Developing New Products and Expanding into New Markets

「We will position the Optics business as the core of growth, steadily capture demand from the semiconductor and advanced-technology fields, increase production capacity and develop human resources, thereby cultivating it into a business that will drive the growth of the Group.」

「In the inspection-equipment business, we will focus sales activities for unprinted-surface inspection equipment and electrode inspection equipment on inspection applications in manufacturing equipment for new power-generation technologies such as perovskite solar cells.」

「In addition, we continued strengthening our group’s core technologies of image processing, sensing and optics, developed a new laser measuring instrument, and worked to utilize these technologies to identify customer needs, including by opening an analysis demonstration room.」

「During the current consolidated fiscal year, we began offering a 6-channel autosampler as an option for the “A8860” near-infrared spectroscopic analyzer dedicated to liquid measurement, enabling continuous measurement of up to 6 samples.」

「Although orders for optical components for the semiconductor manufacturing and inspection equipment industries showed signs of stabilizing, orders for laser light-source equipment for semiconductor inspection equipment increased.」

「During the first 2 quarters of the current consolidated fiscal year, we focused on selling new products, including launching sales of “Mujiken-RB,” electrode-sheet inspection equipment for positive- and negative-electrode material production lines for secondary batteries.」

「Although customers remained cautious about capital investment in inspection equipment, we focused on expanding sales of new products in preparation for a full-scale recovery.」

「In the inspection-equipment business, we will seek to capture customers’ capital investment that was postponed in the previous consolidated fiscal year and expand sales of new products such as “Mujiken-Express.” In addition, in the optics business, which continues to perform well, particularly for semiconductor inspection equipment, we will pursue active initiatives, including expanding activities targeting the medical field.」

「During the third quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, we launched the new inspection equipment for unprinted materials, “Mujiken-Express,” using our group’s core technologies of image processing, sensing and optics.」

「Sales of optical components for semiconductor inspection equipment and related products remained solid, supported by strong capital-investment appetite in the semiconductor market. As a result, revenue from this business was ¥621 million, up 688.2% year on year, and segment profit was ¥206 million, up 2911.9%.」

「Although sales of inspection equipment for unprinted materials declined as manufacturers took a cautious approach to capital investment, sales of food-inspection equipment, including equipment for produce-sorting facilities, remained solid. As a result, revenue from this business was ¥338 million, up 23.0% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥15 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥17 million in the same period of the previous year.」

「In addition, we will focus on entering new fields, including developing laser products and specialized optical components for use in areas such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment.」

「In addition, during the first 3 quarters of the current consolidated fiscal year, we implemented measures to strengthen the group, including acquiring the shares of 光学技研株式会社 on 11 October and making it a wholly owned subsidiary. The company has strengths in high-precision processing, measurement and evaluation technologies for crystal and glass materials.」

「Against this backdrop, the Group focused on strengthening its sensing and image-processing technologies, which it has developed since its establishment, while building a structure to expand overseas sales and developing food-related markets, with the aim of building a platform capable of growing under any conditions.」

「For inspection equipment for unprinted materials, we will strengthen efforts to capture sustained capital-investment demand for inspection equipment related to secondary batteries and electronic components, while working to bring next-generation inspection equipment to market at an early stage. For food appearance-inspection equipment, we will develop inspection demand among domestic processed-food manufacturers and advance marketing activities aimed at developing overseas markets.」

「Sales of inspection equipment for unprinted materials, which addresses inspection demand for a variety of unprinted materials, and food appearance-inspection equipment, which addresses replacement demand for produce-sorting equipment, remained solid. As a result, revenue from this business was ¥1,149 million, up 122.2% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥46 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥28 million in the same period of the previous year. The order backlog was ¥970 million, up 154.3% from the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Sales expanded for inspection equipment for unprinted materials, which addresses inspection demand for a variety of unprinted materials, and for food appearance-inspection equipment, which addresses replacement demand for produce-sorting equipment.」

「Build the infrastructure for expanding overseas sales and develop the food-related market.」

「Viewing the diversification of customer needs as an opportunity, the Company will develop new growth markets, including secondary batteries and food-related markets, by proposing optimal solutions that combine its technologies and products.」

「In addition, for the food-related industries, we worked actively to propose appearance-inspection equipment to develop latent demand.」

「Expand overseas sales and develop the food-related market.」

「We will continue developing the food-related quality-inspection market by launching products that apply inspection technology cultivated over many years.」

「For the high-performance film industry, our group advanced proposals based on an extensive lineup of inspection equipment for unprinted materials. For the food-related industry, in addition to conventional produce-sorting equipment, we worked to propose appearance-inspection equipment for processed foods, where new demand is expected.」

「In addition, for the food-related industries, we have been working to launch new products developed by quickly identifying market needs and applying the appearance-inspection technology cultivated through produce-sorting equipment and our core image-processing technology.」

「Focused on selling new edge-position control equipment using pattern-recognition technology to the flexible packaging and specialty printing markets, where demand is stable within the high-performance film and printing industries, as well as capturing demand for maintenance services including repairs and parts sales.」

「Second, we will develop entirely new products and expand into new markets.」