FY2013 CSR Website CSR > Site Reports > Worksites > R&D Center

The R&D Center is located next to the Kawasaki Plant in a section of thepetrochemical complex in Kawasaki across the Tama River from Haneda Airport.
The center carries out development of materials that support ZEON Groupbusiness, primarily synthetic rubber, through to development of processing
technologies. R&D activities are pursued in line with a basic philosophy ofcontributing to society through the ongoing creation of world-leading products that
"do not imitate and cannot be imitated" using unique, innovative, andAerial view of the R&D Center

environmentally friendly technologies.
On the premises of the ZEON Takaoka Plant, in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, we also carry out developmentof optical film for application to LCD televisions and next-generation displays, materials for organic EL lighting, which
contributes to energy conservation, and medical equipment, such as catheters, used in the examination andtreatment of blood vessels, the digestive organs, the gallbladder, and other parts of the body.
Through the development of such diverse materials and parts that make life more convenient, as well as thecreation and delivery to a wide range of customers of new products that contribute to conservation of energy and thenatural environment, the R&D Center wants to ensure that ZEON Corporation remains a company that is “friendly tothe environment and needed by society.”
The center also engages in activities as a member of the local community. This involves the continuation of zero
emissions* efforts through thorough sorting of waste generated by R&D activities, Ecocap (plastic bottle capcollection) activities, street-cleaning activities conducted together with neighboring corporations, and ongoinginternships.
In addition to efforts in Japan, the center plans to aggressively advance R&D activities conducted together withresearch laboratories and technological support service locations in North America, China and Europe, as well as
joint research with overseas universities and corporations. We will continue R&D activity to deliver to customers
around the world new products that benefit the global environment and human prosperity.
* Zero emissions:
The establishment of systems that discharge no emissions into the natural world, and the fundamental idea behind suc h establishment.

In accordance with the ZEON CSR Policy, all researchers have CSR awareness as they carry out research. In termsof compliance, related laws are strictly observed in all research activities, and the company aims for a highly
stimulated and safe research environment that is free from accidents. Before the R&D Center embarks on a newresearch project, research and administrative departments come together to conduct new experiment safety
examinations in which they discuss the research unit's proposal and confirm legal compliance matters and safety
considerations, such as chemical substance safety and exposure protection for researchers, as well as ensure-1-FY2013 CSR Website CSR > Site Reports > Worksites > R&D Center

proper allocation of resources. ZEON Corporation will proceed with R&D activities under a system that ensuresongoing provision of quality products offering a high degree of safety and that customers can trust.

The R&D Center's safety policy in fiscal 2012 was “Noticing danger. Notice danger and take measures throughcommunication,” with the implementation of comprehensive risk prediction activities focused on noticing danger.
Attentive safety activities undertaken by R&D Center staff led to the attainment of eight million hours without
accident or incident (zero lost-time accidents). The center also continued to keep landfill disposal at zero throughout
the year due to thorough sorting and recycling of waste generated by research activities.
To ensure that the comprehensive risk prediction activities (four-round risk assessment at work sites, near-missincidents, department patrols) with a focus on noticing danger take meaningful form, we must prevent such actions
as the continuation of operations even though a risk has been noticed, thus resulting in an accident.
In fiscal 2012, we returned to the basics of our safety activities, beginning by requesting that all staff greet eachother. Greetings are the starting point of communication, and we consider communication the lubricant of anorganization. An organization that lacks personal greetings does not have sufficient communication either. Withoutcommunication, a risk that has been noticed may be neglected and go unaddressed. We will strive to attain accidentand incident-free operations based on the teaching that "Safety does not exist. Danger is a constant presence."
In addition, waste recycling will continue in order to keep landfill disposal at zero.

The R&D Center aims to create products based on unique, innovative technologies that “do not imitate and cannot
be imitated” in conformance with the ZEON R&D Policy. We intend to realize this aim by raising our manufacturing
capabilities while monitoring a variety of aspects including intellectual property, safety, product quality, costs, andproductivity in all development stages. In fiscal 2012, we collaborated with research facilities on the theme ofproduction sites in particular, with improvement measures attaining significant results.

VOICEZEON Creates the FutureAs we are required to develop new products that match developments in a rapidlychanging world, we will undertake the following.
1.

Researchers shall gather their own information from around the world in orderto develop products that anticipate changing trends.

2.

3.

We will advance appropriate product creation by preparing quality function
deployment (QFD) matrices that visualize establishment of design andYoshiyuki Mitsuhira

production quality for each product development process.

Director & Senior Corporate Officer

Eliminating the need for "redoing" will be vital for speeding up productdevelopment. We will make efforts to establish mass production technologies
for ensuring smooth transition from research to actual production.
I believe these initiatives will allow us to develop products that satisfy the customer.

-2-Division Manager –Research & Development Center

FY2013 CSR Website CSR > Site Reports > Worksites > R&D Center

Together with the Kawasaki Plant and in cooperation with Kawasaki City, the R&D
Center participates with neighboring companies in joint cleaning and maintenanceof sidewalks from Keikyu Kojimashinden Station along the Tonomachi Yakosenstreet.
In August 2012 upon a request received through the School Support Center, anon-profit organization, to give a tour of the R&D Center, we welcomed a group froma Niigata prefectural high school. The school is a designated Super Science HighStudent tour group

School (designation awarded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology to high schools offering a concentrated STEM
curriculum).
On a swelteringly hot day, a total of 18 students visited our center, with many
commenting how satisfying it was to be able to tour laboratories and seelaboratories at work, which is usually not possible.
We will continue to receive students for laboratory tours so that they may learn

Students

listening

attentivelytoapresentation

about ZEON as well as to create opportunities to spark their interest in thechemicals industry.
In fiscal 2013, we will continue to strengthen interaction with universities, for example by actively accepting interns
and dispatching temporary instructors.

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