The SMM Group's R&D organization comprises of Technology Div. that is the company-wide R&D division and the R&D sections (engineering departments, development centers, etc.) in each business division that are in charge of the divisional issues. Technology Div. has four departments and three laboratories, and the departments each support the activities of the laboratories in order to facilitate more efficient R&D activities for new products and technologies. Also it is engaged in R&D activities in association with the divisional R&D sections so as to reduce the production time from development to commercialization.
Focus is aimed on basic study of electronics materials, advanced materials, the environment, and energy. In addition, the Analysis Technology Research Center is located on the premises in order to carry out multilateral analytical evaluation with a variety of high-level analytical evaluation equipment, thereby developing effective new materials and speedily meeting the needs of customers.
Focus is aimed on improving our core smelting and refining technologies to further develop the potential abilities of non-ferrous metals. Specifically, new processes have been under development based on smelting technologies and metal materials, such as battery materials and impalpable powder materials.
Battery Research Laboratories was established on October 1, 2010, to accelerate the expansion of the business in the cathode active materials for secondary batteries that have high potentials for growth in the "Materials business" area, that is positioned as the SMM's core business together with "Mineral Resources" & "Smelting & Refining".
It is engaged in the R&D of the fundamental technologies for battery materials by making efforts toward the commercialization of new cathode active for nickel-based or tri-elementary lithium-ion batteries, the fundamental research based on a long-term vision for next generation battery materials, and the establishment of the technology used for assessing batteries, as well as R&D for improving and enhancing the leading products in order to gain higher market shares from existing customers.
