Sales Division/Development Division/Financial and Capital Strategies
Sales Division
Sales Division
Director, Managing Executive Officer
General Manager of Sales Headquarters
The Role of Sales: Building Trust and Growing Together
I think the value of sales lies in growing together with customers. To this end, a sincere attitude is even more important than sales skills. Trust is initially born by standing by our customers and becoming a presence they can rely on. Building on this trust, we make proposals that enhance the value of customer products and provide value leading to the resolution of customers issues—this is the role JCU’s sales team must play.
To this end, we must acquire a deep understanding of product functions and features, enabling us to make accurate proposals. Acquiring this knowledge requires considerable effort, but beyond that hurdle lies the rewarding sense of contributing to customer growth, which is the most enjoyable aspect of working in sales.
I feel that experience is the essence of sales. Although it takes time for young employees to accumulate experience, we have created a mechanism for disseminating the knowledge and methods employed by veteran employees through opportunities such as study sessions and the sharing of business negotiation case studies.
JCU’s sales approach aims to provide comprehensive value, encompassing products as well as information and expertise. Through early-stage involvement in future-oriented dialogues regarding customer equipment planning and the introduction of new technologies, we contribute to long-term relationships of trust and customer developments.
With regard to global markets in particular, we must be able to respond flexibly to needs and business practices in China, Taiwan, South Korea, and other regions. Building upon the trust we have established thus far, we aim to further strengthen our global sales structure across the entire JCU Group and deliver consistent value across borders. Going forward, we will continue to refine JCU’s unique sales structure and strengths, aiming to strengthen our structure as a sales organization that can be trusted over the long term.
Proposal Capabilities Born from Product Understanding and Technological Collaborations
The foundation of JCU’s chemicals business lies in core technologies such as acid copper plating for via filling and etching. These represent JCU’s strengths, accumulated over many years, and we consider them important areas that must continue to be strengthened.
In the past, JCU offered such a wide range of products that it could have been called a “department store for surface treatment chemicals.” However, we are currently consolidating products and specializing in key market sectors through selection and concentration. That being said, the technical expertise we have accumulated over the years remains one of JCU’s most valuable assets, supporting the foundation of our product development and frontline response capabilities.
Another key role of sales is to make proposals that maximize the performance of existing products based on the equipment environment and chemical usage conditions on customer production lines. Beyond mere sales activities, we are required to enhance the value and profitability of existing products through ongoing technical support and improvement proposals.
JCU possesses a global sales and technical network built over many years, and when Japanese customers establish manufacturing bases overseas, we respond swiftly by collaborating with our local overseas subsidiaries. These frontline capabilities have enabled us to earn trust in various countries, leading to a reputation that “JCU can be relied upon.”
We aim to accurately understand customer needs and deliver No. 1 products to the market through close collaborations with the Development Division.
JCU’s Unique Strength Lies in Providing Integrated Solutions Combining Equipment Chemicals
The symbol of the “comprehensive value provision” that JCU’s sales team aims for is our unique sales structure, which provides both researchers and local subsidiary staff as an integrated package. Although the equipment business is smaller in scale than the chemical business, we have consistently maintained this stance since our founding, and it has become one of the important pillars underpinning JCU’s uniqueness. The source of JCU’s competitive edge lies in its ability to both supply chemicals and provide the equipment needed to maximize their effectiveness. A key feature of equipment sales is the ability to engage with customers from the initial stages of equipment installation planning. By acquiring information on equipment planning and site deployment early on—information not obtainable through chemical sales—we can prepare to maximize the performance of chemicals. This engagement provides customers with significant peace of mind and offers them an opportunity to more tangibly experience the value provided by JCU.
Furthermore, equipment often involves investments in the hundreds of millions of yen, and negotiations may extend beyond frontline personnel to include management. The relationships of trust built through these dialogues develop into long-term partnerships that go beyond mere business transactions. I feel that the equipment business is a meaningful initiative for expanding our business scope, as well as for deepening relationships between companies.
We are now strengthening collaborations with our R&D Division and fully implementing initiatives aimed at offering integrated solutions combining chemicals and equipment. Similar to chemical sales, we collaborate with research institutes to develop equipment that maximizes the performance of chemicals, with the aim of realizing proposals with even higher added value.
By uniting specialized divisions, namely sales, R&D, and equipment, we will continue to provide optimal and sustainable solutions to customer specifications and challenges. This is precisely the approach JCU’s Sales Division takes regarding the equipment business.
Furthermore, JCU’s strength in offering integrated solutions encompassing both equipment and chemicals is also effective for expanding into new industries and regions that previously were beyond our reach. Going forward, we plan to focus on proactive market development and expanding points of contact with new customers.
