HighChem Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Ushio Taka) is pleased to announce that it has established its first European subsidiary, HighChem (Hungary) Kft., and started operations in October 2023.
Background of the Establishment of the European Corporation “HighChem (Hungary) Kft.”
The market related to carbon neutrality is expanding in Europe, which is promoting the "European Green Deal" with the aim of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. In particular, there is growing interest in the spread of EVs and the replacement of fossil-derived materials with green materials to achieve zero-emission transportation.
With the start of operations of the European subsidiary, HighChem will develop new demand in Europe for not only Chemicals, but also green materials such as battery materials for EVs and PLA fiber, which have been handled in Japan and China. By doing so, we will accelerate our global market expansion.
Additionally, AI JAPAN Ltd., a trading company specializing in acrylic materials, in which we acquired shares in February of this year, has strong sales capabilities in Europe. With the establishment of this new corporation, we aim to further strengthen our handling of acrylic products and also lead to the global expansion of HighChem's existing products.
Battery materials related
HighChem deals in battery materials such as electrolyte solvents and separator materials in Japan and China. With the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Western countries and China, we have expanded our operations in these areas.
The establishment of the new European subsidiary is aimed at bolstering our sales framework for battery materials, in anticipation of the expanding adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe. This move is particularly focused on serving battery and battery material manufacturers from Japan, China, and South Korea that are making inroads into Europe. By setting up a base in Eastern Europe, where many of our battery material customers are located, we will enhance our after-sales services to battery manufacturers and others, as part of our efforts to expand our European business.
Green Materials Such as PLA (polylactic acid) Fibers
HighChem is developing the market for the corn-derived PLA (polylactic acid) fiber "HIGHLACT®". Sustainable elements have become essential in the European textile industry, and demand for sustainable fibers is increasing. HighChem has been actively developing the market in Europe, exhibiting at FILO, the international yarn and textile trade fair held in Milan, the home of fashion, in September of this year. With the recent opening of the European subsidiary, we will further develop the market.
HighChem (Hungary) Kft. Overview
Corporate Name: HighChem (Hungary) Kft.
Address: 1124 Budapest, Jagelló út 14.
Corporate Representative:Yuichi Taka
HighChem has been developing bases mainly in Japan and China, but with the opening of this European subsidiary, we will accelerate the globalization of HighChem and establish our position as a global bridge.
Media inquiries regarding this release
HighChem Co., Ltd. PR Division – Eriko Kuroiwa
E-mail: kuroiwa@highchem.co.jp Phone: +81-3-5251-8580 / +81-90-6539-4213 (Kuroiwa)