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Company profile

Eco-Friendly Product Development

Feature Story01

Harmony with the environment

Improving value

Communication with society

Producing an employeefriendly workplace

Supply chain management

Governance & compliance

Carbon Neutrality throughSustainable Raw Materials is a flexible polyurethane foam made from at least 50%
plant-based raw materials.
This product offers two main advantages.
(1) Carbon neutrality that reduces dioxide (CO2) emissions
Carbon neutrality here refers to the approach of producing zero net

Raw materials

CO2 emissions through the use of plant-based raw materials,
balancing out the CO2 emitted when products are manufactured
and discarded with the CO2 absorbed in the growth process of theAbsorb

Photosynthesis GrowthBiomass
Makingproducts

plants resulting in no increases to CO2 released in the air over thelife cycle as a whole. We developed  based on thisCO2

Disposal
after useapproach.

Plant-Based Polyurethane Foam
Ecolocel(2) Reducing dependence on fossil resources
We have chosen a method that keeps the earth’s limited fossil
resources form being exhausted and has no impact of foodproblems due to the use of non-food plant-based raw materials.

Generate

Power & heat usage

Illustration of the carbon cycle when using plant-based raw materials* Image shown is only an illustration

Pursuing carbon neutrality
Due to the adoption of the SDGs (Sustainable DevelopmentGoals), sustainable development is being seen as increasinglyimportant. Companies are now expected to develop products
made of sustainable raw materials instead of conventional
petroleum-based materials. We selected raw materials fromamong plants not used for food in order to proceed withdevelopment based on the approach of carbon neutrality using
plant-based materials while also helping to achieve SDGs goal
number 2 “Zero Hunger.” To also contribute toward achieving
SDGs goal number 13 “Climate Action” we started developmenton materials with 50% or higher content of biomass (made fromat least 50% plant-based raw materials), which has less impact on
the environment.

Successful transition to mass production throughtrial & error
Raising the biomass content destabilizes foaming and thedeterioration of physical properties is inevitable, so biomass levelsof 30% had previously been the highest. Developing foam with a06

CSR REPORT 2021

biomass level of at least 50% was therefore an extremely daunting
research theme.
We first began experiments with a laboratory scale. While thefoam did take shape, its strength was weak and its properties
were unstable, so we went through repeated trial and error. We
reselected the plant-based raw materials and the properties
finally stabilized after that, so we proceeded to try mass
production-based foaming. However, this was not the same as
the laboratory scale. Since it involves continuous production, weencountered a variety of problems. Enlisting the help of theManufacturing Section in addition to the Technology Section, we
further improved the composition and optimized the production
conditions, and at long last we were able to reach the stage ofmass production.

Aiming for applications in the consumer products
marketThis foam is currently in use for making kitchen sponges, but wewill be adding features such as high impact resilience, lowresilience, and high hardness and deploying it for other usage
applications such as mattresses in the future.

* Image shown is only an illustration(pillows, mattresses, kitchen sponges)

Developers
Material Development Group
Urethane Technology Section
Foam Products Department
High Performance Material
Division

Hirotaka Wada

Kenichi KatoRiona Sato

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Eco-Friendly Product Development

Company profile

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Harmony with the environment

Improving value

Communication with society

Producing an employeefriendly workplace

Supply chain management

Governance & complianceFurther advancementsin eco-friendly technology
With heightening interest in global environmental issues suchas the SDGs, carbon neutrality, and marine plastic waste, webelieve companies—particularly manufacturers of resin
products such as INOAC—have an inherent responsibility totake action toward environmental conservation.
Our main product at INOAC is polyurethane foam. Since it isfoam material, much of its production is volume-based, and it isa resin that strongly needs to be recycled.
However, while some polyurethane foam waste is reused as

Polyurethane foammaterials and thermally recycled to be used as recycledmaterials and heat sources, some is also discarded without any
efficient use. For that reason, we are working to boost its

Regenerated polyol
Decompositionagent

Decomposition

Impurities

Purification
Regenerated
polyolrecycling rate by developing chemical recycling technologies

Polyurethane Foam Chemical Recycling

to recycle the foam as raw materials.

