Set in Kyoto, an ideal location for joint industry-university research, this R&D center is composed of 6 groups related to sales activities and a production technology department. A total of some 70 staff members specialize in research and development. Research is focused on improving existing products, developing new categories of products and new technologies, creating advanced-function products and compounds, and finding new applications. By grouping our researchers according to product category, we've made it easier for our R&D and marketing departments to communicate. This gives our R&D staff an edge in the timely development of products that meet our customers' exact needs.

At New Japan Chemical, we're dedicated to developing products and technologies that meet customer needs exactly, and in a timely manner. Toward this end, engineers from our Research Laboratory are teamed with members of the marketing department. This system allows the marketing staff to keep abreast of technological developments and the engineers to stay informed of market developments. The linkage between marketing and research also helps us provide in-depth proposals and recommendations to our customers, complete with specific details about a product's physical properties or composition.

New Japan Chemical draws on a wealth of technology and experience to help our customers solve technical problems or develop new products. Our knowledge of raw materials and their applications lets us recommend new chemical combinations, while our technical expertise can help enhance product functions, improve quality and reduce costs. For our customers, the end result is higher added-value in the products they create.

New Japan Chemical collects and analyzes information from our customers and the market. What we learn is reflected in the development of new products, ranging from intermediates and derivatives to end-user products that keep pace with industry's changing needs. One specialty at New Japan Chemical is the development and application of polycarboxylic acids and anhydrides such as diphenylsulfonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (DSDA), and butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTC). Our efforts in this field are about to yield a number of new products, including special surfactants, materials for the preparation of resins, curing agents for epoxy resin, plasticizers, lubricants, agricultural chemicals, dyes.