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R&D Direction and Strategy

Research & Development Direction

Under the basic strategies outlined in the Change & Challenge 2018 medium-term management plan, Corporate Research & Development pursues R&D to strengthen core technologies together with advanced technologies in strategic technology areas. These efforts are aimed at: developing next-generation businesses for mobility, environment and energy, construction and infrastructure, and healthcare; sustaining and enhancing existing businesses; and expanding peripheral businesses.

Research & Development Strategy

Common core technologies

Corporate Research & Development collaborates with the Chemicals Company to pursue R&D that leverages UBE's technologies in organic and inorganic synthesis, catalytic chemistry, polymer chemistry, computational chemistry, and simulations.

These efforts are aimed at enhancing core technologies relating to

  1. processing
  2. property analysis
  3. process analysis
  4. chemicals production platform
  5. catalysts
  6. mechanical design

The advancements will strengthen UBE's technology platform in order to sustain and enhance existing businesses, expand peripheral businesses, and develop new businesses.

R&D for 5. catalyst technology is aimed at developing innovative catalysts that will enhance the cost competitiveness of UBE’s existing chemicals businesses over the medium and long term.

Development of next-generation businesses and strategic technology areas

Corporate Research & Development will develop cutting edge technologies to enable differentiation in terms of both performance and cost, in the strategic technology areas outlined below. These efforts are aimed at developing new businesses in the four domains of mobility, environment and energy, construction and infrastructure, and healthcare.

Strategic Technology Areas

  1. Function design
  2. higher-order structure control technology
  3. composite technology
  4. functional evaluation

In particular, Corporate Research & Development will develop advanced materials that secure competitive advantages for performance and cost, by further enhancing higher-order structure control technology and composite technology gained through the expansion of UBE’s functional chemicals business, and by increasing the scope of materials design. The organization will also engage in activities to enhance and newly acquire performance evaluation technologies in downstream applications.

R&D to develop new businesses

Leverage strategic technology where UBE holds a competitive advantage, to develop new businesses

  • Accelerate R&D to develop new businesses in the four businesses domains
  • Enhance advanced technologies in the strategic technology areas and pursue open innovation