Cellulose Nanofiber Research and Development and Applications Development
First written in FY2016. 15 of 27 entries say "Restated". Latest entry: FY2026.
1 other company's latest entry also says "Advanced".
- FY2026AdvancedAnnual report
「Based on the results of development at the pilot facility, the company started up the commercial plant in July 2025 and began commercial production as planned.」
The cellulose nanofiber composite resin business progressed from the research and pilot stages to commercial plant start-up, commercial production and market expansion. The company also reported improved cellulose dispersibility and quality approval for automotive components. - 2026-05-29RestatedGeneral Meetings of Shareholders
「To build a foundation for medium- to long-term growth, we are pursuing the commercialization of CNF and the biorefinery business as part of our business portfolio transformation.」
The company reaffirmed its policy of commercializing CNF and biorefining. - FY2025AdvancedAnnual report
「Based on the results of development at the pilot facility, construction and operational preparations for the 2,000-ton-per-year commercial plant proceeded without delay toward its scheduled start-up in July 2025.」
CNF composite resin has progressed to the construction and operational preparation stage for the 2,000-ton-per-year commercial plant scheduled to start up in July 2025. The company also reported prototype evaluations for automotive components and other applications, as well as adoption for desktop dispensers. - FY2025-H1RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the interim consolidated accounting period under review was ¥1,818 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the interim consolidated accounting period under review.」
¥1,818 million was recorded as research and development expenditure, and it has been reconfirmed that there have been no material changes in the status of research and development activities, including cellulose nanofiber. - FY2024AdvancedAnnual report
「For composite-resin manufacturing process development, based on the results achieved with the pilot equipment, we formulated a plan to install a commercial plant with annual production capacity of 2,000 tonnes for operation in fiscal 2025.」
The company advanced CNF R&D toward full-scale commercialization preparations and formulated a plan for a commercial plant with annual production capacity of 2,000 tonnes, scheduled to begin operating in fiscal 2025. It also began supplying samples and developing applications for the highly transparent CNF “ELLEX-C.” - FY2024-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the cumulative first quarter under review was ¥865 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the cumulative first quarter under review.」
The company recorded ¥865 million in R&D expenditure and reconfirmed that there had been no material change in the status of its R&D activities, including those involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2023-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the cumulative first quarter under review was ¥959 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the cumulative first quarter under review.」
The company recorded ¥959 million in R&D expenditure and reconfirmed that there had been no material change in the status of its R&D activities, including those involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2022AdvancedAnnual report
「Based on these results, we installed a pilot plant at the Mishima Plant and brought it into operation in March. We also jointly manufactured and installed a front bumper for a public-road bus operated by Dogo Prince Hotel Co., Ltd. (Matsuyama) with Yamasei Co., Ltd. (Matsuyama), based on the race-car installation example. By replacing the steel front bumper with a hand-laid-up product made by laminating CNF molded components, we achieved a weight reduction of 2.1kg (42%).」
The pilot plant for an integrated CNF composite-resin manufacturing process began operating in March 2022. In applications development, the bus front bumper achieved a 2.1kg, or 42%, weight reduction, marking progress toward commercialization and mass production. - FY2022-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the cumulative second quarter under review was ¥1,713 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the cumulative second quarter under review.」
The company recorded ¥1,713 million in R&D expenditure and reconfirmed that there had been no material change in the status of its R&D activities, including those involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2021AdvancedAnnual report
「In fiscal 2020, to meet demand for higher cellulose concentrations that would increase flexibility in resin design for finished products, we successfully developed technology to raise the CNF content to 55% and began providing samples using this technology in September.」
Raised the concentration of CNF composite resin to 55% and began providing samples. The company also achieved commercialization of a table tennis racket as an external product and began developing a mass-production process through fiscal 2022. - FY2021-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the cumulative second quarter under review was ¥1,488 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the cumulative second quarter under review.」
The company recorded ¥1,488 million in R&D expenditure and reconfirmed that there had been no material change in the status of its R&D activities, including those involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2021-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「There were no material changes in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the three months ended March 31, XXXX.」
The company continued to report that there had been no material change in its R&D activities involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2020AdvancedAnnual report
「We jointly developed a table tennis racket using CNF molded components with Tamasu Co., Ltd. and produced the initial sales batch. The developed table tennis racket was launched by the company in April 2020 under the name “Revoldia CNF.”」
Progress included establishing a system for supplying high-concentration samples of CNF composite resin pellets, developing mass production of CNF molded components, commercializing the table tennis racket, reducing the race car’s weight by 12.6kg, and modifying the aqueous-dispersion pilot equipment to increase production capacity in February 2020. - FY2020-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the cumulative third quarter under review was ¥2,224 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the cumulative third quarter under review.」
