R&D Initiatives Related to Intellectual Property

Basic thinking about intellectual property

The Daicel Group respects intellectual property rights held by third parties, recognizes that the intellectual property rights held by the Company (patent rights, utility model rights, trademark rights, design rights, etc.) are important assets, and strives to maintain and protect those rights.

Daicel Group Ethical Standards (1-viii "Protection of Intellectual Property")

Investing in Intellectual Property and Intangible Assets

With the basic philosophy of remaining a company that makes lives better by co-creating value, the Daicel Group invests in intellectual property and other intangible assets in order to continue providing value. At the same time, we remain committed to meeting the needs of society while sharing a philosophy that transcends the limitations of companies and industries.

Investing in Intellectual Property and Intangible Assets

Internal system related to intellectual property

In the Intellectual Property Center, under the slogan of "Proactive IP," we are engaged in intellectual property activities led by an intellectual property activity team consisting of (1) Business and Planning Divisions, (2) the Research & Development Division, and (3) the Intellectual Property Center. By "creating" and "exploiting" intellectual properties, we support our monozukuri manufacturing, and by "combining" intellectual properties, we promote innovations that lead to new business creation, enhance Daicel's brand power, and bolster business of the Daicel Group. As clarified in Daicel's "Accelerate 2025" Mid-term Management Strategy, along with "Research" and "Development," we will strengthen intellectual property activities as one of the means to accelerate "Innovation and Business Development."

Intellectual Property Center's Vision

Intellectual Property Activity Team

Approximately 35 intellectual property activity teams in Daicel and its group companies are involved in the certification of inventions, decision-making on whether to file a patent application for an invention or keep it as confidential know-how, patenting, judgments on the necessity of patent maintenance, patent exploitation, examination and avoidance of possible infringement of other companies' patents, and response to patent litigation.

Applying Patent Analysis to Operational Systems

Under the process of developing new businesses or products, Daicel conducts an analysis and confirmation of patents using our proprietary system, the Patent Analysis and Confirmation System (PACS). Through this process, we confirm that our products do not infringe on any third party intellectual property rights and ensure efficient and reliable promotion of the new technological developments that drive the success of the Company.

Innovation and Business Development under the Mid-Term Management Strategy, "Accelerate 2025"

Mid-Term Management Strategy

Promoting the IP Landscape, "a Compass for Management, Business and Research"

In 2019, Daicel's Intellectual Property Center established a dedicated team to promote IP Landscape (IPL), and in 2022 this IPL team was reorganized to incorporate all our IP staff and positioned our IPL as a fundamental part of all Daicel's intellectual property activities. By IPL, we mean "to tap into all available information, not only intellectual property but also technologies, papers, markets, companies, politics, laws, etc. so that we can visualize the situation in which Daicel's management, business, and research are placed, and plot a path to ensure these activities are successful." Based on this idea, we view an IPL as "a compass for management, business, and research" and promoting our activities.
In addition, since these activities cannot be achieved by the Intellectual Property Center alone, we are proceeding in close cooperation with relevant divisions on individual specific R&D themes and business planning themes. Now that the awareness of our IPL is growing within our company, this IPL is beginning to play a role in the decision-making of each business unit. We are making efforts every day so that our IPL can help open doors to the future of Daicel.

Human Resources Development

We are working to improve the intellectual property literacy of our engineers through a human resources development program implemented in collaboration between the Intellectual Property Center and Personnel Group.

  1. 1Implementation of rank-specific training (new employees, mid-career employees, new managers)
  2. 2Provision of e-learning (protection of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and know-how; patent search and analysis, etc.)
  3. 3Introduction of "Intellectual Property Management Technician Grade 3" qualification as one of the requirements for promotion to managerial positions in engineering departments

Activity Results

Participation in WIPO GREEN

The Daicel Group has registered its environment-related technologies with "WIPO GREEN," an environment-related technology exchange platform operated by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which is a specialized agency of the United Nations, aiming to contribute to "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."
Having been a "partner" in WIPO GREEN since April 2020, Daicel's initiatives are also introduced on the following page of the Patent Office's website.