A Sales Environment Cultivating Autonomy and Trust
In sales, the ability to make quick decisions on the spot is essential. Especially when problems arise, speed is crucial. Taking appropriate action to avoid causing customer anxiety builds trust. At JCU, we put in place a structure in which frontline staff can exercise judgment and act autonomously, enabling them to respond promptly in any situation.
We also want young employees to gain experience in thinking and making decisions on their own. Of course, things don’t always go smoothly from the start. Experience, including failures, builds a foundation for sales and enables staff to take more precise steps the next time. I believe the accumulation of these experiences leads to confidence and growth.
Through OJT and in-house study sessions, we have a system in place to pass on the knowledge and experience that senior employees have cultivated, but ultimately, we want employees to develop their own sales style. Each individual should be able to speak in their own words and make decisions based on their own judgment. This is the ideal for JCU sales staff.
In sales positions, differences in academic background— whether liberal arts or science—are not an issue. What matters more is whether employees have the drive to continue learning. We provide a robust system for acquiring necessary knowledge after joining the Company and support employees in building solid skills through hands-on experience on the front lines. We value the process of growth where skills are built while learning.
My role as General Manager of the Sales Division is to create an environment where sales representatives can perform at their best. We trust the judgment of those working on the front lines and empower them, providing solid support when needed. While being conscious of maintaining a balanced relationship, we are working to create an organization where sales staff can work with satisfaction and pride. We will continue to make the development of people the cornerstone of our sales organization and further enhance the capabilities of the next generation of sales staff.
Development Division
Development Division
Representative Director, President and COO
Toward an R&D Center that Cultivates the Ability to Think and Act Independently
After being appointed General Manager of the R&D Center in 2019, I leveraged my technical expertise and drew from frontline insights and customer dialogue experiences gained in the Sales Division, and engaged in reforms focused on developing human resources and improving development productivity. In reexamining the role JCU’s research and development should fulfill, I believe that cultivating individuals with the ability to think for themselves is just as essential as technological advancement and differentiation. To generate new ideas, then translate them into practical technologies that can be used on the front lines, it is of paramount importance that each individual researcher possess critical thinking skills and autonomy.
At present, the aim is for our R&D Center to leverage its advanced technological capabilities to maintain JCU’s position at the forefront of the markets in which we operate. This policy was not imposed top-down by myself, but rather developed over a year of discussions by a dozen or so mid-career and junior researchers who brought forward their shared concerns and aspirations for the future. We clarified our ideal positioning and direction based on three elements: Creation which underpins technological innovation; information, which is used to monitor changes in markets and society; and strategies, which target sustainable growth.
Principles thoroughly deliberated using one’s own intellect carry a profound sense of conviction absent in those imposed by others, and they naturally translate into actions. In fact, researchers have already begun taking the initiative, giving rise to a series of proactive proposals and actions. The ability to think independently constitutes one of the greatest values offered by JCU’s R&D activities. We think autonomously and create new value based on a technological foundation cultivated over many years. Maintaining this identity as a research center is both our mission and our strength. We will further enhance these capabilities, focusing on the year 2035, as we steadily advance toward the realization of our long-term vision, JCU VISION 2035.
Technology Strategies Focused on Social Issues and Growth Markets
JCU accurately ascertains changes in markets and society, and promotes medium- to long-term technology strategies. As technological development is a critically important initiative that determines future competitiveness, we formulated an R&D road map with two time horizons, one short-term (three to five years) and the other long-term (10–15 years). We update short-term strategies annually and long-term strategies every three years, ensuring we incorporate the latest technology trends and changes in the business environment to maintain an optimal strategy at all times. Additionally, we prioritize research themes in light of market trends and customer feedback, and have a policy in place that enables us to respond flexibly to sudden needs.
Under these flexible strategies, increasing diversification in substrate designs and shorter product life cycles in recent years have led to demands that better products be delivered to the market faster. Accordingly, accelerating development speed while maintaining quality—in other words, improving R&D productivity—has become more critical than ever. We are committed to developing technologies that can contribute to resolving social issues while identifying opportunities in a variety of fields where surface treatment technologies can be leveraged, including semiconductors, automobiles, and energy.
In the electronics field, in addition to acid copper plating chemicals for via filling and etching chemicals for forming fine-line, we are focusing on the development of the TIPHARES® brand, which supports next-generation semiconductors, including the advanced semiconductor packaging field. At the same time, in the automotive field, in anticipation of stricter environmental regulations, we will contribute to realizing a sustainable society by promoting products that reduce environmental impact, including those free of hexavalent chromium, organic fluorine compounds (PFAS), and nitrogen compounds, while also strengthening the development of products and technologies that reduce CO₂ emissions.
