Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc.

Corporate profile

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. is a corporation that contributes to creating a better tomorrow for people through evolving material sciences and based on the starting points of the Ajinomoto Group (“the creation of new value” and “a pioneering spirit”).

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

AFT: “Becoming an Innovation Provider”

As a company that offers innovations, we are recognized as a wonderful partner to our customers.

To fulfill the needs of our customers, we have created a flawless system for the stable provision of safe, high quality products. We also provide exemplary support.

In order to fulfill the responsibility that is required of us as a corporation on a global basis, we contribute to the realization of a better society through our business activities and work to maximize the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

We provide solutions underpinned by unique technologies, and are always striving to create value in partnership with our customers. Takao Sakurai President and Representative Director of Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. (AFT)

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. is part of the Ajinomoto Group and serves as the core entity of the Ajinomoto Group’s fine chemicals business.

The Ajinomoto Group’s history started from commercialization of “AJI-NO-MOTO®”, just after Dr. Kikunae Ikeda had discovered the taste of “umami” in 1908. The Ajinomoto Group continuously offered new solutions that had not been available before, and turned the solutions into commercial products. That same DNA of founders runs through our veins here at Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. Starting from applied and production technologies for amino acids, we have continued to supply materials and solutions to meet diverse needs, including insulating materials, adhesives, sealants, flame-retardants, dispersing agents, adsorbents, and resource- and energy-saving solutions.

A company has to able to respond effectively to its customers’ needs. At the same time, it has to fulfill social needs, such as tackling environmental challenges or achieving resource efficiency. This way, a company can improve everyone’s quality of life – today and tomorrow. We believe this is the reason for a company to exist. To live up to this goal, we at AFT have carried on our vigorous research and development efforts. Keeping a close eye on people’s needs also in the future, all our employees act as one in our endeavor for technological innovation. Becoming a true Innovation Provider we are striving for continuous growth.

Today, we are highly acclaimed by our customers in the areas such as electronic materials, functional materials and activated carbon, and have grown to such an extent that we play a key role within the customers’ value chains for electronic, automotive and a wide range of other products.

We are committed to create value in partnership with our customers, and will make best efforts to refine our ability in the area of material sciences through research and development. We strive to provide the highest quality products, services and information, to ensure customers’ peace of mind.

As a company, we aspire to contribute to sustainable society through our business activities, and to help to create better lives for people all over the world, in line with the Ajinomoto Group’s Vision.

We are hoping to be able to count on your understanding and you support also in the future.

Copyright © 2013 by Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Business areas Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Strong trust from our customers will lead us to better product development and more business.

AFT was established in 1998 to represent the core The starting point of Ajinomoto’s activated carbon entity of Ajinomoto’s fine chemicals business. business, was marked by the creation of The Ajinomoto Group itself started their fine products indispensable to Ajinomoto’s various chemicals business by creating products such as amino acid production processes. Today, activated chlorinated paraffins and epoxy resin curing agents carbon is widely used – not only in the from amino acids and their intermediates. production of amino acids, but also for Later on, various resin additives such as flame refining foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and retardants, stabilizers, coupling agents and chemicals as well as in environmental care, for dispersants were created in rapid succession by example for wastewater and waste gas treatment. means of in-house development or the adoption of Recently, the use of activated carbon in new new technologies allowing Ajinomoto to expand its areas such as agricultural soil amelioration has performance chemicals business. made promising progress. We are determined to Moreover, the process of developing these actively expand this business, so that we can performance chemicals helped us nurture our closely respond to the rising environmental competencies in resin composition. Based on these awareness in society. competencies, we were then able to create one- component epoxy resin based adhesives allowing us AFT’s mainstays are: electronic to gain new foothold in the electronic materials materials, performance chemicals and activated business. carbon. In these business areas we are Currently, we have taken our resin composition developing key technologies and key materials technology even further by introducing products such further in ways only Ajinomoto is capable of. This as our layer insulation films for PCBs (ABF) and our enables us to respond to our customers’ needs in a solder resist inks for TAB*. Both are widely used in timely manner providing them with valuable products. electronic devices such as PCs or flat screen TVs. In our endeavor to expand our electronic materials business even further, AFT will continue to commit to the development of high quality products offering our customers unique benefits.

