Technologies and R&D Message
Enhancing intellectual capital through the strength of "P&I" and partnerships
To increase the number of our globally competitive commercial products and achieve continuous growth, DNP will evolve and deepen its unique Printing & Information (P&I) strengths cultivated over the years, and enhance its intellectual capital by expanding collaboration with external partners.
To this end, we conduct a broad range of R&D activities, from the creation of new businesses and the development of new products and services to the development of production technologies, which serve as the driving force behind our business.
Research and development policy
Our R&D policy is to envision a better future that we ourselves want to live in, and to take this as a starting point to realize our "future scenario" by strengthening our proprietary technologies to develop and provide new products and services. Our Medium-term Management Plan for FY2023–2025 calls for "creation of new businesses and enhancement of technological strengths," "global rollout of technological strengths," "strengthening of stable businesses and cultural reform " and "sophistication of DX infrastructure." We continuously invest more than 30 billion yen in R&D each year, increasing the amount according to the growth strategies of our businesses.
For example, we expect Digital Transformation (DX) such as Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) will certainly play an increasingly important role. Increasing productivity through digital technology has become a crucial issue for society. The key to this will be semiconductors, which we have positioned as a priority area that we are pouring research and development energy into. We are accelerating the development and commercialization of products and services based on this policy by more effectively synergizing our diverse intellectual capital.
DNP's unique strengths in "P&I"
We are constantly refining our unique "P&I" strengths and pioneering new technologies and expertise to create diverse products and services. We are also boosting our competitiveness by combining advanced technologies such as operational efficiency through AI technology, innovative production systems that can be used to develop proprietary manufacturing equipment, and material development using Materials Informatics (MI)*. To make these strengths even more sustainable and robust, we consider the expansion of intellectual property as a key management issue and as such, are also focusing on acquiring patents.
Through these efforts, we are providing value on a global scale by developing businesses such as battery pouches for lithium-ion batteries, optical films for displays and metal masks for manufacturing OLED displays, for which we have top global market share.
- *Materials Informatics (MI): a method of developing materials that leverages AI and other information sciences
Strengthening collaboration with diverse external partners
To synergize our strengths in diverse fields, DNP is strategically pursuing technology acquisition and business development by promoting industry-government-academia collaboration through open innovation, both domestically and internationally.
As the need to reduce environmental impact and increase well-being grows around the world, DNP is also strengthening its marketing, R&D and business development for global markets. We will create new value in diverse business domains by fostering an organizational culture that proactively synergizes internal and external strengths, including patents and other intellectual property.
Creating value through DX
In recent years, we have been strongly promoting DX for both business expansion and production innovation.
For DNP, DX is positioned as the fusion of hybrid strengths of complete opposites, such as analog and digital technologies, real and virtual realities and manufacturing and services. This approach enables us to build a unique business model and generate new value. In line with this DX strategy, we are creating new businesses, transforming existing ones, achieving significant productivity gains and revolutionizing our internal information infrastructure. In particular, we are expanding our resources for value creation through DX, including training internal DX talent, acquiring necessary external experts and collaborating with external partner companies.
Realizing a better future
We are strongly promoting commercialization, technology and R&D – and the strategic acquisition of intellectual property to support these activities – with the business divisions, R&D divisions and intellectual property divisions working as one. We will constantly take on the challenge of change, enhance synergy through "All DNP," and work to realize a better future by creating new value.
Masato Yamaguchi
Head of R&D and Engineering Management Sector
Executive Vice President