Our basic policy when it comes to development is to develop materials in anticipation of the future, to create new products and technologies to strengthen business competitiveness by close cooperation of the Corporate/Division Laboratories, and to quickly realize R&D results through industry-academia-government collaboration (including CVC). With this policy in mind, we aim to "provide society with sustainable materials that design circulation."

Our research and development strategy calls for achieving sustainable enhancement of corporate value through the creation of new products, technologies, and new businesses through new products and process innovations that contribute to enhancing the functions of both the “artery” and “vein” of materials and reducing GHG. Aware of the direction that we should move forward in response to growing social demands for resource recycling, we will create themes for acquiring new resource recycling process technologies. At the same time, we will accurately grasp megatrends and market changes, and focus on growth areas (mobility, semiconductor-related materials) and new areas (life and healthcare, etc.) while utilizing our materials technologies. We will also conduct research and development with a zero GHG philosophy in new themes. On a longer-term basis, we intend to boldly take on the challenge of creating inspirational new technologies for the future. Combining technology, human resources and passion, our aim is to continually achieve innovation, with an emphasis on the customer’s perspective and speed.

By combining our technical development capabilities based on our core technologies with our manufacturing abilities we will work to give shape to this value as we strive to create new products, services and businesses, and to perform maintenance of the intellectual properties.

To consistently create and foster new businesses, we have established a stage-gate system (Business Design Review, or BDR) for new business development aimed at making the lean startup of new businesses possible. Accordingly, we have set procedures for processes from the creation of ideas to the expansion of business and the facilitation of the “trial-and-error approach to business themes” of appropriate themes. Instead of fostering new businesses only internally, we are also proactive in considering carve-outs and other strategies, as exemplified by the establishment of Dental Door Corporation, a subsidiary in the healthcare area that promotes the digital transformation of dental checkups.
Further, under the SU brand used for the creation of new businesses, we are implementing the SU project, an internal venture program for commercializing ideas proposed independently by employees, and the Wild Wind acceleration program that accelerates commercialization by collaborating with external partners, including startups. Through these activities we are providing new value to society beyond the boundaries of our existing businesses, and we are also linking these activities to the development of entrepreneurial human resources.

Under our new Medium-term Management Strategy FY2031 Phase1, in the fiscal year ended March 2025, we worked on achieving differentiation in our manufacturing abilities and promoted the upgrading of production processes and shifting to smart factories and worked to promote the creation of new businesses. We will also continue to engage in research and development, focusing on areas that reflect emerging megatrends including resource recycling, decarbonization, semiconductor-related materials and mobility.
In the fiscal year ended March 2024, we newly established the Monozukuri and R&D Strategy Div., consolidating departments related to manufacturing (production technology), development, marketing and new business to fully integrate everything from the creation of ideas and R&D through to mass production and commercialization. In the division's Innovation Center, we have set up a structure to efficiently utilize human resources along the lines of each R&D/manufacturing challenge or new business theme, enabling us to create new products and businesses, pursue development focused on solutions, and acquire new technologies. We have also established an Incubation Center, where we cultivate and strengthen businesses created in the Innovation Center, as well as businesses deemed difficult for an in-house company to expand on its own. To promote coordination inside and outside the Group, reinforce business foundations and advance the creation of new businesses as well as to aim to develop and secure professional human resources across the company and continuously improve their level of expertise, in the fiscal year ending March 2025 we have also established a New Business Development Dept., Intellectual Property Dept., Strategy and R&D Strategy Dept. and Monozukuri and Corporate Production Engineering Dept. inside the division.
Through these efforts, we will strengthen efforts to deal with the challenges we currently face, namely coordination across multiple strategies, the flexible allocation of management resources, and the development of human resources specializing in general project management, mass production and commercialization.

To strengthen the business competitiveness and the new business creations of the Mitsubishi Materials Group

• We will build a strong R&D infrastructure that is trusted by customers of a global standard and become an organization that can complete everything from R&D to mass production (commercialization).
• We will promote the sophistication of our production process, the enhancement of manufacturing, and the development of smart factories.
• We will create an organization by gathering talented human resources from all over the world to create ideas, products, and businesses that contribute to the growth of the Mitsubishi Materials Group.

