Sumitomo Rubber, NEC in tie-up to boost R&D, explore new business opportunities

Kobe, Japan – Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has signed a strategic partnership with NEC Corp. to build “a globally competitive” R&D base and create new business opportunities, as part of its long-term management strategy “RISE 2035”.

Unveiled earlier this year, RISE 2035 is a 10-year roadmap which will see the group intensifying its focus on tire 'premiumisation' and expanding non-tire business.

Under the agreement, announced 14 July, the partners will work to “fundamentally transform the traditional framework of R&D in the manufacturing industry, solving social issues and creating new core businesses.”

The collaboration has two main goals: building a competitive R&D platform and exploring new business opportunities by combining the companies’ technologies and expertise.

Sumitomo Rubber and NEC plan to agree specific themes and an execution plan by autumn, aiming to deliver early results and pilot projects by 2026.

The R&D effort will involve NEC’s ‘advanced technology consulting services’ to support “high-level technology use and digital transformation,” while integrating SRI’s manufacturing know-how.

The partners said they aim to speed up materials research, improve analysis, and address labour shortages to create an R&D platform with global competitiveness.

The initiative, SRI said, will be a “game-changer” for the work of R&D personnel and will seek to establish a system to create innovations.

The companies also plan to apply SRI’s advanced rubber technologies in NEC’s business areas, while NEC will contribute its AI technology to support SRI’s new business ventures.

In addition, the partners aim to establish a new IP business model that utilises the IP of both companies.

As part of this, they plan to use advanced ICT, including materials informatics, to drive digital transformation to “rapidly create intellectual property.”