* TAB = Tape Automated Bonding

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Strong trust from our customers will lead us to better product development and more business.

Electronic materials Performance chemicals

We live in an information society. Today, we deem electronic The Ajinomoto Group started its performance chemicals business devices such as PCs, cell phones, flat screen TVs etc. to be with the development of unique materials based on amino acids necessities. In the production of these devices many electronic and their intermediates. Later on, products such as flame materials developed by AFT are used. The progress being made in retardants, stabilizers, coupling agents, dispersants, epoxy resin semiconductor technology is resulting in a drastic curing agents etc. were created by means of in-house development miniaturization and a dramatic increase in precision. In order to or the adoption of new technologies. These products find use in manufacture the highly precise PCBs needed for various industries – for example in the production of electronic mounting these new semiconductors, highly efficient devices, automobiles and construction materials. They are added insulating materials are essential. In this context, the world’s first to resins in order to increase the performance of these resins layer insulation film for PCBs (ABF) is renowned as a rendering them flame-resistant, easier to process, more stable etc. groundbreaking product. It finds use in PCs all over the world The process of developing these performance chemicals has and helps our customers to flexibly keep up with the progress in helped us nurture our competencies in resin composition. These semiconductor technology. competencies have also set the foundation for AFT’s electronic Moreover, our semiconductor mounting materials such as our materials business. solder resist inks for TAB and our one-component epoxy resin based adhesives (PLENSET) are good examples of our unique competencies in resin composition which enjoy high appreciation in various fields of application. Activated carbon

Activated carbon is used in industries such as the chemical and the food industry. It plays a vital role in assuring quality by removing impurities. Activated carbon is also used in order to prevent the discharge of toxic matter into the environment through industrial wastewater or waste gas etc. AFT is offering various types of activated carbon and adsorption resins in order to support our customers in their efforts for a better quality and a cleaner environment.

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Meeting diverse needs will open diverse possibilities.

Electronic materials

< ABF – Ajinomoto Build-up Films > < Solder Resist Inks >

PCs, game consoles, cell phones – the various electronic devices surrounding us All electronics makers are competing heavily in the flat screen TV market. The continue to evolve dramatically driven by the progressing mainstream in video displays is rapidly shifting from cathode-ray tubes to LCD semiconductor technology. PCBs for IC packages play a fundamental role in or plasma based flat panel displays (FPD). AFT has created urethane-based this context. Through the development of epoxy resin curing agents, solder resist inks earlier than any of our competitors. Today, our solder resist adhesives and other products, AFT became able to create the world’s first inks for TAB, which are used for FPD driver ICs, have become a de layer insulation film for PCBs (ABF). Before this product became available, facto industry standard. Our inks are highly appreciated, not only for their liquid insulation materials prevailed. However, they required drying, were hard to bending properties and insulation reliability. spread evenly and did not meet the increasing demands for high precision and Furthermore, facing the latest trends towards chip on film (COF) in mounting miniaturization well enough. ABF is the solution to these problems and highly technology, we are proceeding with the development of solder resist inks for renowned in the industry as a groundbreaking product. Today, ABF finds use in COF, photo solder resist inks and more. These products will allow the extreme PCs throughout the world. miniaturization of PCB tracks. The starting point for the development of ABF was our idea to create a “one and AFT will continue to offer new technologies to the electronics industry, where only” instead of just another “me-too” product. This is the way of business we are progress remains a constant prerequisite with every new device created. striving for in the future: meeting the requirements of our customers and our times in a reliable manner. We take pride in the fact that through ABF we are playing an active role in the development of the semiconductor industry.

