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Asahi Kasei Corporation (symbol: AHKSY) is a diversified Japanese technology and manufacturing company dedicated to contributing to life and living globally. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has continuously transformed its business portfolio to meet evolving market demands. The company operates through three primary sectors: Material, Homes, and Health Care.
In the Material sector, Asahi Kasei produces a wide array of products, including battery separators, biodegradable textiles, engineering plastics, and sound solutions. Recently, the company announced a significant investment in an integrated plant in Ontario, Canada, for manufacturing Hipore™ wet-process lithium-ion battery separators, in partnership with Honda and the Development Bank of Japan.
In the Health Care sector, Asahi Kasei focuses on devices and systems for acute critical care, dialysis, therapeutic apheresis, and the manufacturing of biotherapeutics. The company recently completed the construction of its third assembly plant for Planova™ virus removal filters in Japan and announced the launch of a new plasmid DNA manufacturing facility in Texas, USA, through its subsidiary, Bionova Scientific.
Asahi Kasei is also making strides in the renewable energy sector with its hydrogen business. The company celebrated the opening of a new hydrogen pilot plant in Kawasaki, Japan, marking a significant milestone toward commercializing large-scale alkaline water electrolysis systems for green hydrogen production.
In addition to these advancements, Asahi Kasei is committed to sustainability, aiming to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The company's R&D initiatives include the development of high ionic conductive electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries, which promise enhanced performance and durability at extreme temperatures.
Asahi Kasei's recent partnership with Axolabs to establish a cutting-edge oligonucleotide cGMP manufacturing facility in Berlin underscores its commitment to innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry. This collaboration aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of oligonucleotide-based therapies to improve patient quality of life globally.
With over 48,000 employees worldwide, Asahi Kasei continues to be a global leader in providing innovative solutions to the world's challenges, ensuring sustainable growth and development.
Asahi Kasei America, Inc., the North American regional headquarters of the Asahi Kasei Group, is relocating its corporate office from New York to Novi, Michigan, effective November 1. This strategic move consolidates operations into a 14,403-square-foot facility, streamlining processes and enhancing collaboration with regional business units. The decision follows the 2019 opening of an office in Novi and its significant expansion in 2023.
The new headquarters will serve as a central hub for administrative services across various departments, including communications, human resources, auditing, corporate planning, and finance. This relocation positions Asahi Kasei closer to major OEMs in the automotive sector and aims to better serve its growing client base in the Material, Homes, and Health Care sectors nationwide.
Asahi Kasei has launched a new grade of LASTAN™, a flame-retardant nonwoven fabric designed to enhance EV battery safety. This innovative material offers superior resistance to flames and particle blasts, making it an excellent alternative to conventional materials for thermal runaway protection in EV battery packs.
Key features of LASTAN™ include:
- Resistance to 1,300°C flames
- Protection against 200-500 µm particle impacts
- Electrical insulation up to 3.5 kV at 1 mm thickness
- High flexibility and processability
- LOI value of 50+ and UL94 5VA flame retardance rating
With the EV battery safety market expected to grow 15% annually from 2024, LASTAN™ addresses the increasing demand for lightweight, flexible, and effective thermal runaway protection materials.
Asahi Kasei (AHKSY) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with De Nora for joint development and sale of small-scale pressurized alkaline water electrolyzers for hydrogen production. The collaboration aims to meet growing demand for compact, cost-effective hydrogen production systems, particularly in the 1 to 7.5 MW range.
This partnership leverages Asahi Kasei's nearly 50 years of experience in chlor-alkali electrolysis and De Nora's expertise in electrodes and small-scale electrolyzers. The collaboration is expected to lower barriers for customers adopting water electrolysis technology and contribute to the development of the hydrogen market.
The global installed capacity of water electrolyzers is forecasted to reach approximately 300 GW by 2030, according to the Hydrogen Council. This collaboration positions both companies to capitalize on the rapidly expanding green hydrogen market.
Asahi Kasei Engineering Corp. (AEC) has launched a cloud-based CAE solution platform offering precise apps to predict crash and impact behavior of polymers. The platform includes the downloadable 'i-LUPE' polymer material fracture prediction model and an on-demand mapping tool for anisotropic materials like fiber-reinforced resins. These tools aim to enhance product design and reduce costs and time for material development, particularly in the automotive industry where polymer use is increasing. The platform leverages Asahi Kasei's expertise in CAE technical services for engineering plastics and utilizes cloud-based high-performance computing (HPC) for on-demand software access.
Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM), a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei, has opened the AKM Co-creation & Technology Center in Yokohama City, Japan, in June 2024. This new development base consolidates AKM's product design, R&D for semiconductors and sensors, and partner relations functions. The center features a unique visitor center, a Proof of Concept demonstration area, and an immersive audio room showcasing AKM's VELVET SOUND audio solutions. It also includes a demonstration vehicle area for automotive solutions.
The center aims to accelerate solution development, provide new value to customers, and strengthen collaboration with external partners. AKM expects this consolidation to help quickly identify end-user market issues and create innovative solutions across diverse businesses and technologies.
Asahi Kasei (AHKSY) will showcase its material solutions at Fakuma 2024, focusing on three key areas: EV battery thermal management, improved connectivity, and sustainable material life cycle. Highlights include:
1. XYRON™ mPPE for EV battery thermal management
2. Multilayer cooling pipes for EVs
3. New XYRON™ grades for 5G applications
4. AZP™ transparent polymer for optical devices
5. New SEBS grade for automotive interiors
6. CNF-reinforced polyamide for 3D printing
7. PA66 recycling solutions
These innovations aim to address industry challenges in EV safety, connectivity, lightweighting, and sustainability.
Asahi Kasei Microdevices' Swedish subsidiary, Senseair, has developed Sunlight R290, a gas sensor for highly flammable R290 refrigerant (propane) in HVAC systems. The sensor ensures safe and accurate leak detection, meeting IEC 60335-2-40 safety standards. Key features include:
- High measurement accuracy: +/- 2.5% LFL
- Wide measurement range: 0-100% LFL
- Operating temperature: -40°C to 70°C
- Relative humidity range: 0 to 95%
- Expected service life: over 15 years
- Compact size: 34 mm × 21 mm × 12 mm
- Low power consumption: 94 μA
High-volume shipments are scheduled to begin in September 2024. The sensor addresses the shift towards natural refrigerants due to regulations on PFAS and F-gases.
Asahi Kasei Engineering (AEC) will introduce V-MO, a cloud-based predictive maintenance service for ocean vessel motors, at SMM 2024 in Hamburg, Germany. Developed jointly with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), V-MO uses vibration sensors to detect potential motor abnormalities, enabling proactive repairs and reducing vessel downtime. The system automatically collects and analyzes data, providing continuous condition monitoring without specialized knowledge.
Launched in May 2023, V-MO leverages AEC's 50+ years of vibration diagnosis expertise in plant engineering. In April 2024, MOL Ship Management Singapore decided to implement V-MO on its container vessels. AEC will showcase V-MO's hardware and cloud app at SMM 2024 in the Japan Pavilion, Hall B7.
Asahi Kasei’s latest global car user survey reveals significant shifts in brand loyalty and EV buying behavior across four key automotive markets: Germany, the USA, China, and Japan. The survey highlights that over half of car users in Germany and the USA, and 79% in China, are inclined to switch car brands. Generation Z shows the lowest brand loyalty.
Common complaints about current vehicles include poor gas mileage, storage, and excessive noise, influencing buyers to prioritize quality and running costs. In China, the desire to try new premium brands is a major motivator.
Despite growing market shares for pure electric vehicles (EVs), willingness to buy EVs has not drastically changed since 2020. In the US, willingness decreased by 14 percentage points due to fading subsidies and high costs. Technological advancements in battery performance, lifetime, and safety are important for wider EV acceptance.
Key EV purchasing factors vary by region: driving range in Germany, battery lifetime in the US, and safety in China.
Asahi Kasei announced the launch of a membrane system to produce Water for Injection (WFI), a type of sterile water used in injections, starting April 2024. Using their Microza™ hollow-fiber membrane technology, this system provides an alternative to traditional distillation methods, significantly reducing CO2 emissions and energy costs. The new system offers higher water quality and easier operation, with an endotoxin removal rate of over 99.999%. The company aims to facilitate a transition to membrane filtration processes, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability and operational efficiency in pharmaceutical water production.
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