Future World

How to perceive the future

In this era of global environmental change where there are increase in disasters caused by climate change and a growing trend toward carbon neutrality, innovation through materials plays an important role. Among the materials available for global consumption, it is extremely important to maximize the potential of aluminum, which is light and strong, by combination it with new technologies to co-create new social values.

At the same time, by minimizing aluminum's own environmental impact, it can have a significant effect and contribute to a sustainable society.

Vision

What is the purpose of Co-Creation?

• UACJ, one of the world‘s top aluminum manufacturers, is working to create a variety of new businesses in order to achieve its vision of “Aluminum is our passion. It inspires our work in building a better world and a healthier environment”. The following are the three themes we would like to address this time.

1. [Strengthening the city‘s resilience (flexibility to disasters) through the power of aluminum x digital technology]: We would like to contribute to resilient city planning by linking our “MIZUYOJIN" to the digital twin, reducing the burden of the installation process, and exploring new delivery models that allow users to access flood protection panels when they need them (including linking to AI-based disaster prediction and weather forecasts).
2. [Creating new IoT solutions through the power of aluminum x digital technology]: We would like to explore new ways to create value, such as using aluminum-based open detection technology (notice foil: UACJ's product) to create new logistics value, or to create new monitoring and security value.
3. [Enhancing the sustainability of aluminum manufacturing]: We would like to carry out value co-creation in two directions to advance the advancement of the aluminum sector as a circular economy and recycling system.
   1. Minimize the environmental impact of the aluminum production process. (decarbonization, resource minimization, process optimization, utilization of plant assets, etc.)
   2. Increase the recovery rate of used aluminum and create an efficient recycling system (traceability, sorting, recycling technology, etc.)

Intellectual Capital

What is the potential that can be tapped for the future?

• High level of expertise and customer network: Extensive customer network backed by our knowledge, experience, and technology in aluminum and aluminum processing as a comprehensive aluminum manufacturer
• Assets (manufacturing capital): UACJ offices and plants, and contacts with partners in the aluminum supply chain
• A group of engineers: leading innovation and value creation in the aluminum industry
• Organizational Culture: A culture of challenging cutting-edge manufacturing
• Other assets held on request, to the fullest extent possible

Potential Partner

What kind of partners do you want to co-create with?

• Players who possess technologies/solutions that enable new value co-creation for building resilient cities by combining with UACJ's flood protection panels “MIZUYOJIN". (e.g., Digital twin, digital platform, digital matching, AI, blockchain, weather forecast, traceability, sharing, etc.)
• Players who possess technology/solutions that can be crossed with UACJ's aluminum foil with open detection to co-create new IoT solutions (logistics, home security services, traceability technology, etc.)
• Players with technologies/solutions to enhance the sustainability of aluminum manufacturing in terms of "aluminum production," "recovery of used aluminum," "recycling of used aluminum," etc., which UACJ is working on (renewable energy, energy management, traceability, sorting, resource minimization, process efficiency, recycling technology, DAC, etc.)

Asset

UACJ's customer and stakeholder network

Physical assets such as UACJ's production plants and offices

Long-standing know-how and technical expertise in the production of aluminum

Flood Protection Panel “MIZUYOJIN”

Notice Foil “OSIRASEHAKU”

Benefits

Benefits of passing the document screening

• Finalists: Provision of information and assets in the co-creation
• Winner: Provision of PoC opportunities, development into collaborative activities such as joint development

Co-creator

Takamichi Watanabe

Current Position
R&D Center, Senior Manager

Work Experience
Joined the company in 1997. After working in research and development of tribology and heat exchangers for air conditioning, launched and promoted a project for technology development and new business creation of pharmaceutical packaging that detects the opening of the package in 2019.

Yoshiyuki Oya

Current Position
Manager, R&D Center

Work Experience
Joined the company in 2003. After working on research and development of aluminum surfaces, he has been in charge of research planning, new business creation, and climate change countermeasures at the R&D Center since 2020.

Tomohito Kurosaki

Current Position
R&D Center, Chief

Work Experience
Joined the company in 2010. After working in research and development of aluminum materials, he has been involved in research planning and new business creation since 2019.