Mitsubishi Chemical Group has entered the final year of a three-year transformation drive, marking what management calls a decisive moment for the company’s future.
The management team committed that, “over the three-year period beginning April 2024, we would rigorously execute the ‘Three disciplined approaches in business operations’ and demonstrate clear trajectory.” This year marks the third and final year of that plan.
Over the past year, the company pushed through major system and process reforms, rolling out “Mone-G,” which integrates global ERP systems, and completing “Mone-M,” the integration of mission-critical systems across the three companies that formed the current MCC. Management praised employees “especially those on the front lines who supported the go-live,” as well as teams that responded to issues through intensive hypercare.
The transformation has come at a cost. Over the past one year and nine months, Mitsubishi Chemical carried out business transfers, market withdrawals, and site closures, alongside the Next-stage Support Program (NSP). Leadership said the actions were driven by the belief that Mitsubishi Chemical “cannot survive unless it changes now,” and expressed gratitude to employees who left the company to pursue new opportunities.
For remaining employees, management emphasized accountability and performance, urging them to ensure safe, stable operations, maintain quality, and actively contribute through higher productivity and enhanced product value.
At the same time, the company is doubling down on future growth. Investments have been approved in anode materials, OPL FILM, synthetic quartz powder, semiconductor precision cleaning, and high-performance engineering plastics, aimed at building a sustainable earnings base.
New and expanded production is set to come online this year, including polyester film in Germany, emulsifier capacity in Fukuoka, anode materials in Kagawa, expanded precision cleaning at Shinryo in Fukushima and Iwate, and the full-scale ramp-up of CPC operations in Italy. Management called on teams to “effectively capture market needs” and make the year one of decisive progress.
Symbolically, the company linked the year to the zodiac sign “Hinoeuma,” or the Fire Horse, described as an auspicious sign that appears once every sixty years and represents challenge, passion, growth, and forward momentum—qualities leadership says reflect the company’s current position.
Mitsubishi Chemical is continuing its shift toward becoming a “Green Specialty Company” under its long-term strategy, “KAITEKI Vision 35.” Employees are expected to take ownership, work across organizational and national boundaries, and uphold “Our Way”—Integrity, Respect, Bravery, and Collaboration.
Safety and compliance remain non-negotiable priorities. Management warned against the “four bad habits”—making assumptions, stopping critical thinking, wishful thinking, and a lack of imagination—and reinforced the “four MAMORU” principles: protecting human life, human rights, the environment, and respecting rules.
Framing the company as a long-term legacy, leadership urged employees to treat their responsibilities “with the seriousness and care of running a family business,” ensuring the company is passed on to the next generation.