The company recorded ¥2,224 million in R&D expenditure and reconfirmed that there had been no material change in the status of its R&D activities, including those involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2020-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the cumulative second quarter under review was ¥1,439 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the cumulative second quarter under review.」
The company recorded ¥1,439 million in R&D expenditure and reconfirmed that there had been no material change in the status of its activities, including those involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2020-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「There were no material changes in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the three months ended March 31, XXXX.」
The company reconfirmed that there had been no material change in its R&D activities involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2019AdvancedAnnual report
「We successfully developed a phosphite esterification method that can readily reduce fiber width to 3–4 nanometers and produce highly transparent CNF. To meet demand for transparency, we added a highly transparent CNF, “ELLEX-☆,” to the sample lineup and are accelerating applications development.」
In September 2018, the company developed production technology for highly transparent CNF and began providing samples of “ELLEX-☆.” It also began providing samples of cellulose composite resin pellets in November 2018. - FY2019-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The Group’s R&D expenditure during the cumulative third quarter under review was ¥2,066 million. There was no material change in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the cumulative third quarter under review.」
R&D expenditure was ¥2,066 million, and the company reconfirmed that there had been no material change in the status of its R&D activities, including those involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2019-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「There were no material changes in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the six months ended June 30, XXXX.」
The company reconfirmed that there had been no material change in its R&D activities involving cellulose nanofibers. R&D expenditure was ¥1,404 million. - FY2019-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「There were no material changes in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the three months ended March 31, XXXX.」
The company reconfirmed that there had been no material change in its R&D activities involving cellulose nanofibers. - FY2018AdvancedAnnual report
「Based on our R&D achievements to date in CNF, which has attracted attention as an innovative advanced material, we have advanced sample supply of 3 forms, “aqueous dispersion,” “molded components” and “dry solids,” under the name “ELLEX.” This has been supported by: ① pilot equipment for aqueous dispersion, with annual production capacity of 100t, which began operating in April 2016; ② sample supply of molded components, sheets with a high CNF content, which began in August 2017; and ③ pilot equipment for dry solids, with annual production capacity of approximately 10t, for which sample provision began in January 2018.」
CNF sample supply systems were established for 3 forms, aqueous dispersion, molded components and dry solids, with equipment capacities also specified. Applications development progressed for CNF-containing products and uses including automotive components, electrical-appliance housings and concrete. - FY2018-Q3AdvancedAnnual report
「Regarding CNF, following development of the “CNF aqueous dispersion” manufacturing process and “CNF molded components,” we newly constructed a pilot plant for “CNF dry solids” at the Mishima Plant and began providing samples in January 2018 for a wide range of applications development and mass-production trials. With supply systems in place for samples of “CNF aqueous dispersion,” “CNF molded components” and “CNF dry solids,” we named our CNF “ELLEX.” Based on sample provision in these 3 forms, we will accelerate applications development for automotive components, electrical appliances, paints, food, cosmetics, paper and paperboard, household paper products and other uses.」
Constructed a pilot plant for CNF dry solids and began providing samples in January 2018. With supply systems established for 3 forms, aqueous dispersion, molded components and dry solids, the company advanced to the stage of accelerating applications development and mass-production trials under the ELLEX name. - FY2018-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「There were no material changes in the status of the Group’s R&D activities during the six months ended June 30, XXXX.」
The company stated that there had been no material change in its research and development activities, and that its existing R&D policy, including cellulose nanofibers, remained in place. - FY2018-Q1AdvancedAnnual report
「Sales of Kirekira! Thorough Toilet Cleaning Sheets Nano EX, the world's first toilet cleaner containing cellulose nanofiber, remained strong.」
The company stated that it had progressed from the research and applications-development stage to the actual sale of products containing cellulose nanofibers, with sales performing well. - FY2017AdvancedAnnual report
「In the new business, we advanced research and development of cellulose nanofibers. In February 2017, we began operating pilot-plant equipment at the Mishima Plant, while advancing sample provision and commercialization through the development of highly filled molded components, applications for artificial bone, and incorporation into toilet-cleaner products. In April 2017, the new business centered on cellulose nanofibers was reorganized as the New Materials Research and Development Office to further accelerate commercialization.」
After the pilot plant began operating, the company advanced sample provision and applications in molded components, artificial bone and toilet cleaners, and reorganized the business into a specialized organization from April 2017. - FY2017-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「There were no significant changes in the status of research and development activities of our group during the cumulative third quarter consolidated accounting period.」
The company stated that there had been no material change in the status of its research and development activities, and that its existing R&D policy, including cellulose nanofibers, remained in place. R&D expenditure was ¥2,187 million. - FY2016First statedAnnual report
「In the new business, we advanced research and development of cellulose nanofibers. In April 2016, we began operating pilot-plant equipment at the Mishima Plant and proceeded with establishing production technology at pilot-plant scale and developing applications.」
The company described initiatives advancing from the research stage to the establishment of production technology and applications development through operation of a pilot plant at the Mishima Plant.