We will promote the formation and utilization of strategic intellectual property in order to maximize the value of intangible assets.

We have established the Monozukuri and R&D Strategy Div., consolidating departments related to manufacturing (production technology), development, marketing and new business to fully integrate everything from the creation of ideas and R&D through to mass production and commercialization. In the division's Innovation Center, we have set up a structure to efficiently utilize human resources along the lines of each R&D/manufacturing challenge or new business theme, enabling us to create new products and businesses, pursue development focused on solutions, and acquire new technologies. We have also established an Incubation Center, where we cultivate and strengthen businesses created in the Innovation Center, as well as businesses deemed difficult for an in-house company to expand on its own. To promote coordination inside and outside the Group, reinforce business foundations and advance the creation of new businesses as well as to aim to develop and secure professional human resources across the company and continuously improve their level of expertise, in the fiscal year ending March 2025 we have also established a New Business Development Dept., Intellectual Property Dept., Strategy and R&D Strategy Dept. and Monozukuri and Corporate Production Engineering Dept. inside the division.

Through these efforts, we will strengthen efforts to deal with the challenges we currently face, namely coordination across multiple strategies, the flexible allocation of management resources, and the development of human resources specializing in general project management, mass production and commercialization.

We will achieve sustainable improvement in corporate value through the creation of new businesses, specialization of manufacturing, and maintenance and development of key technologies.

And we will contribute to the expansion of resource recycling and the strengthening of the supply of high-performance materials and products, which are our business opportunities defined in FY2031 Strategy.

• Establishing each factory vision based on FY2031 Strategy, evaluating plant capabilities, and pursuing problem-setting and resolution
• "Differentiation of manufacturing capabilities" through bottom-up activities, enhancement of manufacturing infrastructure, and technological development and improvement

• Achieving sustainable enhancement of corporate value through the creation of new products, technologies, and businesses

In March 2019, we worked with JMTC Capital G.K. to establish the “MMC Innovation Investment Limited Partnership,” a corporate venture fund with the objective of investment in venture companies with material technologies.
We support technology start-ups that have synergies with us. In this, we accelerate collaboration with a focus on processes and material technologies related to resource circulation and decarbonization, material technologies related to semiconductors, next-generation energy, metal processing, and life and healthcare.

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and EneCoat Technologies Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Kyoto, Japan; "EneCoat Technologies") have jointly conducted research and development of an electron transport layer, a component of perovskite solar cells, and developed a coating-type ink for film deposition that achieves approximately 1.5 times higher power conversion efficiency than conventional inks.

In recent years, perovskite solar cells have been attracting attention in the renewable energy field because of their high efficiency and low cost, as well as their light weight and flexibility, making them suitable for locations that did not allow easy installation. Durability and stability, which were previously considered issues, have also been improved through technological advances, and efforts toward commercialization are actively underway as the next generation of solar cells.

Perovskite solar cells have two types of structure depending on the material used for deposition: regular structure and inverted structure. The focus is now on the inverted structure for reasons of ease of manufacture and durability, and this structure requires the formation of a film called an "electron transport layer (*1)" on top of the perovskite layer without causing damage. Although fullerene (C60), a carbon-based material, has conventionally been deposited by a vacuum process, research and development on low-cost materials and new deposition methods are underway for commercialization. In addition, inks for the electron transport layer are required to prevent erosion on the perovskite layer, ensure ink dispersion (coatability), and provide uniformity and adhesion after deposition.

The MMC Innovation Center has been commissioned by EneCoat Technologies, which was entrusted with the NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) Green Innovation Fund Project, to develop an electron transport layer forming material that employs a coating-type process with excellent manufacturing cost, and has developed a new ink for film deposition.

Although the coating-type process is non-vacuum and cost-effective, the solvent in the deposition ink damages the perovskite layer and, in a non-damaging organic solvent, nano-sized (of 10-9 m order) tin oxide (SnO_{2}) agglomerates and does not adhere well to the perovskite layer, which posed an issue. The newly developed coating-type ink for the deposition of the electron transport layer coats the surface of tin oxide nanoparticles with an appropriate material to successfully disperse them in an organic solvent without agglomerating them, allowing formation of a dense coating film with sufficient adhesion to the perovskite layer. This allows the electrons produced from the perovskite layer to be efficiently transported to the metal electrode. By adopting this new technology, a high power conversion efficiency of 16.0%, approximately 1.5 times higher than that of conventional inks, has been achieved.

