Intellectual Property
- Basic Policy
- Intellectual Property Strategy
- Intellectual Property Activities
- Invention Incentive System
- Intellectual Property Education
- Statistics
Basic Policy
Toyobo Group aims to be "a corporate group that continues to create solutions required by humans and Earth by making use of materials and science." To achieve this goal, Toyobo innovates based on the following four core technologies to contribute toward the resolving of social issues: polymer technology, biomedical technology, environmental technology, and analysis & computer simulation technology. Furthermore, Toyobo actively establishes patents and other intellectual property rights for its accomplishments and exercises them to stabilize its solution business and realize high profitability, contributing to sustainable growth at Toyobo.
Intellectual Property Strategy
Toyobo carries out intellectual property activities in a manner consistent with its business strategy and R&D strategy. It has achieved superiority for its products by building a high-quality patent portfolio that chiefly consists of dominant patents, while also including subservient patents. Toyobo actively applies for foreign patents in accordance with its business plan as well. While respecting the intellectual property rights of others, Toyobo takes appropriate measures if its intellectual property rights are infringed. It also effectively utilizes trademark rights and industrial design rights in accordance with the type of business in question.
Intellectual Property Activities
Intellectual property activities are reported to and deliberated twice a year by the Sustainability Committee, at Toyobo and while such activities are being promoted, they are checked for compliance with the company-wide policy.
The Intellectual Property Department performs intellectual property activities in cooperation with Toyobo's business and R&D departments. An intellectual property liaison person is assigned to each department to improve the effectiveness of intellectual property activities. Toyobo holds patent consideration meetings and patent reviews tied to design reviews to enhance its patents and respect other companies' patents.
Toyobo also utilizes intellectual property information actively. Toyobo analyzes patent and other information to learn about technological and market trends and promote activities to leverage this information for business and R&D strategy.
Toyobo also directs its efforts toward improving the efficiency and sophistication of tasks by utilizing digital technologies. Toyobo has been a pioneer in introducing a workflow system and has started going paperless. In addition, Toyobo is improving task efficiency by utilizing robotic process automation.
Invention Incentive System
We have established an invention incentive system to encourage employees to create inventions. When an employee files a patent application, the Company pays an incentive to the inventor as an equivalent benefit for the employee's invention. Furthermore, when a patented invention is implemented, the inventor receives an incentive payment. In 2024, the Company revised its invention incentive system, changing it from one that rewards patents that contribute more than a set amount to the Company's profits to one that allows employees to receive a flat incentive payment for working patented inventions, regardless of the amount of profit they generate. In addition, more emphasis has been placed on the incentive paid at the time of filing a patent application. This revision is expected to increase the incentive for developing future inventions.
Intellectual Property Education
Toyobo conducts systematic intellectual property education that suits each employee's job group and function. For engineers, Toyobo holds practical patent seminars that enable them to learn about patents during a three-year period after they join Toyobo. Furthermore, Toyobo conducts specialized education on patent searches and creating patent application specifications. The education provides practical lectures that give not only classroom training but also hands-on training. In addition to engineers, Toyobo also gives sales personnel education on what they need to know about intellectual property.
Statistics
- Note 1:
- Number of patents applied, number of patents held
The numbers include the number of patents applied and the number of patents held by the former Toyobo Film Solutions Limited,
which was integrated with us through an absorption-type merger on April 1, 2021.
Does not include patent applications and registered patents that were generally succeeded to by TOYOBO MC Corporation following a corporate split (effective date: April 1, 2023).
Ranked first in Overall Patent Strength Ranking of Polymer Film-related Technologies
Our Company has achieved the top position in the total power ranking of patents for polymer film/sheet-related technologies, announced by Patent Result Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Takashi Shirayama, hereinafter 'Patent Result') on May 7, 2024*.
This ranking focuses on polymer film-related technologies, and is based on Patent Result's evaluation of patent scores (scores for the degree of attention given to individual patents) in four major countries and regions: Japan, the US, Europe, and China.