Illustration of the polyurethane foam chemical recycling process* Image shown is only an illustration

Big obstacle in breaking chemical bonds

material. Doing so, we were able to establish a basic technology
at the laboratory level and verify that the foam could be

Polyurethane is a resin with thermosetting properties, making it

Balancing environmental conservation
with comfortable lifestyles

regenerated as raw materials.

different from thermoplastic resins such as polypropylene andFor regeneration into polyurethane foam, we have verified

Ultimately, we want to expand the scope of or recycling beyond

polyethylene terephthalate in that it can neither remelt northat the same performance as existing products can be achieved

polyurethane foam waste generated in production processes toreshape when heat is applied. It cannot be reused as raw material

even when around 20% of the raw material is replaced withalso include used products as well.

if its chemical bonds are not broken. Since it is difficult to breakrecycled material, so reuse appears viable.

We will continue striving to develop eco-friendly

polyurethane bonds once they are formed, chemical recycling ofThe challenge now is to scale up toward mass production. We

polyurethane resin presents a formidable challenge and has not

are currently implementing this at a pilot plant on the way toadvanced very far in practical application.

scale-up and are selecting the equipment needed for eachThis time, we attempted to lower the technical difficulty andprocess. After installing the equipment we plan to review theestablish a basic technology by targeting in-house polyurethane

reaction conditions and equipment conditions, and test out mass

foam waste with precise material composition.

production.

Establishing chemical recycling technology

efficiency to establish this as an energy-saving, clean chemicaltechnologies that can balance environmental conservation with
comfortable lifestyles.

Developers

We also intend to work on improvements to yield and energy
recycling technology that contributes even more toward
We selected compounds that promote the decomposition ofpolyurethane foam and studied methods to purify the degradedenvironmental conservation.

Photo comparing polyurethane foams
made from normal polyol andregenerated polyol
Left: made from normal polyol, Right: made from regenerated polyol

07

CSR REPORT 2021

Urethane Materials BasicTechnologies
Development Group
Global Technical Division

Tomotaka Hara

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Eco-Friendly Product Development

Company profile

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03

Developing Cross-linked Polyethylene Foam
Recycling Technology
Repeco®

Harmony with the environment

Improving value

Communication with society

Producing an employeefriendly workplace

Supply chain management

Governance & compliance

Efforts to significantly
reduce wasteThis technology recycles cross-linked polyethylene
foam (PE-LITE®) material cutoffs produced by INOAC. It
has established a cyclical system to re-employ material
cutoffs that used to be discarded, to use them as raw
materials. Thanks to this recycling technology, nearly allmaterial cutoffs can now be recycled into the original
product they were produced for, PE-LITE®. We expect
this to significantly reduce waste and improve usage
efficiency.
Global environmental problems have reachedcritical stages in recent years, and carbon neutrality has
emerged as a rallying cry. As an INOAC initiative, we are
now using the material cutoffs recycled through thistechnology as part of the raw materials used when
producing PE-LITE®. This has reduced the usage of newmaterial, ultimately reducing CO2 emissions andcontributing toward carbon neutrality.

Crushed powder
Material cutoffs

CrushingSpec
crushialized
erAdditives

Ex truder

Crosslink cleavage

Recycle to PE-LITE®
Repeco®

recycled material
cutoffs

Crushed powder

Repeco® composite
PE-LITE

Illustration of the PE-LITE® recycling process* Image shown is only an illustration

New products created from material cutoffs

of 0.075g/ml, and it was difficult to subsequently input into theand operating conditions, we created prototypes with dozens of

we aim to create a circular economy contained within a single

machines used for breaking crosslink since it was in a soft anddifferent patterns and found the optimal pattern.

plant for polyethylene foam. We are considering initiatives after

The production characteristics of PE-LITE® products inevitably

fluffy state. To overcome this, we worked together with a crushing

result in large volume of material cutoffs. We have longmachine manufacturer to develop a special new crushing processconceptualized the idea of recycling of these cutoffs for reuse as

which resulted in bulk specific gravity at least three times heavier.

raw materials, but there were just too many challenges toWe were then able to input the crushed foam into the machines

overcome.

for the next process.