This achievement was presented at the Asia-Pacific International Conference on Perovskite, Organic Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics (IPEROP25), an international conference held on January 20, 2025, at Kyoto University Uji Campus.
MMC and EneCoat Technologies will continue to develop the process for applying the deposition ink, aiming for early commercialization for large-area perovskite solar cells.

This achievement was the result of a project (JPNP21016) funded by the NEDO, a national research and development agency.

In November 2023, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation launched the MMC Acceleration Program "Wild Wind" to speed up the commercialization of projects that would be difficult for MMC to achieve on its own by collaborating with startups and other external partners. As part of the program, a "Demo Day" was held to evaluate the promotion to the commercialization preparation stage, and it was decided to start commercialization preparations for the following two themes in collaboration with partner companies.

The program involved recruiting external partners possessing the necessary assets for commercialization and conducting activities to verify business hypotheses. Collaboration with our partner companies enabled MMC to quickly test hypotheses and perform demonstrations that would not have been possible alone.
We will continue to accelerate our commercialization efforts by leveraging each other's assets.
 

1. Theme：Snowmelt sensors and IoT devices for disaster prevention technology for cold regions
   Partner Company：Sarubobo Alarm Corporation
   (Representative Director: Takanori Hoshiya, URL: https://sarubobo.net/)
   Business Overview：Development, manufacturing, sales, installation, and operation of IoT devices
     
2. Theme：Binder Jet 3D Printing Service Bureau
   Partner Company：3D Printing Corporation
   (Representative: Devore Alexander, Devore Aiko, URL: https://www.3dpc.co.jp/)
   Business Overview：Design and engineering service, on-demand parts manufacturing, and hardware sales

When this program was implemented in the fiscal year ended March 2025, we expanded it to actively solicit business ideas from external partners in addition to the themes that we proposed. The program is set to be implemented again in the fiscal year ending March 2026. Through the program, we aim to revitalize open innovation and promote the creation of new businesses that contribute to solutions to social issues.

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation ("Mitsubishi Materials") and the National University Corporation Tokyo Institute of Technology ("Tokyo Institute of Technology") have established the Mitsubishi Materials Sustainability Innovation Collaborative Research Cluster with the support of the Tokyo Institute of Technology Open Innovation Platform to conduct research on innovative materials and processes that contribute to a sustainable society.
The Collaborative Research Cluster will conduct joint research on composite materials, next-generation batteries, CO_{2} utilization and so on by combining the extensive and advanced knowledge of materials possessed by Tokyo Institute of Technology with Mitsubishi Materials' accumulated materials technology and know-how on recycling and other processes relating to non-ferrous metals, particularly copper. By leveraging the strengths of the two organizations to address issues that would have been difficult to address in independent research, the Collaborative Research Cluster aims to create innovative materials and processes, etc. based on the keyword Green Transformation (GX), which contributes to a sustainable society.
Mitsubishi Materials and Tokyo Institute of Technology will utilize this Collaborative Research Cluster to promote technological development while actively incorporating cutting-edge technologies and contribute to the building of a prosperous society.

Title: Mechanism of Modification of Strength/Stress-Relaxation Properties Induced by Low Temperature Annealing in Solid-Solution Copper Alloys
The research focuses on the stress relaxation phenomenon (heat resistance under thermal loading) in Cu-Mg solid solution alloys, and combines state-of-the-art X-ray diffraction line profile analysis with EBSD analysis to investigate the microstructural changes that cause the phenomenon to clarify its mechanism.
Cu-Mg solid solution alloys are a strength of Mitsubishi Materials. The results of this research provide new material design strategies for copper-based solid solution alloys with superior strength/stress relaxation property balance than ever before.