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Meeting diverse needs will open diverse possibilities.

Electronic materials

< Adhesives >

Our one-component epoxy resin based adhesives (PLENSET) are curing fast at low temperatures. Such adhesives are only available from AFT and widely used for optical components sensitive to heat, various plastic components, HDD motors, magnetic components etc. In addition to our adhesives technology, AFT has nurtured its competencies in resin composition over many years. Due to this background, we are able to meet the diverse needs of our customers in a flexible manner. We are also offering solvent-free one-component silver pastes curable at 100ºC (212ºF) and below. With our sophisticated key materials in terms of curing agents and resins as a starting point, we are determined to remain pioneers continuously creating new, unique technologies.

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Meeting challenging demands will lead us to higher technological competence.

Performance chemicals

< Flame retardants > AFT’s flame retardants start with EMPARA – Japan’s first chlorinated paraffin based products. By now, we have extended our product range to include phosphate ester based and brominated flame retardants. This was achieved mainly by means of the adoption of new technologies. With fire prevention regulations being enforced in various areas, the needs for flame resistance are growing year by year. In the future, however, more than just flame resistance will be expected, as the call for flame retardants that are extremely reliable without putting a stress on the environment grows louder and louder. AFT will continue to meet our customers’ diversifying needs in the field of flame resistance. < One-component epoxy resin curing agents > Our latent curing agents and curing accelerators for epoxy resins (AJICURE) are easily dispersible with resins, boast fast curing at low temperatures and provide a high storage stability. They are used throughout the world in various areas, for example in combination with adhesive and composite materials for electronic Flammability testing and automotive components. < Coupling agents / Dispersants > Our titanate based coupling agents (PLENACT) work as a connector between inorganic and organic materials. They are used in combination with composite materials, paint, ink etc. and help to increase the performance of these materials. In addition, our polymer dispersants (AJISPER) excel at improving the dispersion properties of organic pigments. They are used in paint and ink to begin with, but also in color filters, ink jet systems, toner etc. proving their effectiveness where supreme pigment dispersion and stability are required. < Stabilizers > Our PLENLIZER ST series stabilizers effectively improve the heat stability of vinyl chloride resins when used in conjunction with zinc-based stabilizers, which are acclaimed for their safety properties. Our HC series Practical use in coloring material (for color filters etc.) stabilizers, on the other hand, can be used to suppress thermal decomposition of substances such as vinyl chloride resins or halogenated flame retardants.

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Meeting challenging demands will lead us to higher technological competence.

Activated carbon

AFT’s activated carbon is used in numerous ways, for instance in refining processes for foodstuffs, brewed liquors, pharmaceuticals and all kinds of fine chemicals. In addition to activated carbon, we also manufacture adsorption resins extremely potent at decolorizing and deodorizing. In our efforts to create new business opportunities for activated carbon, we have furthermore developed activated carbon sheets that are highly effective in the adsorption and elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), poisonous gases, offensive odors etc. in residential environments. In the field of agriculture we have discovered effects of activated carbon that prevent yield decreases due to monoculture. These efforts have helped us to achieve noted success in our business.

use in liquid phase use in gas-phase sheets/mats for specific use new areas of use (agriculture)

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Advanced technologies and a stable supply chain will win confidence and trust.

AFT produces a wide variety of products ranging from raw materials to compounds such as films, inks and adhesives. Developing new products with a sophisticated performance requires advanced technologies, for instance of organic synthesis and blending. AFT offers high quality products our customers can be confident to use. While building up a supply chain that insures stable availability of our products, we are also striving to create new production processes fitting the next generation of high-performance materials.

lab mixer

lab examination small-sized roller mill production equipment

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Taking R & D to the raw material level enables us to find the right answers.

