Intellectual Property Strategy

Basic Policy

As a research & development-oriented company, Kumiai Chemical Industry places a high priority on research results and the protection of these results as patents and expertise. We also consider intellectual property such as patents, know-how, trademarks (brands), and designs as important intangible assets for our business, and strategically acquire and manage these intellectual properties to maximize our business and ensure sustainable profitability. At the same time, we strive to minimize the risk of intellectual property disputes by respecting the intellectual property rights held by other companies and taking appropriate measures. Through these intellectual property activities, we aim to contribute to the sustainable development of the society.

Intellectual property activities

With regard to the Agricultural Chemicals and Agriculture-related Businesses, which are the core businesses of Kumiai Chemical Industry, we are building and strengthening our intellectual property portfolio by filing strategic patent applications for technologies related to product life cycles, such as manufacturing methods, formulations, and application patents, in addition to compound patents, and are also working to effectively utilize these patents. In addition, we consider the active ingredients and technologies we have developed to be important brands, and in order to cultivate and enhance our brand image, we work with our sales and marketing departments to appropriately manage and operate our trademarks and brands. Furthermore, in our second core, the Fine Chemicals Business, we are promoting intellectual property activities at the most appropriate time in line with business development.

In order to promote the above intellectual property activities, it is important to strengthen the intellectual property infrastructure of the entire company. We have assigned intellectual property managers to our Chemical Research Institute and Life Science Research Institute, which are at the forefront of research & development, not only to support invention discovery but also to improve the intellectual property mindset of our researchers. These efforts have led to intellectual property education from an early stage and have resulted in the strengthening of the intellectual property infrastructure.

Global Intellectual Property Strategy

Kumiai Chemical Industry is developing its business globally to solve food problems faced on a global scale. We believe that support for intellectual property is important for stable and sustainable business operations, and in cooperation with our overseas business divisions, we are actively applying for and acquiring intellectual property rights in North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and other countries.

Kumiai's Active Ingredient Brands

Brand Name	Active Ingredient Brands	Features
AXEEV		a brand of pyroxasulfone that is highly effective against difficult-to-control herbicide resistant weeds. It contributes to food production in every aspect around the world.
Effeeda		a brand of fenquinotrione that combines herbicidal efficacy and safety. It realizes abundant harvests and provides new technology for rice cultivation around the world.
DISARTA		dichlobentiazox, the active ingredient of DISARTA, induces disease resistance in plants. It has a low risk of developing resistant bacteria and contributes to agricultural production for many years.

Kumiai's Technology Brands

Technology Brands	Features
	MAMETSUBU is our leading brand of labor-saving formulations. Its lightweight and excellent self-diffusion properties provide a variety of application methods, including drone spraying, for rice pest and weed control.
	the Eco Series is our leading brand of microbial agrochemicals. This is a group of products that utilize useful microorganisms that exist universally in the natural world and demonstrate excellent safety and low environmental impact.