Air Liquide Japan completed its new R&D facility “Tokyo Innovation Campus” in YRP (Yokosuka Research Park) of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, and about 170 persons including guests attended the inauguration ceremony held on March 28.

Air Liquide has already had its innovation campus in Paris, Delaware (USA), Shanghai (China) and Frankfurt (Germany), which aims to respond to customer’s requirements by its innovative creation for the issues which the modern society is now facing such as “Energy Conversion/Environment,” “Innovation in Medical Field” or “Digitalization.”

The Innovation Campus in Tokyo focuses on developing advanced materials especially for the manufacture of “next generation of semiconductors, flexible display, energy storage and distribution. It will also accelerate the development of solutions to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon footprint, and develop new energies, such as hydrogen energy and bio-methane.

The new facility has an area of 8,000 square meter with a four-storied building equipped with 8 laboratories and 6 pilot platforms where 200 researchers and specialists will be working. The investment amounted to JPY6.3 billion or so.

It is also one of the features that the facility develops a new business model through the development of applications and businesses and works out an innovative solution of issue in collaboration with various people concerned including customers, partners, universities and research institutions, so that the company can offer a test technology simulating customer’s production processes.

Together with the other four innovation campuses of the world, the campus opened this time has completed the establishment of Air Liquide’s global network as to innovation. Thus a total of 4,000 employees will be engaged in the activities to create new markets and values jointly with business partners.

In the opening ceremony held from 11 o’clock President Yahara said, “We have arranged a research team to tackle the social issues as well as the development of application platform related to gases in order to help Japanese customers solve their issues. In the future we intend to accelerate an open innovation in the fields of hydrogen energy, healthcare and electronics with industrial gas as its basis.”

It was followed by the speech of Chairman Potier of Air Liquide Group which is described below;
“Air Liquide has been supporting the success of our Japanese customers for over 110 years since 1907 which was the fifth year after the establishment of Air Liquide. We constructed the first air separation plant at Sakurajima, Osaka for the shipbuilding industry, which made the prime mover for the innovation technologies. Ever since there have been various new developments of technology and we have responded to changes in demand with our partners. This innovation campus is part of our worldwide network, and the inauguration this time has enhanced our global capabilities.”

Yoshikazu Seki vice minister of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said in his congratulatory address that he welcomes the choice of Japan and here Yokosuka as the place for the new research facility, and that a great expectation is placed to the innovation campus for the realization of a hydrogen society by the government and the private sector hand in hand.

Katsuaki Kamiji mayor of Yokosuka City said, “Historically Yokosuka City has had a long relationship Air Liquide relating to the shipbuilding industry, and also is exchanging bilateral economic relations with France. We sincerely express our gratitude for Air Liquide’s contribution to further deepening of the relationship through the advancement to YRP which is an integrated area of research institutions.”

Laurent Pic ambassador of France to Japan also expressed his congratulations saying, “Innovation is an important keyword for both Japan and France. I feel happy about that a new ecosystem will make a progress further.”