Fluorine, which is at the heart of research and development activities at our Chemicals Division, is an extremely unusual element that surely represents the opposite of the familiar phrase "neither harm nor help."

As its position in the period table indicates, the fluorine atom is the most electronegative of all the elements and also is surprisingly small ; it is also highly reactive creating a range of chemical compounds that are interesting and useful. It is no simple matter to use Fluorine in a manner that is safe and effective, but when skillfully applied, it is possible to create compounds and materials that are remarkable for their enhanced capacity and performance.Indeed, many pharmaceuticals utilize the special characteristics of fluorine to protect our health and fluorine is also indispensable to manufacturers of the latest high-performance materials and high-capacity semiconductor materials.

Central Glass has developed know-how and technologies for fluorine chemistry and achieved a number of breakthroughs through research and development and commercial production of numerous fluorine compounds including Sevoflurane an inhaled anesthetic, widely used throughout the world.
At present, research and development at the Chemical Division of the Central Glass Group comprises optically-active ingredient for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals and their intermediates that employ asymmetric reaction, our proprietary organic and inorganic semiconductor materials, energy and environmental materials where we have seen remarkable growth in recent years, fertilizers that ensure food safety, and bio-materials. In the majority of these areas, we are taking full advantage of the fluorine chemistry technology that the Company has already developed.
We have successfully applied the results of our R&D efforts to large scale manufacturing, building plants at both the Ube and Kawasaki to produce a series of new products that respond to the needs of the times.

A special feature of our R&D efforts is the teamwork and co-operation between the various research groups. The Central Glass Group will continue to engage in research and development to develop better products that meet the developing trends of the future. It is this synergy and innovation by individual researchers, coupled with our extensive experience that will bring new solutions to our customer's needs.

In addition to two chemical research facilities in Japan, the Central Glass Group also has research and development facilities at SynQuest Laboratories, Inc. in the United States, at Apollo Scientific Limited in the United Kingdom and at Central Glass Germany GmbH in Germany. We have built a network to provide comprehensive services to customers worldwide, from the initial research and development stage right through to industrial manufacturing.
Our R&D efforts are further enhanced by participating in national projects and engaging in collaborative research with universities and corporations in Japan and overseas. In 2007, we launched new collaborative research when we set up a facility at IBM in the United States.