JSR succeeds through diversification

Every difficulty is just another opportunity to pursue greater possibilities.

With this philosophy and an attitude encapsulated by its corporate mission, "Materials Innovation", petro and fine chemicals expert JSR Corporation has formulated a winning strategy that targets annual revenues of US$6.25 billion - and more.

Coming a long way since it was founded by the Japanese government in 1957 as Japan Synthetic Rubber, JSR has expanded into emulsions, plastics and other related businesses.

It has also tapped into the semiconductor, liquid crystal display (LCD) and optical materials fields, leveraging its proprietary polymer technologies.

"We have become successful through a combination of the right mindset, timely investments and strategic positioning," says JSR president Nobu Koshiba.

When the petrochemical sector matured and slowed down in the mid-1980s, JSR diversified into fine chemicals used in semiconductor circuits for the then emerging digital industry. The company decided to expand overseas at the same time, enabling JSR to improve its position as a global player.

"The challenges we faced pushed us to compete aggressively," Koshiba says. "Our customers motivated us to develop more and better products, and together we pursued the global market."