We create new products and businesses that contribute to SDGs
with fusing our "One Sumibe" activities and innovation together
Research and development
Hisao Nakanishi
Executive Officer,
General Manager of Corporate Research & Development Division
We will contribute to achieving the SDGs and the realization of a carbon-neutral society in our three business fields: Highly integrated devices, Automotive · Aircraft, and Healthcare. In order to do this, our R&D team is continuously and swiftly scouting out, planning out, and creating new R&D themes to propose new solutions for customers' needs.
We have three base technologies: "Material Creation" to realize new functions, "Innovative Process" to build up ideal production processes and "Advanced Analysis Technology" to reveal the relationship between chemical structures and functions. In order to expand our product development capability based on the three technologies, we are moving forward to cultivate Data-Driven R&D capabilities.
In fiscal 2022, we developed and launched new products such as "epoxy resin for motor stators," "Ag sintering pastes for bare Si wafer of power semiconductors," "insulating polymers for semiconductors," "epoxy molding materials for power modules," "high-strength phenolic molding compounds for mechanical components," "button-type catheters for gastric fistula," "needle-shaped knifes for endoscopes with high-frequency electromagnetic wave," "cell culture vessels for regenerative medicine," "pharmaceutical packaging film made from biomass-derived raw materials," "barrier skin packaging film for paperboard," and "ultra-weatherproof polycarbonate sheets."
Research & Development Department Policy and Structure
The Group has development bases in Japan and overseas, and is engaged in research and development to meet the needs of the global market in close cooperation.
In Japan, the company's R&D structure consists of the Advanced Materials Research Laboratory and the Bioscience Research Laboratory, which are in charge of research into new products and the underlying technologies behind them based on medium- to long-term perspectives, the Corporate Engineering Center, which is in charge of production technology development, and five application research laboratories (the Information & Telecommunication Materials Research Laboratory, HPP Technology Development Laboratory, Films & Sheets Research Laboratory, Industrial Functional Materials Research Laboratory, and SB-KAWASUMI LABORATORIES, INC.)
Overseas, we have established corporate divisions in Akron, Ohio (U.S.), semiconductor materials-related facilities in China, Taiwan, and Singapore, and HPP-related facilities in the U.S., Canada, Belgium, Spain, China, and Indonesia.
We would like to be a company which can create innovation continuously. In order to realize this aim, we built up our original "Innovation Management System" tailored to all of SB Group companies, and are spreadding it to them. We're exploring new business opportunities by executing feasibility studies quickly. In this activities, we research new business field and make judgement of our compatibility and competitiveness.
[TOPIC] Developing Packaging Materials for Pharmaceuticals Made from Biomass-derived Raw Materials
We developed the SUMILITE® NS Biomass Series, a packaging film that contains 50% or more biomass-derived raw materials. Also we got "Biomass Plastic" certification of Japan Bioplastics Association (JBPA).
The SUMILITE® NS Biomass Series contributes to reduce environmental impacts by using plantbased materials. This product achieves both higher moisture-proof properties and greater moldability than conventional ones.
We will continue to provide customers with technical support and try to expand our lineup of products which reduce environmental impacts.
[TOPIC] Developed the first-ever large-scale molding technology of thermoset resins in Japan
The technology contains analysis technology required for large-scale molding, a high precision molding method for dedicated injection molding machines developed with a molding machine manufacturer, and long fiber reinforced thermoset molding materials which has high impact resistance. This is the first-ever technology to realize 1Kg molding components by injection process in Japan.
Forthermore we're trying to apply plastic materials to large-size metal components like e-Axles.
Intellectual Property
By advancing intellectual property strategy, we aim to boost business competitiveness and corporate value
The aim of our intellectual property activities is to contribute to improving corporate value by promoting our intellectual property strategy in a cohesive manner together with our business strategy and R&D strategy. We have set forth contributing to improving our business competitiveness through the use of intellectual property (rights) as a medium-term target for achieving this.
In responding to the globalization of research and development, we are working with each of our overseas subsidiaries on arrangements to establish their regulations regarding intellectual property (regulations on employee inventions and confidential information management), as well as rules on how to handle inventions when they emerge.
We have established the following six basic policies regarding intellectual property activities. Going forward, we will focus on (1) and (6). The Company will strengthen its competitiveness in overseas markets, particularly with respect to (1). As for (6), we will further enhance the power of new proposals by utilizing and applying information on intellectual property and analyzing competition.
| (1) | Strengthening our business competitiveness by drafting and executing intellectual property strategies for the major products from each of our business divisions. |
|---|---|
| (2) | Strengthening our intellectual property strategy by drafting and executing intellectual property strategies for major themes from each research laboratory. |
| (3) | Clarifying our response to intellectual property risks and reducing business risks. |
| (4) | Carrying on with preventative legal approaches that support business scenarios and research scenarios and implementing proposal-based preventative legal approaches. |
| (5) | Establishing an intellectual property management structure for our company group as a whole (particularly for overseas subsidiaries). |
| (6) | Contributing to improvement of business competitiveness through application of the IP landscape |
Of the applications filed in 2022, 40% were related to SDG-contributing products and technologies.
(as of March 31, 2023)
Topics More
- 2024/10/01 Sustainability Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. signed to the UN Global Compact
- 2024/02/01 Sustainability Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. announces its establishment of “Human Rights Policy for the Group of Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.”
- 2023/10/31 Sustainability Integrated Report 2023 of Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. has been issued.
- 2023/06/21 Sustainability Selected as an iSTOXX® MUTB Japan Platinum Carrier 150 Index
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