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Press Release

October 1, 2015 Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.

Reorganization of Materials Research and Development Facilities



Effective October 1, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. (SMM) has undertaken reorganization of the research and development facilities within its Technology Division with the aim of strengthening R&D functions auxiliary to its Materials business. The former Materials Research & Development Center (Ome City, Tokyo) has been superseded by the new Materials Laboratories, and the earlier Ichikawa Research Laboratories (Ichikawa City, Chiba Pref.) have been supplanted by the new Ichikawa Research Center.


Currently SMM is in the final year of its 2012 3-Year Business Plan, and under the Plan two goals have been hoisted for the Materials Division: to pursue closer partnerships with the Technology Division and to bring new materials to market based on market needs. Until now, the Materials Division has worked together with the Technology Division in pursuing business expansion by responding to customer needs for various material products, including battery materials and crystal materials. Concerning business relating to materials having short product lifecycles, today the Materials Division is increasingly called on to swiftly develop and bring to market new materials achievable in partnership with the Technology Division.


Against this backdrop, to facilitate liaison between the Materials Division and the Technology Division SMM has now transferred R&D topics relating to organic resins, previously conducted at the Ichikawa Research Laboratories, to the new Materials Laboratories; similarly, R&D topics relating to next-generation batteries, formerly performed by the Ichikawa facility, have been transferred to the Batteries Research Laboratories. In this way the new Materials Laboratories will serve as the base for all R&D relating to the Materials business. The new Ichikawa Research Center will specialize in basic research in powder materials and evaluation technologies, in a quest to strengthen sowing functions.


In these various ways SMM will pursue stronger partnerships between the Materials Division and Technology Division, to accelerate the pace of its Materials-related research and development.

Reference: Overview of R&D Reorganization Organization in place through September 30, 2015



Technology Division

Planning & Administration Dept. Advanced Technology Information Dept. Intellectual Property Dept.

Computer Aided Engineering and Development Dept

Ichikawa Research Laboratories Niihama Research Laboratories Battery Research Laboratories Materials Research & Development Center



Organization in place from October 1, 2015



Technology Division

Planning & Administration Dept. Advanced Technology Information Dept. Intellectual Property Dept.

Computer Aided Engineering and Development Dept. Niihama Research Laboratories

Battery Research Laboratories Materials Laboratories Ichikawa Research Center



Address inquiries concerning this Press Release to:

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.

Hirokazu Miyauchi, Public Relations & Investor Relations Department TEL: +81-3-3436-7705

FAX: +81-3-3434-2215

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