By developing new materials that offer new functionality AFT will always continue to contribute to the benefit of our customers. To make this possible, we are focusing our energies on Research & Development. The fruits of our work are outstanding products, for instance our layer insulation films for PCBs (ABF) and our solder resist inks for TAB that have by now become industry standard. Another example are our one-component epoxy resin based adhesives renowned for their world- AFT class high- speed low-temperature curing properties. The foundation for such products is not only provided by our expertise in developing new materials, where we put our long-nurtured technical competence in organic and polymer chemistry to practical use. Other vital factors are our formulation technology helping us to obtain specific characteristics from a mix of R & D various materials, conjoined with our competence in analyzing and evaluating the potential of a new product as electronic material. In the field of electronics, where component density and functionality ceaselessly increase, today, a higher performance is demanded already on the electronic materials level. In order to obtain microprocessability, heat resistance, moisture resistance and electric properties matching the specific use, we have taken our Research & Development down to the level of the raw materials we use. Furthermore, we closely cooperate with our sales department in our effort to provide substantial service to our customers. This allows us to acquire miscellaneous data concerning the materials needed by our customers and to respond to their technological needs promptly.

regular status meeting

GC-MS thermoanalyzer adhesive strength testing organic compound testing

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Quality assurance is a corporate social responsibility.

Our endeavor to assure quality

We deliver materials for use with electronic components that ceaselessly grow smaller. Therefore, strict quality controls are imperative. AFT has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification. All processes from product design/development over raw material procurement to production and sales are standardized. We are striving to ensure quality and provide a stable supply, so our customers can use our products with confidence.

product testing product analysis

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Protecting the environment is an essential contribution to society.

Our endeavor to protect the environment

Today, companies are facing the challenge to reconcile doing business and preserving the global environment. Especially manufacturers in the chemical industry have to deal with various international regulations on chemical substances. Today, offering safer products has become a social obligation. AFT has achieved ISO 14001:2004 certification and is constantly struggling to reduce the pollution of the environment. Moreover, we are committed to actively solving environmental problems, for example by using activated carbon to absorb toxic substances. By developing eco-friendly products, reducing offensive odors and limiting the consumption of chemical substances we are contributing to a better working environment. AFT employees cleaning in front AFT employees cleaning of the local railway station our neighborhood

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. Head office 1-2 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-0801, Japan TEL: +81-44-221-2370 FAX: +81-44-44-221-2386

Website: http://www.aft-website.com/

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

BU Activated Carbon

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. BU Activated Carbon

24-10 Kansei-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, 230-0034, Japan

Sales Group TEL:+81-45-502-3017 FAX:+81-45-502-5424 General affairs Group TEL:+81-45-502-5421 FAX:+81-45-502-2825 Website: http://www.aft-activated-carbon.com

Gunma Plant

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. MBU Electronic and Performance Materials

2080-4 Morishita, Showa-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma, 379-1204, Japan TEL:+81-278-21-2411 FAX:+81-278-24-7762

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Corporate Name Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc.

Head office 1-2 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-0801, Japan TEL：+81-44-221-2370 FAX：+81-44-221-2386 Established Sep. 1942

Capital ¥ 315,000,000

Executives Chairman of the Board Kiyoshi Miwa President Shin'ichi Kishimoto Member of the Board & Corporate Executive Vice President Koji Takeuchi Member of the Board & Corporate Vice President Department Manager Shinichi Sukegawa Member of the Board & Corporate Vice President Department Manager Kiyomiki Hirai Member of the Board & Corporate Executive Officer Department Manager Eiji Yutaka Takao Director(non-full time service) Sakurai Shoichi Director(non-full time service) Asada Tadahiko Corporate Executive Officer Division Maneger Yokota Mikio Corporate Executive Officer Division Maneger Kayama Corporate Executive Officer Division Maneger Hiroyasu Kotou Corporate Executive Officer Division Maneger Tetsuya Kaneko Statutory Auditor Michio Genma Statutory Auditor(non-full time service) Hisashi Aikawa

