Our Growth Foundation

R&D Activities and Intellectual Property

Basic R&D Policy

As a technology-centered company, we realize that strengthening R&D
capabilities is one of our most important management strategies for achieving
sustainable growth. Two approaches help us to create both products that resolve
our customers’ technological issues and products that are unprecedented, innovative,and lead the market: the developing functional materials and related processing
technologies that leverage our proprietary technological capabilities, and a marketdialog style of research that emphasizes user needs. Going forward, we will further
strengthen our R&D systems to accelerate the speed of product development andcreate new technologies.
R&D Achievements

In the ﬁscal year under review, the R&D expenses incurred by the Group amounted
to a total of ¥6.8 billion. The following is an overview of the principal R&D activities
conducted by each operational segment.
Printing and Industrial Materials Products

Printing and variable information products
We developed VENTI-LABEL as an adhesive ﬁlm that suppresses the blisters
and bubbling of the label due to gas generated from the plastic molding.
By making both the base ﬁlm and the adhesive gas permeable, we retained
the design properties of the ﬁlm and overcame the problem of bubbling formedby the release of the gas.
In printing equipment-related products, our research centers on the developmentof printing machines optimized to the special characteristics of our label materials.
In the ﬁscal year under review, we developed the LPM-400, for which we employeda next-generation sheet transport system. Also featuring automatic preset, theLPM-400 is compatible with wide-width printing and has realized both shortersetup changeover times and a reduction in paper wastage.
Industrial and material products
We have developed laminate materials that follow the contours of unevensurfaces and are thus optimized for the adhesive sheet used on road surfaces.
Sold throughout Japan as Floor Marking OXZ, the product can be used fora long period of time on asphalt and concrete road surfaces in combination withconventional media (output sheet).
In industrial-machinery related products, our development activities are focusedon labeling systems for the automated application of the adhesive labels that areour core products. In the ﬁscal year under review, we developed high-speed labelingmachines for the food and pharmaceutical industries as well as the logistics andmail order industries.

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LINTEC ANNUAL REPORT 2014

VENTI-LABELElectronic and Optical Products

Semiconductor-related materials
We have newly developed the RAD-3810F/12 vacuum laminator that enables
compatibility with the surface unevenness of the wafers of power devices andthe through-silicon via (TSV) process. We have also made major advances inthe development of the main mechanism units for mounters, laminators, and UV
irradiation equipment that are compatible with the next-generation 450mm wafers.
Optical functional materials
We have developed high-barrier ﬁlms with extremely high gas barrier characteristics
and superior transparency and bend resistance. We have expectations that thesematerials will be useful in reducing the weight and increasing the ﬂexibility of, forexample, electronic paper and organic electroluminescence displays.
Paper and Converted Products

In specialty papers, we have developed a total heat exchanger base paper that
improved productivity and performance. The new paper can be used in injection,
corrugated, and metal molds. We have also developed high-quality base papers forrelease papers that signiﬁcantly improve printability and enhance internal strength.
In release materials, in addition to existing process ﬁlms, which provide a smoothrelease surface, we launched a new process ﬁlm that provides a mat tone releasesurface. This product is suitable for controlling the gloss value and applying themat to the cast ﬁlm surface. In addition, we launched a type of product withimproved antistatic performance onto the market, a process ﬁlm for electronicdevices production. The new ﬁlm eliminates defects caused by static electricity
that can arise during the manufacturing processes of electronic devices, such as
the static charge caused by release.
Intellectual Property Activities

The LINTEC Group aims to increase corporate value by developing original productsthat meet customer needs. We therefore rank intellectual property, such as patents,
trademarks, and design rights, as important management resources. While placing
the utmost emphasis on respecting the rights of other companies, the Intellectual
Property Department, Research & Development Division promotes strategic
Companywide intellectual property activities. These activities include seeking touncover new invention candidates at R&D sites for the purpose of expanding intellectual property rights, which are the lifeline to a technology-centered company.
Accordingly, while planning the linkage of things such as patent portfolio
building for our foundation and growth business domains, and support for M&A

Patent Applications andApprovals (Japan)
500

301

400

350
280

326
300

210

200

140

100

7002010

2011

2012

activities, with our business strategy, we aim to improve proﬁtability based on

Total Applications

intellectual property.

Approvals (right scale)2013 2014 FY0

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