As part of these efforts, the Kumamoto Facility, which is scheduled to begin operations in FY2026, has incorporated environmental features from the design stage, including plans for a fully closed-loop wastewater system. Furthermore, leveraging this facility’s geographical advantage as a semiconductor technopark, we expect it will serve both as a development base as well as a starting point for the local collection of information and global expansion.
In this way, by maintaining a flexible stance that is responsive to societal and market demands while steadily engaging in forward-looking initiatives, JCU will promote the creation of a foundation for sustainable growth focused on a medium- to long-term perspective.
Creating Value Unique to JCU Centered on Basic Research
The basis of JCU’s competitiveness lies in its aggregation of technologies accumulated over many years and the basic research capabilities that support them. University professors have also pointed out that “without a solid foundation, new ideas cannot emerge,” and it is precisely this depth of foundational knowledge that forms the bedrock supporting JCU’s R&D efforts.
For example, although JCU’s acid copper plating chemicals for via filling continue to maintain a high market share, recent advances in analytical technologies have enabled competitors to catch up. As the pace and complexity of developmental competition intensifies, securing advantages through incremental improvements to existing technologies has become increasingly difficult. Accordingly, we are now also making efforts to take on challenges that require major changes in our way of thinking.
The source of JCU’s differentiation extends beyond its technological capabilities to encompass both development capabilities as well as the delivery of comprehensive value, including technical support provided to customers when products are used in the market. This comprehensive approach is JCU’s unique strength.
Additionally, we proactively utilize MI and simulations to enhance the speed and precision of all development phases, from fundamental research and raw materials development to full-scale product development. To date, we have incorporated these technologies into over 20 themes, and will continue striving to maximize results.
At the same time, we are also focusing on strengthening intellectual property strategies, and in FY2024, mid-career and young researchers took the lead in reformulating strategic policies, which commenced full-scale implementation in FY2025. Going forward, we will further strengthen JCU’s technological advantages while also promoting the development and retention of human resources specializing in the intellectual property field.
Building Future Competitive Capabilities Through the Development of Quality Human Resources
To pass on JCU’s R&D capabilities to the next generation, efforts to develop human resources are essential. For example, to enhance the basic skills of researchers, we introduced specialized lectures by university professors three years ago. To use a sports analogy, this is akin to “building basic physical fitness,” with the goal being to establish a theoretical foundation for practical application.
Furthermore, as the utilization of MI and data science is also gaining momentum, we are strengthening our research framework leveraging digital technologies through Companywide training led by external instructors, the recruitment of specialists, and the placement of new employees.
Under this structure, one of JCU’s key features is that its technical services, sales, and R&D divisions work together as one, sharing information to provide customized solutions tailored to each customer’s specific worksite. The “raw information” brought back by the Sales Division is crucial for directly addressing challenges and creating value, and it is also highly valued on the front lines of research and development. Through these initiatives, we are further enhancing the quality of our R&D efforts.
In addition, we are focused on building a global framework, and the skills of our researchers and local subsidiary staff are also steadily improving. Primary care, such as that provided by a family doctor, is handled locally, while a system is being established to provide more advanced technical support from Japan. This division of roles enables us to leverage our respective strengths and further improve customer satisfaction.
I position human resource development as the foundation supporting the future of the R&D Center. Among both local staff and researchers, we aim to cultivate individuals who prioritize quality, think independently, and act responsibly. We will extend this approach beyond the R&D Center to the entire company, thereby enhancing JCU Group competitiveness.
Financial and Capital Strategies
Financial and Capital Strategies
Director, Managing Executive Officer,
General Manager of Corporate Strategy Office
From a Strong Start to the Next Stage of Growth
In FY2024, the first year of JCU VISION 2035 —1st stage—, net sales, operating profit, and profit attributable to owners of parent all reached record highs, making for an extremely positive start. This achievement is the result of diligent efforts by each division in line with Company policies, and represents the culmination of the Company’s comprehensive capabilities.
The China market in particular grew remarkably. The establishment of a stable local supply structure and technical compatibilities enabled us to successfully handle large project orders. Additionally, in the electronics field, the proportion of highly profitable product lines increased, and an improved product mix also contributed to the Company’s overall margin growth. At the same time, in the decorative and functional fields (automotive parts related), we maintained stable earnings despite the continued challenging conditions, while advancing foundational preparations for future market recovery. In these fields, we consider this a crucial period for building strength and fortifying our business foundation.
Overall, we had an extremely successful first year, and as a result, there is a gradual awareness spreading within the Company that we have entered a stage where we must take on increasingly ambitious challenges. Now that we have achieved record profits, we intend to move beyond the status quo and execute forward-looking growth strategies that will contribute to enhancing corporate value.
