Strengthening intellectual capital through combining strengths in "P&I" and collaboration with partners

To raise our global competitiveness, DNP will evolve and deepen our unique expertise in "P&I" (Printing & Information) cultivated over many years, and strengthen our intellectual capital by deepening collaboration with external partners.

Research and development policy

Our R&D policy envisions a better future that we want to live in. This is a starting point to realize future scenarios by strengthening our proprietary technologies, and developing new products and services. As well as focusing on patent strategies to enhance our competitiveness in the global market, we continue to invest approximately 30 billion yen in R&D every year. We are also strengthening our R&D structure to accelerate commercialization, principally in our focus business areas.

The strengths of DNP's unique "P&I"

We are constantly refining our unique "P&I" strengths and pioneering novel technologies and expertise to create a wide array of products and services. While embracing the megatrend of DX (Digital Transformation), we are also enhancing our competitiveness by combining advanced technologies such as business efficiency realized through Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, innovative production systems to develop proprietary manufacturing equipment, and Materials Informatics (MI), a method of developing materials that utilizes information science. To make these strengths even more sustainable and robust, we consider the expansion of intellectual property as a key management issue, and to this end, we are also focusing on acquiring patents.

Strengthening our intellectual capital is fundamental work in expanding our businesses towards top global market share, in areas such as battery pouches for lithium-ion batteries, optical films for displays and metal masks for OLED display manufacturing. The combination of "P&I" strengths will help create new businesses while expanding the value of existing businesses. For example, we are developing businesses in many areas, including honto, a comprehensive hybrid bookstore network that offers both paper books and e-books at physical stores and online, and an electronic payment platform that uses information security technology cultivated in the smart card business.

Collaboration with external partners who hold unique strengths

DNP is also promoting collaboration between industry, government and academia through open innovation to create new value and drive strategic business development.

We are making particular efforts to strengthen marketing, R&D and business expansion for overseas markets such as in the Life& Healthcare segment in response to global demand for reducing environmental impact and enhancing physical and mental well-being. We will create new value in both existing and new businesses by fostering an organizational culture that proactively combines internal and external strengths, including patents and other intellectual property acquired.

Value creation through DX

DNP is also strongly pushing forward with digital transformation (DX) for business growth and productivity innovations. We position our DX as "value creation through P&I innovation" that brings together the unique expertise of All DNP. By leveraging our strengths in areas such as analog and digital technology, real and virtual technology and manufacturing and services, we will drive the creation of new business models and the transformation of existing business models under our medium- to long-term business portfolio strategy.

We will also create even more value through DX by enriching our technology and human resources, including cultivating personnel well versed in DX within the company, securing the human resources that are required and collaborating with partners in industry, academia, and government.

Realizing a better future

Moving forward, DNP's business divisions, R&D division and intellectual property division will work together to promote commercialization, technology and R&D, and the strategic acquisition of intellectual property to support these initiatives. We will continue to embrace new forms of innovation, enhance our synergy through All DNP and work to realize a better future by creating new value.

Masato Yamaguchi
R&D and Engineering Management Sector
Senior Managing Director