In studies on crushing equipment for a different development

The second challenge was breaking cross-link ofprocess, we tried processing PE-LITE® material cutoffs and found apolyethylene. Extruders are used for this, and aspects such as thepossible solution to the high bulk specific gravity which had

specifications, screw structures, barrel structures, and operating

previously been the biggest roadblock to recycling the cutoffs.

conditions of the extruders are extremely important. First for the

From there, we began to study crosslink cleavage processes. After

extruder specifications, we could not simply use extruders madearound one year in development we established the technology,

by any company. The specifications of extruders differ byand recycled cutoff material ® was finally complete.

company. There were differences in crosslink cleavage capability
in the extruders made by each manufacturer. Through theRepeco®: the journey to completion

process of creating prototypes we were able to identify theHaving resolved these and other issues, we were able toestablish the new recycling technology.

08

that an extruder made by one particular company would beThe first challenge was crushing the foam. When simply

advantageous. That brought us to the point of installing the mass

crushing the foam it would be lighter with a bulk specific gravity

production machinery. Next for the screw and barrel structures

CSR REPORT 2021

locations, and ultimately collecting and reusing material cutoffs
generated by clients. In our development work, we are constantly

The final waste reduction

thinking about what would be good not only for INOAC but forsociety as a whole.

We are currently preparing the production lines for ®. FirstDevelopers
Nanno Manufacturing Section& Technology Section
Olefin Department
High Performance Material
Division

Resin Materials Development
GroupGlobal Technical Division

important parameters, from which we were able to determine
There were two main challenges.

that to reduce final waste volume by rolling this out to our other

Yoshihisa Takamori

Naoya Okumura

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Eco-Friendly Product Development

Company profile

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Harmony with the environment

Improving value

Communication with society

Producing an employeefriendly workplace

Supply chain management

Governance & compliance

Usage cycles to reduce
our environmental footprint
Conventionally, carbon fiber reinforced plastic(CFRP) materials are high-performance high-priced
composite materials that combine resins withcarbon fibers made from petroleum and coal. Here,
we reused high-value carbon fibers extracted fromdiscarded CFRP products (regenerated CFs) andcombined them with thermoplastic resin to develop
recycled carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics(CFRTP). Since these high-performance resin materials
Resin pellets

offer the superior lightweight, high-strength
properties of carbon fibers and can be processed

Cooling
Recycled
CFRTP

Regenerated
carbon fiberand molded like normal plastics, they have great

Cutting

Compoundpotential for use in a wide variety of products.

Carbon Fiber Recycling

Illustration of the carbon fiber recycling process* Image shown is only an illustration

Cyclical use of carbon fibers

2. Materials that cost less but have the same characteristic values

Demand for CFRP has skyrocketed in recent years, and it has beenused in airplanes, cars, industrial materials, and a broad range ofproduction.

Third was the evaluation method. Since this was a material

Overcoming many challenges

Applications in various fields

that had not previously existed, we needed to establish analyticalother usage applications in place of metals such as iron and09

methods of supplying the raw materials and set the conditions
inside the extruder which enabled us to attain even dispersion.

through the use of virgin carbon fibers

evaluations for making products from it, as well as quality control

Currently, we are looking into usage applications for which olefin

aluminum. Many CFRPs are made from resins with thermosetting

There were three main challenges involved in development. The

methods. To accomplish this, we analyzed the carbon fiber

resins can be deployed. In the future, we also plan to deploy thisproperties which make them hard to reuse. Most of them are

first challenge was the adhesion of the regenerated CFs. Sincecontent and dispersion morphology in the material, and verified

technology in engineering plastics and offer ways to utilize these

discarded as industrial waste, causing an increasingly heavy

there is no functionality on the surface ofthe form of its thermal degradation during mass materialmaterial properties in many different fields.