Capital Allocation (FY2024)
Maintaining a Balance Between Investments Supporting Growth and Financial Soundness
Strategic growth investments are essential for the Group to achieve sustainable growth going forward. As research and development is the source of our competitiveness, it is one of the areas in which we place the highest priority. Our policy is to make effective use of capital and allocate it broadly, both directly and indirectly, to facilities and technologies, including human capital.
At the root of this investment policy is a sense of balance, as we pursue growth while maintaining financial soundness. We make investment decisions with a focus on balancing profitability and growth potential, while closely monitoring equity ratio, cash flow, and other financial indicators. Missing out on growth opportunities could lead to a decline in future competitiveness, which is precisely why a balance between proactive investment and financial soundness is important.
In making actual investment decisions, we allocate capital with a focus on maximizing long-term corporate value, without being constrained by single-year profitability, based on consistency with the JCU VISION 2035 long-term vision and JCU VISION 2035 —1st stage— medium-term management plan. For instance, we will continue to invest in research and development where results may take time to materialize, as well as in human resources who are still being developed, as long as these efforts contribute to future competitiveness.
To achieve sustainable growth, it is essential we make decisions that consider both current profits and future growth. Going forward, we will continue to maintain financial soundness while making strategic investments at the appropriate time, with the aim of further strengthening our foundation for growth.
A Profit Structure Focused on Capital Efficiency and Optimal Capital Allocation
JCU positions the improvement of capital efficiency as a key theme in our efforts to achieve sustainable growth in corporate value, and places particular emphasis on return on equity (ROE). We have set clear numerical targets in our medium-term management plan and are working on continuous ROE improvement.
Improving ROE requires both profit growth as well as equity capital optimization and surplus capital utilization. We are working to strengthen our financial base while promoting capital policies that are conscious of capital efficiency to prevent excessive capital accumulation. We aim to both improve earning power and maintain financial soundness, while delivering high returns on capital to our shareholders and other stakeholders.
In terms of profitability, we place emphasis on high profit margins as well as the actual amount of profit generated. Decisions are based on a comprehensive assessment that takes into account the market size and growth potential of each business segment. The electronics field drives JCU growth, while the decorative and functional fields support stable earnings. In this way, by developing multiple fields with different economic cycles in a balanced manner, we enhance our resilience to changes in the external environment while maintaining management stability. To enhance capital efficiency, it is essential to maintain a balanced portfolio of diverse revenue streams, which requires aligning profit growth strategies with capital policies tailored to the specific characteristics of each business.
We will continue to increase awareness of capital efficiency metrics, including ROE, across the entire Group to achieve sustainable profit growth that enhances corporate value and realizes optimal capital allocation.
Realizing Long-term Growth Through Solid Returns on Investment and Enhanced Communication
With only two years remaining in JCU VISION 2035 —1st stage—, we will now enter a stage in which we can steadily reap the benefits of growth investments. The full-scale operation of the Kumamoto Facility and the construction of a new facility in Thailand are strategically important, and their progress and achievements will directly impact Company performance. Our top priority is to steadily promote these initiatives in an effort to generate profits.
At the same time, we are also strengthening marketing in the semiconductor field. The semiconductor market, including AI, continues to expand, but competition is also intensifying, which requires both technical capabilities as well as the ability to make proposals that anticipate trends and customer needs. This is a critical initiative directly linked to our financial strategy, aimed at establishing our position in the market over the next decade. Given this environment, it is essential for development, sales, and corporate planning to maintain both short-term and medium-to-long-term perspectives while collecting and integrating information from multiple angles. Through crossdepartmental collaborations, JCU flexibly revises strategies by uniting frontline operations and management. I believe that building an organization capable of adapting to change will support future growth.
We are also promoting initiatives aimed at enhancing sustainability, including the development of environmentally friendly products and the realization of zero water discharge operations at the Kumamoto Facility. Despite short-term fluctuations in performance, we aim to be evaluated appropriately based on both financial and non-financial metrics as a company aiming for decades-long growth.
To communicate JCU’s value proposition, close dialogue with investors is essential. Our business is highly specialized and difficult to understand from the outside, so we carefully consider how to disclose information. We will also work to enhance clarity, including the launch of a business overview section on our website, and further enhancements to our communication capabilities. We aim to proactively communicate our business direction and environmental initiatives—aspects that financial statements alone cannot fully convey—to build trust with investors who support us over the medium to long term. Some shareholders are short-term oriented, while others provide long-term support, and we will work with all of them sincerely and do our utmost to maximize corporate value.
