Production Efficiency Improvements in Existing Lines

「Operating income improved, mainly as a result of manufacturing cost reductions, including decreases of ¥63 million in labor costs and ¥43 million in depreciation, as well as a ¥448 million decrease in inventory valuation losses.」

「The company is also taking measures to strengthen price competitiveness by improving the production efficiency of its manufacturing equipment and reducing manufacturing costs.」

「The group is working to improve productivity in order to maintain competitiveness. In particular, reducing manufacturing costs through improvements and innovation in production equipment, which accounts for a large proportion of manufacturing costs, is positioned as a key issue in restoring business performance.」

「The company is developing in-house, ahead of its competitors, new equipment such as new deposition methods for deployment on large lines and automated systems for various manufacturing processes. It is currently proceeding with their installation on production lines at each factory and expects a substantial reduction in manufacturing costs.」

「At WSK, renovation work to improve the productivity of the existing deposition lines was completed,」

「Regarding manufacturing operations, renovation work on existing lines at W-SCOPE KOREA CO., LTD. (WSK) is progressing smoothly.」

「At the coating lines, the Company is working to add new lines and improve existing manufacturing processes.」

「At WSK and WCP, the companies are working to add new coating lines and improve the manufacturing processes on existing lines.」

「At WSK and WCP, the companies are working to add new coating lines and improve the manufacturing processes on existing lines, resulting in a substantial improvement in productivity.」

「WSK and WCP are also working to improve the manufacturing processes on their existing coating lines, resulting in a significant improvement in productivity.」

「Amid an upward trend in raw-material and utility costs due to rising global energy costs, ongoing productivity improvements progressed, increasing sales volume by approximately 20% year on year and reducing manufacturing costs.」

「As efforts to optimize productivity on the deposition lines at W-SCOPE KOREA CO., LTD. (WSK) progressed, production volume during the first quarter cumulative consolidated period increased by more than 25% year on year.」

「Regarding manufacturing operations, WSK has been switching product categories according to the characteristics of its production lines. At WCP, mass-production shipments began in the fourth-quarter consolidated accounting period from newly added deposition machines Nos. 14 and 15 and coating machines Nos. 17 and 18, increasing production volume.」

「Regarding manufacturing operations, WSK has been switching to products best suited to the characteristics of each production line and continues to improve productivity.」

「Because the start of operations was slightly delayed, the transfer of production of products for automotive projects manufactured by W-SCOPE KOREA CO., LTD. (WSK) to WCP's newly established lines did not progress, causing a delay of several months in optimizing production across the Group.」

「The Group has increased revenue by expanding shipments of products for high-end automotive batteries and other applications under agreements with customers on long-term supply volumes, as well as by beginning production and sales of separators for EV applications for new customers. As a result of the accompanying improvement in factory utilization rates, operating income turned positive in the fourth-quarter consolidated accounting period.」

「At W-SCOPE KOREA CO., LTD. (WSK), utilization rates for automotive battery applications have been recovering since September, although」

「During the suspension of these production lines, the company carried out inspections, maintenance and work to improve yield, in preparation for expanding supply volume in the second half of the fiscal year.」

「The company continues mass production while working to improve yield.」

「Although the company had focused on improving productivity, it achieved improvement to a certain level by the end of the fiscal year.」

「The company will continue to work diligently to develop high-quality separators for lithium-ion secondary batteries and improve production efficiency.」

「Against this market backdrop, the company continues to improve its production lines and the manufacturing environment within its factories in pursuit of further improvements in the quality and stability of separators, which are materials that ensure the safety of lithium-ion batteries. In manufacturing, it is working to further improve productivity to reduce manufacturing costs.」

「The company will continue to work diligently to develop high-quality separators for lithium-ion secondary batteries and improve production efficiency.」

「In manufacturing, the company is working to further improve productivity in order to reduce manufacturing costs.」

「The Group plans to strengthen sales not only in Japan, South Korea, China and the United States but also in other overseas markets. It is also developing production systems that support the stable supply of consistently high-quality products, and will work to strengthen, expand and improve the efficiency of its production capabilities while securing a competitive advantage in quality.」

「Improved production efficiency on existing lines led to a higher operating profit margin than in the same quarter of the previous year.」