Title: Development of sintering silver paste for pressureless bonding to copper substrates
This research is a bonding technology that utilizes fine ceramics technology (bonding of semiconductor devices to substrates for power modules), and is expected to contribute greatly to energy conservation, such as increasing the cruising range of electric vehicles.
Specifically, by understanding the bonding mechanism and optimizing the paste components, direct bonding to Cu substrates can be achieved without pressure, and has the potential to realize high performance power modules at low cost.
Based on the above, this technology was recognized as a new technology that will contribute to the development of the fine ceramics industry.

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (MMC) aims to fully utilize Group support functions and achieve the MMC Group vision by having each operating division continually lay out a vision for raising manufacturing capability to the higher level. By swiftly resolving issues with the use of human and technological resources inside and outside the Group, we will succeed in creating manufacturing capabilities that set us apart from the competitors.

Through initiatives aimed at raising manufacturing capability to the next level, we will achieve our vision for plants based on business strategies that lead to medium- to long-term business growth, improve our ability to identify issues by utilizing digital technologies that enable production process upgrade, and enhance our ability to make meaningful improvements by innovating the way we work.
We will also make proactive use of external knowledge in an effort to further enhance manufacturing capabilities.
In our plant vision, we will consider effective mechanisms to streamline vision development and the process of following up on the measures implemented. Under our manufacturing management framework, we consolidated evaluation items into six items, “plant innovation capabilities,” “management capabilities,” “Kaizen capabilities,” “operational capabilities,” “mass production capabilities,” and “organizational and human resource development capabilities,” to evaluate and understand plant management and operation processes from a high-quality perspective. We began to implement these measures in the fiscal year ended March 2025. In the fiscal year ending March 2026, we will modify our tools to make it possible to use our findings to elevate our plant manufacturing capabilities up to a higher level, and we will add evaluation items from a higher perspective to these tools. We will further improve the evaluation items and content so that we can continuously utilize the comprehensive evaluation including innovation capabilities. To strengthen technologies, we will continue to work on multiple themes in the “advanced production process,” provide factories with solutions of appropriate technologies for smart factory concept planning and realization, and continue to establish elemental technologies to improve quality, reduce labour, and achieve reduced manufacturing lead times. We will also develop a foundation for data collection and utilization using digital technology to speed up improvement activities and promote higher operational efficiency.
To reinforce our foundation and enhance our management capabilities, we will work together with companies and sites on their methods, including in the areas of productivity management, requirements for producing good products, and front line supervisors. 
We have also developed a practical manufacturing human resource training program for young employees as part of our efforts to strengthen our organizational foundation. We will apply the program to each field of manufacturing, development, sales and management, and implement more effective initiatives that will contribute to improving the profitability of the plants. In particular, we will strengthen activities requiring DX-related knowledge, which will be more necessary in the future. We implement the DX Challenge program, which combines classroom and practical training. It is positioned as entry-level DX training. We are also providing training on the use of digital technologies in manufacturing in which trainees use digital technologies practically to engineering and manufacturing staff in particular. Continuing from the previous fiscal year, we are also pursuing initiatives to develop DMAIC (quantitative process improvement) leaders among management at each plant. In the fiscal year ending March 2026, we will continue to raise manufacturing issues and strengthen activities to establish improvement themes. Utilizing the expertise and technologies we have cultivated and accumulated to date, we will work to solve issues under an efficient framework.

At the Mitsubishi Materials Group, we engage in activities to develop a portfolio of intellectual properties and intangible assets in line with our business and development strategies, manage risks related to intellectual property, respond to related disputes, and improve the level of the Group's intellectual property governance.

As the importance of intangible assets including intellectual property, within corporate value continues to grow, we are reinforcing our governance systems related to intellectual property in compliance with the Corporate Governance Code. Specifically, we are reinforcing our governance structure through regular reporting and deliberation with Executive Officers and Directors, while actively disclosing our intellectual property initiatives, such as our ‘Strategic Dialogue’, to external parties. Further, in May 2022 we established the Intellectual Property Policy of Mitsubishi Materials Group, which indicates the direction of our intellectual property activities as a Group, based on the idea that we should maximize the value of intellectual property and intangible assets in a Group-wide manner. Additionally in February 2023, in accordance with this Intellectual Property Policy, we formulated the Group Intellectual Property Regulations, which stipulate the intellectual property-related activities of Group companies in clearer terms.