Japan Patent Office Website: Collaboration with WIPO GREEN

Utilization of Intellectual Property in Standardization

A quantification method of sparkle phenomenon on displays*, which was jointly developed with Komatsu NTC Ltd., was adopted as Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) under the title of "Determination of magnitude of display sparkle" (JIS C 1006) on December 20, 2019.
The method and equipment to numerically calculate sparkle have been patented as "Equipment and Method of Determining Sparkle" (JP Patent No. 6294904), and Daicel and Komatsu have announced they will license this patent on reasonable and non-discriminatory ("RAND") terms.

  • *A phenomenon in which the uneven structure of anti-glare display surface diffuses the light emitted from the display, causing sparkle of the screen.

Daicel's "Determination of magnitude of display sparkle" Established as JIS

Awards

Intellectual Property Achievement Awards

In 2018, Daicel received the Commissioner of the Patent Office Awards at the "Intellectual Property Achievement Awards" organized by the Japan Patent Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which recognizes individuals and companies that have contributed to the development of Japan's intellectual property rights system.
The award recognized that [1] business, research & development, and intellectual property divisions are working together, [2] the optical resolution device (chiral separation) for pharmaceutical development, which was commercialized through industry-academia collaboration, enjoys the largest share of the business market thanks to the use of related intellectual properties, and [3] Daicel is helping to improve the productivity of domestic industries and strengthen their international competitiveness by licensing the "Intellectual Integrated Production System" called the "Daicel Way."

Japan Patent Office Website: About 2018 Intellectual Property Achievement Awards (in Japanese)

The Intellectual Property Association of Japan Industrial Achievement Award

In 2018, Daicel received the 15th Industrial Achievement Award from the Intellectual Property Association of Japan, which honors corporations for their outstanding achievements in intellectual property activities.
The award recognizes Daicel's efforts to promote collaboration among business, R&D, and intellectual property divisions, and for proposing this model to industry. Among others, the model was highly evaluated because it can be applied regardless of company size and it also has the potential to be applied in industry-academia collaboration.

Intellectual Property Association of Japan website: The Intellectual Property Association of Japan Industrial Achievement Award (in Japanese)

Local Commendations for Invention

Daicel has been awarded Local Commendations for Invention by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation for four straight years since 2017.

Award-winning patents
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FY2023

  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Chugoku Commendations for Invention
    Tow band for electronic cigarette tips (JP Patent No. 7155282)
  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Kinki Commendations for Invention
    Transparent laminate film for learning device with a pad to write and memorize (JP Patent No. 6258249)

FY2022

  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Chugoku Commendations for Invention
    Cellulose diacetate for retardation film (JP Patent No. 4774121)

FY2021

  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Chugoku Commendations for Invention
    Improvement of work environment for manufacturing TAC film (JP Patent No. 5517409)

FY2020

  • The Japan Patent Attorneys Association Presidential Award and the Achievement Award at the Chugoku Commendations for Invention
    Biodegradable Cellulose Acetate Particles and Cosmetic Product (JP Patent No. 6609726)

Presidential Prize, Japan Patent Attorneys Association, Website of the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation

  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Kinki Commendations for Invention
    Flange Tightening Skill Testing Device (JP Patent No. 6166222)

FY2019

  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Chugoku Commendations for Invention
    Cellulose acetate production by two-stage pulp disintegration (JP Patent No. 5816395)
  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Kinki Commendations for Invention
    Rubber & nylon composite sheet (JP Patent No. 5466928)

FY2018

  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Chugoku Commendations for Invention
    Fiber oil emulsion and its production method (JP Patent No. 4754307)
  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Kinki Commendations for Invention
    Resource-saving and energy-saving acetic acid production method (JP Patent No. 5662269)

FY2017

  • The Osaka Institute of Invention and Innovation Chairman's Award at the Kinki Commendations for Invention
    Gas generating device for airbags (JP Patent No. 3220443)
  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Kinki Commendations for Invention
    Anti-glare film (JP Patent No. 4377578)
  • The Invention Encouragement Prize at the Kanto Commendations for Invention
    Polyglycerin, polyglycerol fatty acid ester (JP Patent No. 4540482)
    Zero retardation TAC film (JP Patent No. 4108077)
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  • *As a domestic company participating in the IP landscape, we cooperated in survey interviews.
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