The Chemicals & Electronics Division conducts business in three fields—automotive materials, chemicals, and electronics—and has the advantage of possessing wide-ranging networks and a wealth of knowledge. By combining these strengths with new technologies and positioning decarbonization as one of its top priorities, the division intends to focus on 1) measures for creating a new mobility society, 2) circular economy businesses that reduce the impact on the natural environment, and 3) businesses that contribute to the economy of life (EoL), as it works as one to expand in domains that will be strongly demanded by society in the future.

In the automotive materials business, the division is concentrating on globally establishing battery supply chains for local production for local consumption in anticipation of growing battery demand. From the perspectives of decarbonization and recycling businesses, the division is striving to establish a car-to-car recycling system and plans to initiate the stable supply of recycled materials from recycler PLANIC Co., Ltd., in which it has invested and which is scheduled to start operations this year. Also, the division will use recycled materials, such as automobile shredder residue, waste materials from automobile parts plants, and dismantled automobile parts, to contribute to decarbonization. Furthermore, it aims to contribute to the development of optics for use in next-generation automobiles by applying its vehicle-lamp optical lens technologies.

In the chemicals business, the division handles a wide range of chemical products, such as detergent raw materials, sanitary materials, and packaging materials, and strives to expand its business even further by leveraging its well-advanced sales network. With regard to the production and sales of the important resource iodine, of which the division has a large share in the global market, the division is strengthening its value chains through activities such as the manufacture and sale of iodine compounds. Furthermore, it is working to establish new businesses to become an industry leader in raw material recycling and conversion, such as by promoting plastic resource recycling and the widespread use of plant-derived biomass plastics.

In its electronics business, the division is Japan’s largest trader of electronic devices and supplies electronic devices and software globally. With keen foresight when it comes to changing technologies, the division is developing technologies for environment-conscious vehicles and developing electronic devices and services for connected cars. It is also readying advanced infrastructure and developing and commercializing services for a society that will be based on autonomous driving. The division is not only globalizing networking businesses that connect people and products but also strengthening business creation by combining know-how, functions, and technologies for realizing a smart society. By converging the domains of electronic devices and ICT, it is also contributing to the creation of new value and a sustainable society.