Showa Denko KK (TYO:4004), also known as SDK, posted an operating income of 19.7 billion yen ($175 million) for the first quarter of calendar 2017. This marks a seven-fold increase over the same period last year, and a record-high figure for the first quarter. Will business keep thriving in the second half of 2017 and...
Interviews
Jinko Solar VP Dany Qian Discusses Recent Market Success and Strategy Ahead
Chinese-based Jinko Solar continues to move forward at a furious pace in the photovoltaics (PV) market. A leading company in the sector, Jinko Solar for January–March surpassed 2 gigawatts in PV module shipments – the first time in the industry that this has been achieved in a single quarter. Vice President Dany Qian recently sat...
New Mitsubishi Chemical CDO Iwano Discusses Digitalization in the Chemical Industry
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp. (TYO:4188) is gearing up to making full use of artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in new projects. Leading the way on this is Kazuo Iwano, who joined the company this April as chief digital officer (CDO) after having previously worked with IBM Corp., Mitsubishi Corp. (TYO:8058) and...
Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED’s Nakane Talks China Business
Last month saw Konica Minolta Inc. (TYO:4902) and Pioneer Corp. (TYO:6773) integrate their organic light emitting diode (OLED) lighting businesses, giving birth to Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED Inc. With the main target for the new JV being in-vehicle lighting, the company is working toward mass production and is hopeful of its prospects for business with...
Mitsui Chemicals Robot Materials Chief Ishimaru Discusses Promising Developments
Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (TYO:4183) set up its Robot Materials Business Development Division in April last year. The firm plans to explore the possibilities for new business as the number of robots that interact with people grows. Specifically, Mitsui Chemicals aims to increase opportunities to offer materials and solutions that help to enhance robot functions and...
Heraeus CEO Rinnert Talks Roads Traveled, Future Opportunities
One of the most successful family businesses in Germany, Heraeus Holding GmbH has managed to put together a history of innovative technology since its foundation over 350 years ago. But what is important lies beyond the company’s history to date, says CEO Jan Rinnert, who sat down recently with Masato Takanashi, senior editor, international of...
Nitto Denko President Talks New Business Strategies for Next 100 Years
In October 2018, Nitto Denko Corp. (TYO:6988) will celebrate the centenary of its founding. The company plans to create new businesses that will see it through the next 100 years. Last autumn, it granted Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. an exclusive license to a nucleic acid drug therapy for treating advanced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and liver cirrhosis. With...
Toray Executive Yasuo Suga Discusses Future of Carbon Fiber Industry – Part 2
By Yusuke Sekiguchi, Editor Toray Industries Inc. (TYO:3402) maintains the largest market share in the world for both regular-tow (RT) and large-tow (LT) carbon fiber. Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is seeing increased demand in the automotive industry, despite a market slowdown last year, as the material’s ability to reduce vehicle weight enables better fuel...
Toray Executive Yasuo Suga Discusses Present and Future of Carbon Fiber Industry – Part 1
By Yusuke Sekiguchi, Editor Toray Industries Inc. (TYO:3402) holds the world’s largest market share in both regular-tow (RT) and large-tow (LT) carbon fiber. Despite a market slowdown last year, demand for carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) has increased in the automotive industry, as the material’s ability to reduce vehicle weight enables better fuel efficiency and...
DSM’s Dimitri de Vreeze Discusses Shift Toward Sustainable Technologies – Part 2
Koninklijke DSM NV, commonly referred to as DSM, has achieved continued growth as a company thanks to the reorganization of its business operations. The Chemical Daily’s Masato Takanashi, senior editor and head of the international division, recently sat down with a member of Managing Board Dimitri de Vreeze to learn about the company’s current and...
DSM’s Dimitri de Vreeze Discusses Shift Toward Sustainable Technologies – Part 1
Koninklijke DSM NV, commonly known as DSM, has shown continued growth through business reorganization. The Chemical Daily’s Masato Takanashi, senior editor and head of the international division, recently sat down with Dimitri de Vreeze, a members of the Managing Board, to hear about the company’s current and future strategies. DSM first started as a coal...
ALTANA on Path of Sustainable Growth, Considers Japan Very Important Market: CEO Babilas
German specialty chemicals firm ALTANA AG is further expanding its business, said the company’s CEO Martin Babilas during his recent trip to Japan. Sitting down for an exclusive interview to The Chemical Daily, he said that the company is continuously promoting acquisitions and has recently bought U.S.-based PolyAd Services Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer...
Interview: BASF Asia–Pacific Head Talks Company Strategy – Part 2
As BASF SE enters the final stages of its official Asia–Pacific growth strategy, concluding in 2020, The Chemical Daily recently had the chance to sit down with Sanjeev Gandhi for a two-part interview on the company’s regional business strategy. Gandhi serves as executive director at BASF headquarters and head of operations in the Asia–Pacific region....
Interview: BASF Asia–Pacific Head Talks Company Strategy – Part 1
As BASF SE enters the final stages of its official Asia–Pacific growth strategy, concluding in 2020, The Chemical Daily recently had the chance to sit down with Sanjeev Gandhi for a two-part interview on the company’s regional business strategy. Gandhi serves as executive director at BASF headquarters and head of operations in the Asia–Pacific region....
Mitsubishi Chemical President Outlines Plans and Prospects for Newly Merged Company
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group on April 1 merged Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp. (TYO:4188), Mitsubishi Rayon Co. Ltd. (TYO:3404) and Mitsubishi Plastics Inc. (TYO:4213). Operating now as Mitsubishi Chemical Corp., the new company has a combined sales of 3 trillion yen ($26.94 billion). The Chemical Daily recently had the opportunity to interview Hitoshi Ochi, CEO and...
ExxonMobil Chemical President Discusses Expansion, Pursuit to Become Global Leader
ExxonMobil Chemical Co. is actively pursuing expansion in the U.S. and abroad, says President Neil A. Chapman. Sitting down recently for an interview with The Chemical Daily, Chapman outlined the company’s plans regarding future growth investment, explaining that the company intends to establish a leading position in the global petrochemical industry. The company hopes to...
Kansai Paint President Discusses Global Expansion
In an interview with The Chemical Daily, Kansai Paint Co. Ltd. (TYO:4613) Hiroshi Ishino discussed his company’s policies going forward as it makes an aggressive push for global expansion. In December of last year, it announced the purchase of European paint maker Helios Group for 572 million euros ($602.51 million), fulfilling a desire to enter...
Novo Nordisk President Talks ICT-Based Treatment Solutions, Health Spending Crunch
In an interview with The Chemical Daily, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd. President Ole Molskov Bech talked about developing treatment solutions based on information and communications technology (ICT) and responses to the global fall in health spending. Bech said that Novo Nordisk is working with other companies to develop treatment solutions. Among them are a Bluetooth-enabled...
Zeon President Shares Outlook on Key Fields
Zeon Corp. (TYO:4205) has set a target of boosting consolidated net sales to 500 billion yen ($4.43 billion) by fiscal 2020. However, sales have remained flat at around the 300 billion yen mark for the last three years, due to falling crude oil prices and exchange rate fluctuations. Interviewed recently, Zeon President Kimiaki Tanaka acknowledged...
3M Japan President Talks Growth Strategies in Japan’s Mature Market
Appointed president of 3M Japan Holdings GK and 3M Japan Ltd. in October 2016, Denise Rutherford sat down recently with The Chemical Daily for an interview and discussed strategies for growth in the Japanese market. Acknowledging that the Japanese market is mature and growth slow, Rutherford said that listening carefully to customer feedback and addressing...
