Sustainability
Intellectual Property Management
The NGK Group positions intellectual property as an important management resource.
Through our intellectual property strategy, we are aiming to expand business and increase profitability. We work to maximize the utilization of retained intellectual property while also promoting intellectual property activities that contribute to our management strategy. We also strive to link intellectual property to creating new businesses and enhancing the competitiveness of existing business.
What We Aim for in 2030
The NGK Group positions intellectual property (IP) as an important management resource. Thus far, we have supported business through IP activities focused on securing global patent rights. Recent years have seen ever greater importance placed on investing in and utilizing intangible assets. In addition to conventional activities focused on patent prosecution, we must also invest in intellectual property that is aligned with our management strategy. Through these activities, we must create new businesses, strengthen the competitiveness of existing businesses, and achieve the NGK Group Vision. To this end, we have set forth what we aim for in 2030, clarified our intellectual property activity goals, and are advancing initiatives.
- Three-pronged promotion of business strategy, development strategy, and IP strategy
- Implement IP activities that will lead to management and business success.
What We Aim for
Intellectual Property Promotion Framework
Our business divisions, development divisions, and the IP Strategy Department come together to hold IP activity meetings twice a year as part of our efforts to maximize our corporate value through the strategic use of intellectual property. This allows us to consider and share strategies concerning the creation, protection, and utilization of intellectual property, while strengthening coordination between each department. Once a year, the Board of Directors also receives reports on the status of IP activities throughout the entire company. This report ensures that the progress and results of IP activities are shared among the Board of Directors, and allows them to work toward appropriate supervision and improvements.
Company-wide IP Activity Promotion Framework
Four Key Issues Towards Achieving What We Aim for in 2030
The NGK Group has analyzed the external environment in 2030 and the current conditions within the company, and come up with a vision of what it will look like for us to achieve what we aim for in 2030. In FY2023, we have identified four key issues for closing the gap between the current state of things and that vision. We have created a roadmap for these four issues that starts in FY2024 and continues for the next three years. Using this roadmap, we aim to steadily advance activities to achieve what we aim for in 2030.
Four Key Issues Towards Achieving What We Aim for in 2030
| Key issue | FY2024 measures addressing issue |
|---|---|
| 1) Foster an IP mindset throughout the entire company | Held the NGK Intellectual Property Forum |
| 2) Strengthen IP activities framework | Held IP activity meetings |
| 3) Improve IP skills | Revised IP education program |
| 4) Strengthen functions of IP Strategy Department | Actively employed external research and analytic consultants |
Holding the NGK Intellectual Property Forum
In FY2024, we held our first NGK Intellectual Property Forum with the aim of promoting an understanding of the importance of IP activities among NGK Group employees. Around 200 employees from a variety of positions attended, including engineers, salespeople, and office staff. The event included lectures by visiting lecturers, case studies in each business area of IP activities, trademark protection, and more, as well as exhibits on topics related to the intellectual property that surrounds us, designs and trademarks, and examples of the activities of the IP Strategy Department. We also held demos and seminars on the latest tools employing generative AI to easily investigate and analyze patents. Participants and intellectual property staff all engaged in vigorous discussions.
Holding IP Activity Meetings
The IP Strategy Department coordinates with business divisions and development divisions to hold IP activity meetings on each existing business and important development theme twice a year at the beginning and middle of the term. In these meetings, related personnel from multiple departments meet for interdisciplinary discussion on the IP strategies we should pursue based on analysis of the market and competitive situation, and to formulate an implementation plan. They formulate an IP activity policy linked to each business and development strategy, and follow up on the progress of activities every six months. For example, they use the IP landscape to visualize technological trends and competitive patents. And they engage in decision-making concerning R&D and alliances, with an eye to obtaining technologies we lack and licensing our own patents. In FY2024, we held IP activity meetings about more than 30 technological fields.
To promote effective IP activities, we have also enhanced our awards system for recognizing excellent inventions, and we encourage the creation of intellectual property.
Number of Patents Held
Accelerating R&D for Achieving NGK Group Vision
In FY2024, the combined ratio of NGK Group patent applications in the fields of carbon neutrality (CN) and digital society (DS) reached 80% for the first time. Going forward, we will accelerate research and development into the fields of CN and DS, and aim to achieve the NGK Group Vision.
Ratio of Patents Filed in Fields of CN and DS
[IP Landscape Example]
Search for New Applications for NGK’s Retained Technology
The figure below is a visualization of the distribution of all NGK Group patent applications. Red colored regions indicate that numerous applications have been filed. Utilizing this data allows us to engage in strategic IP activities by recognizing strengths and weaknesses in our own patents and those of our competitors.
