Global partnership between Sakura Finetek and Hamamatsu Photonics strengthens digital pathology workflow
30 Mar 2026
Empowering one seamless digital pathology workflow.
Sakura Finetek, a global leader in automated tissue and slide preparation solutions for anatomic pathology, and Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., a worldwide leader in imaging technologies, have announced an alliance to empower standardized, scan-ready slides and clear digital images to support confident clinical decisions, with care for every patient.
Together, both companies are focused on reducing variability and rework by aligning high-quality slide preparation with reliable digitization, 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.
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
"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."