The Technology & Production Unit works to enhance the competitiveness of core products and promote the development of next-generation products by strengthening fundamental technologies and developing new technologies. For new product development in particular, it actively engages in alliances with outside resources such as material manufacturers and universities based on the project structure, and carries out initiatives with an emphasis on speed.
Initiatives for Technology Development
Shin-Etsu Polymer’s Technology & Production Unit refines core technologies and formulates new technologies in collaboration with the relevant business units. It focuses in particular on composite technologies that fuse dissimilar materials and processing technologies by combining Shin-Etsu Polymer’s differentiated and original core technologies. The unit also energetically works on developing new materials as well as applying and blending fundamental technologies. Our core materials compounding technologies are based on more than 50 years of experience and expertise as a manufacturer of plastics. We apply our compounding technology for functional resins, such as conductive materials, and our precision microfabrication processing technology to develop innovative products in a wide range of fields.
Functions and Frameworks for Technology Development
To respond to changes in the operating environment, Shin-Etsu Polymer takes full advantage of its technologies and production capacity to quickly create the value that customers require.
Formulation of Technology Strategy and Intellectual Property Strategy
- Intellectual Property Division
These organizations are responsible for formulating medium-to-long term technology strategies with a view to technical tie-ups and M&A, and expanding the Group’s intangible assets by filing for and utilizing industrial property rights in line with intellectual property strategies.
Development of New Products and New Businesses
- New Business Development Division
This division plays a leading role in the development of new products with the aim of growing new businesses such as conductive polymers, high-performance films and electromagnetic wave shields. The division conducts market research and customer reviews, and prepares environments for new technological development.
Production Engineering and New Equipment Development
- Technology & Production Division
- Advanced Silicone Technology Development Division
- Technical Engineering Division
These divisions are involved in expanding applications of the Company’s core technologies such as its silicone processing technologies and developing elemental technologies, as well as promoting and managing joint projects and development themes with sales divisions. They also support the engineering and production activities of production bases worldwide and monitor the development of facilities.
Quality Assurance
- Office of Quality Assurance
This is the main unit in charge of the Group’s global quality assurance. It formulates basic policies and strategies for quality assurance, supervises quality assurance organizations in each region and operating base, and directs the execution of specific plans and strategies. In addition, when a serious quality problem occurs, it quickly coordinates with various units, including the Quality Assurance Department, to set up a framework for implementation of appropriate countermeasures.
Intellectual Property Initiatives
The Shin-Etsu Polymer Group recognizes that patents, technological know-how and other intellectual properties are key management assets. Accordingly, we set intellectual property strategies for each business field with a different business model and promote the full use of “offensive” and “defensive” intellectual property management to support the development of new markets and new customers. For offensive management, the Intellectual Property Division works together as one with the Sales Unit and the Technology & Production Unit to promote measures such as strategic patent filing and registration of industrial property rights. We intend to actively use our intellectual property rights to gain a competitive edge in the market. For defensive management, we conduct measures such as increasing our global research activities and dealing with intellectual property life cycle management and intellectual property-related agreements, based on respect for the intellectual property rights of other companies. We also conduct educational and awareness-building activities such as ongoing intellectual property training to raise the level of our intellectual property activities. The number of registered patents and other intellectual property assets of the Shin-Etsu Polymer Group as of March 31, 2015 and 2014 was as follows.
| As of March 31, 2015 | As of March 31, 2014 | ||
| Japan | Patents | 969 | 955 |
| Utility models | 5 | 5 | |
| Industrial designs | 89 | 100 | |
| Trademarks | 133 | 131 | |
| Foreign patents | 523 | 515 | |