The HighChem Tokyo Research Institute’s Material Research Branch has started operations!
Hello everyone! This is Kuroiwa, in charge of HighChem’s owned media.
Today, I am pleased to report on the Material Research Branch of HighChem Tokyo Research Institute, which started operations successfully on September 12th.
The newly operational “HighChem Tokyo Research Institute - Material Research Branch” is engaged in the compounding, performance improvement, and application development of biodegradable resins such as PLA (Polylactic Acid). Led by Director Takayama, the branch boasts a team of 10 specialists in biodegradable plastics, including newly joined researchers.
Director Hayashi Takayama of the Material Research Branch
Graduated in 1982 from Hunan University in China, majoring in Organic Chemical Engineering.
After working on PVC synthesis and polymerization at a state-owned chemical company in China, he studied in Japan.
In 1995, he obtained a master’s degree in Applied Chemistry from Nagoya University.
After working for a major plastic compound manufacturer for 26 years, he joined his current position.
“With safety as our motto, we want to pool the wisdom of all researchers and achieve continuous polymerization of PLA with a molecular weight Mw of 300,000 within 2022, completing the first step of research and development.”
Praying for the safety of the new institute and all employees!
To coincide with the start of operations, a completion ceremony for the Material Research Branch was held on September 20th.
At the completion ceremony, a Shinto ritual was conducted, and executives from HighChem and researchers from the Material Research Institute all performed a safety prayer offering.
Launch Ceremony for the Mass Production of High Molecular Weight PLA!
One of the important research themes of the new Material Research Institute is the joint development with Ricoh Co., Ltd. for the mass production of “High Molecular Weight PLA”. High Molecular Weight PLA is a manufacturing technology established by Ricoh using supercritical carbon dioxide plasticization polymerization method they have cultivated so far. It is a PLA with a weight average molecular weight of over 300,000, and it is expected to expand into new applications such as high heat-resistant and high-strength engineering plastics, which could not be achieved with conventional PLA resins.
On October 6th, we held the “Launch Ceremony for the Mass Production of High Molecular Weight PLA”. At the ceremony, a tape-cutting ceremony was held by HighChem’s President Takashi and President Takahiro Irizawa of Ricoh’s Future Business Unit, as well as a facility tour and exchange meeting, deepening the interaction between the two companies.
Once again, I felt that it was an opening ceremony where “Ricoh’s technology and HighChem’s speed” teamed up, adding HighChem’s mobility and speed to the technical skills that Ricoh has cultivated so far, and taking off greatly in the world.
We will continue to report on the progress of the development of High Molecular Weight PLA in press releases and our owned media.
And from Mr. Irizawa, we received a dragon figurine as a gift to celebrate the completion!
〈Chinese〉
祝 竣工
恭喜新公司大楼竣工
将 HighChem 和 RICOH 的热情和梦想独入珠子之中
龙在天上爬得很高。
〈English〉
Congratulations on the completion
Congratulations on the completion of the new company building
The passion and dreams of Highchem and Ricoh are packed into the Dragon's Pearl
May the dragon soar high into the sky
May this project soar high like a dragon!
From all the project members of Ricoh and HighChem, and the researchers at the Material Research Branch.
