TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shiseido will establish a new research facility, the “Global
Innovation Center*”, which is an urban type open lab for research where
innovative technologies and new value are created through the
integration of a variety of expertise and diverse people.
On
March 26, 2015, the city of Yokohama granted Shiseido permission to
acquire land for the new research center in the Yokohama Minato Mirai 21
District. The new research center is scheduled to start operating by the
end of 2018.
*tentative name
Expanding investment in R&D that realizes
innovation
In last December, the company announced the
mid-to-long term “VISION 2020” under which, by the year 2020, Shiseido
aims to become a company that responds to the expectations of active
consumers. Under VISION 2020, the company will simultaneously pursue
sales growth and cost optimization through various management reforms
including increased investment primarily in marketing and R&D. Directed
at strengthening the brands that will drive growth, with highly capable
personnel and organizations, the company will strive to link and
integrate innovative product development based on cutting-edge basic
technologies with marketing that continues up through the “customer.”
In terms of R&D, we will promote the following important actions.
- Establish and expand a more regionally-oriented research framework for the purpose of strengthening product development and marketing capabilities by country and region at the research centers that currently exist in Japan, China, Southeast Asia (Thailand), Europe (France) and the United States;
- Increase the number of researchers worldwide from 1,000 at present to 1,500 by 2020;
- Strengthen the basic and generic research and research in new fields that form the foundation of innovative product development;
- Establish the new research center “Global Innovation Center*”
- Increase the ratio of R&D expenses to net sales to 2.5% in 2020 from the current 1.8%
*tentative name
The Global Innovation Center*
We have
placed a great deal of emphasis on location for the Global Innovation
Center*. The reason for this lies in the fact that the Center will
become the forum through which we aim to materialize an open research
form where innovation is created in an environment that buzzes with
activity, enabling customers, marketers, and researchers to mingle on a
daily basis.
To ensure that the study of cosmetics and other beauty
businesses moves forward, we must go beyond scientific approaches. We
must also realize how indispensable it is to take on a more emotional
approach that values a human connection when dealing with ordinary
people and the market. It is important that researchers stay in touch
with our sensitivity by never falling unaware of the changes in the
times or the city, directly feeling the dynamism of ordinary people and
the changes in people's lifestyles. In light of these approaches, we
decided to open the doors of these research facilities, for the pursuit
of beauty, right in the center of this busy city, where ordinary people
come and go.
The decision we came to when deliberating over the
location was that the Yokohama Minatomirai Area could be the only ideal
location for the Global Innovation Center*, as it is an open area with
"the sea," "the port" and "open skies" that is always leading the trends
of the times and stands to serve as a crossroads of cultures, people and
information from around the world come together.
Moving forward, we
aim to strengthen product development structures based on local needs.
In terms of world markets, given that Japanese quality serves as a
strong competitive advantage, we will continue to set the basis for
basic and generic research in Japan, where Shiseido was born, to support
future growth. With diverse human resources coming together and wisdom
from around the world convening at the Global Innovation Center*, we
will be able to accelerate the creation of innovation.
The three concepts in order to make it a new location and form for research that creates new value are as follows.
1. Urban open lab
Creating value through direct
exchanges with active consumers
2. Integration of various expertise
Creation of new
value through encounters with cutting-edge research facilities and other
industries such as logistics
3. Global innovation hub
Broadcast value through the
centralization of customer information from around the world and
technical information as well as its global utilization
[Location]
2-52 and ten additional parcels of land (56-2 block in
Minato Mirai 21), Takashima 1-chome, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi
[Site
area]
7,023m2 (Commercial zone: floor area ratio of 800%
and building coverage ratio of 80%)
[Overview of the building]
14
floors above ground and 2 floors below ground (steel framed, seismic
isolation and control structure, total floor space of 57,000 m2,
building height of 69.4m)
[Total construction cost]
30–40
billion JPY (estimate)/6.55billion JPY of which constitutes the cost to
acquire the land
*tentative name
One of the largest cosmetics research
facilities in the world
The first floor will be a
communication area that adds bustle to the streetscape based on the key
phrase of “Meet, learn, and experience.” The streets around the facility
will have an impressive streetscape surrounded by greenery and window
displays with a Shiseido feel, and a beautiful view will be created in
compliance with the Basic Agreement on Town Development under Minato
Mirai 21 and other ordinances. In addition, through the use of renewable
energy, conservation of energy use, and other environmental measures,
the company aims to obtain the highest rank of S under CASBEE Yokohama
(the Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency of
Yokohama City).
Furthermore, a semi-public space will be secured
for responding to emergencies and for accepting people who are unable to
return home following a disaster, and emergency supplies will be stored
not only for employees, but also for people who are unable to return
home.
