with pathologists and laboratories to realise the benefits of one seamless workflow.
"Across Europe, laboratories are under increasing pressure to do more with less, while maintaining uncompromising quality," said Jaap Stuut, President, Sakura Finetek Europe. "By combining Sakura’s proven expertise in producing consistently high-quality slides with Hamamatsu’s imaging excellence, we are creating a workflow that empowers pathologists to focus on what truly matters: confident, timely diagnoses for every patient. This partnership is about delivering impact, better outcomes, more efficiency, and a shared vision for the future of digital pathology."
"Digital pathology can only be as strong as the slide that enters the scanner," said Tadashi Maruno, President, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. "NanoZoomer systems are built to deliver high-quality whole-slide images. This partnership with Sakura Finetek reinforces a ‘one complete workflow’ mindset, supporting consistent slide preparation and clear imaging so pathologists can focus on what matters most: arriving at the right diagnosis for each patient."
Through this collaboration, Sakura Finetek and Hamamatsu support laboratories with:
- Workflow alignment between slide preparation steps and digital scanning to help reduce rework, rescans, and delays
- Joint customer engagement to help laboratories evaluate and design end-to-end workflows from histology through digital review
- Shared educational resources highlighting best practices for scan-ready slide production and reliable whole slide imaging.
The global partnership was launched in late March and will be rolled out in phases. In Europe, the rollout is expected towards the end of June, beginning in Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands, with additional European markets to follow as the partnership matures.