JSR Corporation ("JSR"; president: Yoshinori Yoshida; head office: Tokyo) and Nihon Micro Coating Co., Ltd. ("Nihon Micro"; president and CEO: Nobuyoshi Watanabe; head office: Tokyo) have entered into a fifty-fifty joint venture to cooperate on lithium ion capacitors. The new company, to be called JM Energy Co., Ltd., will be established on August 1, 2007.
Capacitors are electronic storage devices. Unlike storage batteries that depend on a chemical reaction, capacitors can instantly charge or discharge a large amount of energy. They can be reused repeatedly and offer a long life. Due to these features, capacitors are used in a wide range of industries, including automobiles, electric power supply, solar and wind power generation, industrial mechanics, and office equipment. The market for capacitors is expected to grow to more than 50 billion yen by 2010.
Lithium ion capacitors, the focus of the new joint venture, are expected to dramatically widen the range of applications for electronic storage devices.
This is because they allow more compact designs while still providing large storage capacity. In addition, they offer superior performance, in terms of energy density and rated voltage, compared with conventional electronic double-layer capacitors. Even under severe conditions, they provide inherent safety: a reaction between electrode and electrolyte is extremely unlikely. Finally, lithium ion capacitors enable effective and instant use of large amounts of energy (a function that involves some waste in the case of conventional batteries). For these reasons, they are considered to be highly practical electronic storage devices that balance the needs of both economy and ecology.
Nihon Micro began developing lithium ion capacitors in 2002. The company soon after succeeded in developing a super-micro coating technology and applied this to electrodes for lithium ion capacitors. In February 2006, the firm entered a technological cooperation agreement with Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (president: Ikuo Mori; head office: Tokyo), a lithium ion capacitor patent holder, and has since pursued further technological development in the field.
Under its midrange business plan, "JUMP 2010," JSR is working toward creating new businesses by taking on environmental and energy concerns as second-growth business fields. JSR has already had successful results on electrolyte film for fuel cells and materials for lithium ion batteries. It will further widen its business in these areas, and strengthen its business base, with the addition of the capacitor joint venture. Moreover, synergy effects are expected to result from the streamlining of material development.
Through their joint venture, JSR and Nihon Micro will conduct marketing activities focusing on industries that make effective use of lithium ion capacitors, and will work to establish new businesses as rapidly as possible.
JM Energy Co., Ltd., will initially conduct pre-marketing activities for commercial production by using a pilot plant for lithium ion capacitors owned by Nihon Micro and located in Akishima City, near Tokyo. In summer 2008, the new company will start commercial production at a new plant to be built in Hokuto City, Yamanashi, Japan. Annual production capacity will gradually rise from 0.3 million cells to 2 million cells by 2010.
Overview:
| Joint venture name |
JM Energy Co., Ltd. |
| Establishment |
August 1, 2007 |
| Address |
8566 Nishiide, Oizumi-cho, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi-ken, Japan |
| Line of business |
Development, manufacturing, and distribution of lithium ion capacitors |
| Capital |
300 million yen (50% JSR, 50% Nihon Micro) |
| Number of employees |
50 people at inception of Yamanashi plant |
Timing:
| Agreement made |
July 23, 2007 |
| New company to be established |
August 1, 2007 |
| Head office and Yamanashi plant to be completed |
May 2008 |
| Commercial production to begin at Yamanashi plant |
July 2008 |
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