This press release is a joint announcement by Dai Nippon Printing and SCIVAX. It may be distributed more than once,
and we appreciate your understanding in advance.
April 3, 2023
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
SCIVAX Corporation
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “DNP”) and SCIVAX Corporation (SCIVAX) have entered into a capital and business alliance related to a contract manufacturing (foundry) business for the mass production of nanoimprint products, and on April 3, 2023 established a joint venture, “Nanoimprint Solutions Co., Ltd.,” which will be responsible for production management for this business.
DNP will become a shareholder of SCIVAX by receiving a partial transfer of SCIVAX shares, and the two companies will combine DNP’s mass-production expertise with SCIVAX’s strengths, including mass-production manufacturing equipment and process know-how, to meet domestic and overseas manufacturers’ needs for mass production of nanoimprint products.
Background of the capital and business alliance
In recent years, companies in Japan and overseas have been advancing the application and evaluation of nanoimprint technology as an ultra-fine processing and mass-production technology capable of handling “1 nanometer = one-millionth of a millimeter,” and the market for nanoimprint products is also expected to expand. As a representative example of optical element processing, Time of Flight (ToF) ranging technology for 3D sensors has evolved dramatically in recent years, and lens elements that convert laser light emitted from tiny semiconductor laser elements called VCSELs into various light distribution angles and point patterns are beginning to be mass-produced using imprint technology. In addition, for XR (Extended Reality) devices (such as smart glasses) that create new experiential value by fusing real and virtual spaces in VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), and MR (mixed reality), imprint technology is being used as one of the most promising mass-production technologies for AR device light-guide plate fabrication, and development and mass production are progressing. As a representative example of non-optical element processing, adoption is also progressing for biodevice elements for next-generation DNA sequencers used in drug discovery and medical diagnostics.
As the adoption of nanoimprint technology for mass production accelerates across a wide range of fields, the two companies have entered into this business alliance in order to supply large volumes of nanoimprint products stably, with an eye toward future market expansion.
About the business alliance
Both companies have worked for many years on the development of nanoimprint-related technologies and have cultivated their own unique strengths. Under this alliance, the companies will combine DNP’s strengths—advanced manufacturing technology for nanoimprint masters (master molds) and know-how in mass production and quality control—with SCIVAX’s strengths—mass-production manufacturing equipment capable of high-precision nanoimprinting, equipment design technology, and process know-how—and will further integrate their value chains.
This will establish a framework in Japan that can respond quickly to mass-production outsourcing needs from major manufacturers in Japan and overseas, and will also help address global supply chain risks.
In addition, products received by each company will be manufactured at DNP and SCIVAX plants under the production management of NanoSol.
Satoru Tanaka, President and Representative Director of SCIVAX, commented on this business alliance as follows.
“Until now, the two companies have independently developed nanoimprint technology and expanded their businesses, but this capital and business alliance will enable us to promote the business as one integrated team beyond the boundaries of our respective organizations, and we expect significant synergy effects that have not been possible before. In the advanced device field, where speed is essential, we will maximize the strengths of both companies and build a new structure that can respond quickly and accurately to customer needs.”
- Overview of the new company
| Company name | Nanoimprint Solutions Co., Ltd. |
| Location | 1-1-1 Ichigaya-Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo |
| Capital | ¥10,000,000 |
| Business activities | Production management for mass production in the nanoimprint foundry business |
| Equity ratio | DNP 50%, SCIVAX 50% |
Future outlook
Through the newly established NanoSol, the two companies will meet mass-production needs for nanoimprint products across a wide range of applications, including mobile-related products such as 3D sensors and displays for smartphones and XR devices, and biodevice-related products such as next-generation DNA sequencers that read DNA base sequences at high speed. Together, the two companies aim to achieve annual sales of approximately ¥10 billion by 2026.
・Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. Location: Tokyo President and Representative Director: Yoshinari Kitajima
・SCIVAX Corporation Location: Kanagawa Prefecture President and Representative Director: Satoru Tanaka
*The information contained in this press release is current as of the date of announcement and may be changed without notice. Thank you for your understanding.