impact on the environment. At INOAC we manufacture and sellregenerated

industrial CFRP products (RL-C), so we are grappling with thehigh-temperature treatment, their adhesion tosame waste problems. Carbon fibers are high-priced materials toresin is not robust. To overcome that, westart with, and large amounts of energy are also expended to

introduced compatibilizing agent with organic

manufacture them. Therefore, if carbon fibers could be usedfunctionality and applied surface treatment tocyclically in-house, it could help to reduce CO2 emissions.

the regenerated CFs.

CFs

that

have

undergoneWith that in mind, we began looking into compounds

Second was the compounding process to

combining thermoplastic resins with regenerated CFs obtained

combine regenerated CFs with resin. Since

when thermal treatment is applied to CFRP waste.

regenerated CFs have significant shape

Initial goals:

variations after processing, it was difficult to1. Easy processing and molding of products

attain even dispersion. However, we studied

CSR REPORT 2021

Developers
INOAC Housing &Construction Materials
Co., Ltd.
Development Technology
SectionResin Materials
Development Group
Global Technical
Division

Shinji Yasue

Koji Ikeda

Yoshito Ochiai

Syu ChinFeature Story

Company profile

Feature Story

Harmony with the environment

Improving value

Communication with society

Producing an employeefriendly workplaceSupply chain management

Governance & compliance

CSR Activities Overseas

What is Relay For Life?
It was 1985 in Tacoma, Washington in
the United States. One doctor walkedand ran around a track continuously for
24 hours, raising money for donations
to the American Cancer Society. Thiswas how Relay For Life activities began.
Its aim is to provide support by sharing
the awareness that cancer patients
face their disease 24 hours a day.
Events representing this activity which
generates hope and the will to live bywalking and talking together currently
takes place in about 30 countries
worldwide, in roughly 4,500 locations
and bringing in as much as 30 billion
yen in donations per year.

Specifically, the team is active throughout the year selling

Relay For Life activities have friends and family members who are

Donating to the American Cancer Society
for 18 consecutive years
through Relay For Life activities

homemade candies and snacks and holding events such as silent

battling cancer. We are tremendously proud to have continuously

auctions and raffles (for charity) to raise money. The money they

participated in activities such as these, raised funds, andraise is first used to support local cancer patients and survivors

supported cancer patients and cancer research as a team for 18(costs of doctor’s visits, transportation, wigs, life expenses, etc.)

years running.

INOAC GROUP NORTH AMERICA, LLC. (IGNA)

allocated to support cancer treatment research activities by theHow we joined Relay For Life
We joined Relay For Life and began donating to the American

End suffering from cancer
cancer survivors, those who are serving or have served as

Over the past few years, IGNA is one of the groups that has raisedcaregivers, and cancer victims who have lost their lives.

the most funds from the community. Relay For Life activities had
to slow down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and IGNA had

Local communities generate hope

her mother had breast cancer. She was right by her mother’s side

10

American Cancer Society.

about the involvement and support from local communities forCancer Society as IGNA in 2001.
IGNA HR Manager Renea McCauley was told in June 1999 thatand stays in the community. Funds remaining after that arebeen unable to organize events in the community for the past
two years. However, all groups in the community (Washington

until she recovered, through surgeries, radiation therapy, doctor

After returning to work, she lobbied for IGNA to get involved inCounty) have expressed that they are continuing to raise funds

examinations, and more. The following year, she participated in

the activity, and the first volunteer team was launched at IGNA inand support the American Cancer Society.

Relay For Life for the first time. She was impacted deeply to learn

Springfield in 2001.

CSR REPORT 2021

Many staff members at IGNA in Springfield who participate in

Human Resources
INOAC GROUPNORTH AMERICA, LLC.
(IGNA)

Renea McCauley