Business areas Manufacturing and Sales of Electronic Materials Manufacturing and Sales of Functional Chemicals Manufacturing & Sales of Activated Carbon Employees 256

Main banks Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

History 1942 Nippon Specialty Oil Manufacturing Co., Inc. (NSOM) established as joint investment by Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and Nippon Oil Co.; Capital: ¥ 2.5 mil. 1946 Ajinomoto acquires all of Nippon Oil’s shares; corporate name changed to Sanko Co.; Head office moved from Tokyo to the present location in Kawasaki. 1950 Production of EMPARA commenced using paraffin wax as raw material. 1968 Capital increased to ¥ 100 mil. 1982 Production of PLENLIZER ST series (stabilizers for vinyl chlorinated resins) 1988 commenced. Production of PLENSET (one-component epoxy resin based adhesives) 1996 commenced. 1998 In-house production of EMPARA abandoned and switched to contract manufacturing. Existing business combined with Ajinomoto’s chemical and electronic materials businesses; 1999 Corporate name changed to Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Ltd. Capital increased to ¥ 300 mil.; Merged with Hokuetsu Carbon Industry Co., Ltd.; BU Activated Carbon established; Capital: ¥ 315 2000 mil.; Plant extended to accommodate production of insulating varnishes. Plant extended to accommodate production of solder resist inks for TAB; 2001 Plant extended to accommodate production of AJICURE (one-component curing agents for epoxy 2003 resins). New plant for insulating varnishes and Techno Center established. 2004 Plant for adsorption resins modernized and extended. 2005 New plant for solder resist inks for TAB established; new office building for the BU Activated Carbon 2006 built. In-house production of PLENLIZER ST series abandoned and switched to contract manufacturing. 2007 New plant for insulating varnishes established (building 2008 B). New Gunma plant established. Building No. 2 added to Techno Center.

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Electronic Materials Product name Details

Electronic Materials ABF series layer insulation film for PCBs

Performance Materials

Product name Details

Performance Materials AE-70-M11 solder resist ink for TAB AR-7100 solder resist ink for TAB

PLENSET one-component epoxy resin based adhesive for electronic and automotive parts etc.

Performance Chemicals EMPARA secondary plasticizer, extreme-pressure additive, flame retardant REOFOS phosphate ester based flame retardant, plasticizer, lubricant additive PLENLIZER stabilizer for vinyl chloride resins PLENACT titanate based coupling agent AJISPER polymer dispersant AJICURE latent curing agent and curing accelerator for epoxy resins

For further information concerning these products, please contact the responsible sales group (contact details given on page 19). We are also providing detailed information on our website: http://www.aft-website.com

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Activated Carbon

Product Purpose Powdered Activated Carbon SD / BA series decolorizing/refining pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, chemicals etc.

F series treating tap and waste water

Granular Activated Carbon Y / CL / GS series decolorizing/refining pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, chemicals etc.; treating tap and waste water

Y / H series deodorizing; adsorbing solvents etc.

Adsorption Resins HS / KS / PF series decolorizing/deodorizing/deironing foodstuffs

MA / SB series eliminating mercury and other heavy metals from waste water

plant-specific to be used in decolorization/refining equipment, deodoriziation equipment, waste water treatment equipment

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno

Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Inc. 1-2 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-0801, Japan TEL：+81-44-221-2370 FAX +81-44-221-2386 http://www.aft-website.com

• BU Electronic materials 1-2 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 210-0801, Japan ABF group TEL： +81-44-221-2375 FAX： +81-44-221-2389

• BU Performance Materials TEL： +81-44-221-2372 Performance Materials Group FAX： +81-44-221-2387

TEL： +81-44-221-2372 Performance Chemicals Group FAX： +81-44-221-2387

• BU Activated Carbon 24-10 Kansei-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Sales Group Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, 230-0034, Japan TEL： +81-45-502-3017 FAX： +81-45-502-5424