While utilizing intellectual property information analysis, we promote "strategic dialogue" between business divisions and intellectual property divisions with the aim of forming strategic intellectual property.
In addition, we have strengthened our governance system through regular reports to the Strategic Management Committee and the Board of Directors and deliberations in the Meeting of Executive Officers and the Board of Directors.

As a countermeasure to address counterfeit cutting tools that are manufactured overseas, we have apprehended a large number of illegal operators who sell these products at local brick-and-mortar stores. Further, in the fiscal year ended March 2021, we began to strengthen the monitoring and crackdowns of websites all over the world selling these products. We have deleted over sixteen thousand websites selling counterfeit products. We will continue to detect brick-and-mortar stores selling counterfeit goods and monitor websites selling these products, in our effort to eradicate counterfeit products.

The strategic dialogue is promoted as an intellectual property activity in line with management, business and development strategies and new business strategies. In the strategic dialogue, we hold dialogues with the Companies and new business creation divisions based on the results of analyses of intellectual property information, and strategically formulate the intellectual property needed for business and development. We support new value creation initiatives through various intellectual property activities, including strategic dialogue.

Mitsubishi Materials has branded new materials and is actively building them.

GloBrass and ECO BRASS are lead-free brass alloys with excellent machinability that are controlled to a lead content of 0.09% or less and comply with the EU's ELV Directive, RoHS Directive, and various regulations such as drinking water.

• Related Website
  https://www.mitsubishi-copper.com/en/products/materials/ecobrass/

MOFC is a lineup of high-quality, high-performance oxygen-free copper products incorporating our core technologies — oxygen-free copper production technology and material-design technology.
In 2021, an oxygen-free copper MOFC-HR that meets high strength and heat resistance was newly added.

• Related Release
  https://www.mmc.co.jp/corporate/en/news/2021/news20211001a.html

Mitsubishi Materials has established Employee Invention Regulations in which an invention reward system is implemented.

In addition to providing a fixed amount of reward at the time of filing and registration of patents, utility models, and designs, performance rewards are provided when there is a certain profit to which the patents, utility models, and designs contributed.

Through the revision of the regulations, we have promoted inventions, such as eliminating the upper limit on the amount of incentive money and applying it to confidential inventions.
We will continue to improve our incentives for inventors so that they can be fairly evaluated.

We have built and operate a contract management system for the confirmation, recording and referencing of technology agreements such as non-disclosure agreements, joint development agreements, and application agreements. 
This system helps prevent the leakage of confidential information, manage contract periods, and assist in reviewing contract details. We also offer advisory services on technology agreements connected to intellectual property cases in various fields such as research, development, and business.

As a countermeasure to address counterfeit cutting tools that are manufactured overseas, we have identified a large number of illegal operators who sell these products at local brick-and-mortar stores. Further, in the fiscal year ended March 2021, we began to strengthen the monitoring and crackdowns of websites all over the world selling these products. We have deleted over sixteen thousand websites selling counterfeit products. We will continue to detect brick-and-mortar stores and monitor websites selling counterfeit goods, in our effort to eradicate counterfeit products.

We provide Group employees with training to promote their understanding of intellectual property, utilize intellectual property information in business activities, and further, formulate effective intellectual property. In addition to position-specific training aimed at acquiring basic IP knowledge for both regular and non-regular employees, we also provide practical training for specialized and strategic use of IP as a selective training program.

We strategically develop an IP mix (patents, designs, trademarks and brands, trade secrets and know-how, etc.) in line with our business and development strategies. Through such intellectual property activities, we aim to maximize the value and effectiveness of our intangible assets including intellectual capital.

We believe it is important to engage in initiatives related to governance, Strategic Dialogue and intellectual property creation, management of technology contract risks, intellectual property education, and the enhancement of countermeasures to product counterfeiting. Based on the "Group Intellectual Property Regulations," we will organically integrate these functions to maintain and improve the level of IP governance throughout the Group, and contribute to reducing IP risks and maximizing Group business value.