Toyota Auto Body Co. Ltd. is working on auto parts applications for plant-based materials, focusing here on its plant fiber-reinforced resin, noise-absorbing material and cellulose nanofiber. Developed in 2013, the...
Automotive
Henkel Looks to Reinforce Marketing Efforts Toward Japanese Automakers
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is preparing to accelerate its marketing efforts aimed at Japanese automakers. As part of this initiative, the German-based adhesives giant has set up a business...
Ueno Fine Chemicals Amplifies Marketing of LCP for Low-Temperature Alloying With Resins
Ueno Fine Chemicals Industry Ltd. is doubling down on marketing efforts for its Tecros line of liquid crystal polymer (LCP), which is able to be alloyed with general-purpose resins. The...
Cataler Develops New Anode Material for Automotive LiBs
Cataler Corp., a leading Japanese manufacturer of purification catalysts for automotive exhaust gas, has developed a new anode material that contributes to improving the output of automotive lithium-ion batteries (LiBs)....
NHK Spring Develops Technology to More Effectively Weld Aluminum, Ultrahigh-Tensile Materials
NHK Spring Co. Ltd. (TYO:5991) has developed a new proprietary technology in the form of clamping spot welding, making it possible now to get an ultrahigh-tensile compound with aluminum. Clamping...
Toyota Auto Body to Carve out New Market Space for Wood-Like Decorative Resin Material
Toyota Auto Body Co. Ltd. is making a push to expand the use of Toyota Auto Body Wood (TABWD) plastic, a proprietary plant fiber-reinforced material. To this end, the company...
Japan’s ImPACT Program Brings World Closer to Realization of Next-Gen Cars
Materials innovation is moving ever closer to bringing about the next generation of automobiles. Working under Impulsing Paradigm Change through Disruptive Technologies (ImPACT), an R&D program from Japan’s Cabinet Office,...
Ube Industries Plans 40% Increase to LiB Separator Production
Ube Industries Ltd. (TYO:4208) is looking to decide within the first half of fiscal 2018 on an investment that would boost its production capacity for lithium-ion secondary battery (LiB) separators....
Nippon Sheet Glass to Expand Southeast Asian Sales of Separators for Lead Auto Batteries
Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd. (TYO:5202) is planning to step up the expansion of its business for flooded lead–acid automotive battery separators in Southeast Asia. Facility improvements were completed earlier...
Sakai Chemical Looks to Boost Production of High-Purity Barium Carbonate for MLCCs
Sakai Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. (TYO:4078) has started to look into increasing its production capacity for high-purity barium carbonate, a dielectric material used in multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). The company...
Nisshinbo Holdings Ramps up Engagement in Future Mobility Solutions
Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (TYO:3105) is accelerating its efforts to develop business directed toward the mobility of the future. In April, the company established subsidiary JRC Mobility Inc. to specialize in...
Interview: Nitto Denko President Optimistic in Lead-Up to Company’s 100th Anniversary
Nitto Denko Corp. (TYO:6988) has entered fiscal 2018 in good shape as it prepares to celebrate the centenary of its founding this coming October. President and CEO Hideo Takasaki recently...
Daikin Sets Sights on Next-Generation Automotive Components
Daikin Industries Ltd. (TYO:6367) is stepping up a gear in its quest to break into the automotive sector via its chemicals business. The company has positioned expansion into next-generation automotive...
Polyplastics Moves to Redouble Efforts Around Automotive POM
Polyplastics Co. Ltd. is making moves to strengthen its operations for new grades of polyacetal (POM). One such grade developed by the company specializes in having low volatile organic compound...
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings to Strengthen Group’s Operations for Auto Parts
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp. (TYO:4188) is looking to use the full strength of its group companies to make a push with automotive components. As part of this, subsidiary Mitsubishi Chemical...
Sekisui Plastics Looks to Turn Organic Polymer Particles Into Major Business
Sekisui Plastics Co. Ltd. (TYO:4228) is planning to make organic polymer particles into a mainstay of its product and business lineup. Coming under Sekisui Plastics’ Techpolymer line, the company’s organic...
All Signs Point to CNF Making Way Into Auto Parts
The subject of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) development for use in vehicles has shifted from materials to the downstream end of the equation. Prototype development and evaluations are being accelerated by...
Asahi Kasei Launches Series of New Nonwovens
Asahi Kasei Corp. (TYO:3407) is forging ahead with the development of new nonwoven fabrics and their applications. The Japanese chemical manufacturer has created CMC-Bemliese by carboxymethylating a portion of the...
Mitsui Kinzoku Moves Closer to GPF Catalyst Commercialization, Eyes 2020 for Mass Production
Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd. (TYO:5706), commonly known as Mitsui Kinzoku, is moving closer toward making a business of proprietary gasoline particulate filter (GPF) catalysts. Japanese automakers have entered...
METI Moves Forward With Project to Lower Costs of LCNF
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is advancing a project aimed at increasing demand for cellulose nanofibers (CNF). Plans here are to put lignocellulose nanofibers (LCNF) to use...
