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What kind of progress have you seen in the development produce and market aluminium alloy sheet featuring the world’s top level
of rolled aluminium products in the last few years? of hemmability. As for extruded products for automotive use, we’ve
Against the background of the trend towards reducing vehicle weight, the developed the 7000 series, which displays excellent balance in extrusion
drastically growing demand for aluminium sheets for the body panels of performance, strength, weldability and corrosion resistance. Used for
mass-produced cars. Following customer requests from all over the world, bumpers, it greatly contributes to body weight reduction.
especially North America, where demand is expanding, UACJ has been
consolidating its production system to provide high-quality aluminium How have electric vehicles affected the development
alloy sheet. of aluminium rolled products?
Electric vehicles feature a compact motor, but they also have to carry large
Could you tell us about the R&D Division? and heavy lithiumion batteries. That demands a drastic change in the
It consists of a group of about 300 expert researchers, the largest number vehicle’s body structure. To match that demand, attention has turned to
in the world in the rolled aluminium industry. They carry out the the use of aluminium extruded materials, and the development of the
development of aluminium alloys and processing technology, analysis appropriate utilization technology is underway.
technology (simulations), and joining technology, as well as the
technological development of surface treatments and production processes. What are the future plans of the
UACJ Automotive Materials Research Dept.?
What kind of research is conducted Well, there’s a recent trend towards the use of multi-materials, which
for the automobile industry? PHDQV ¿QGLQJ WKH ULJKW PDWHULDO IRU WKH ULJKW DSSOLFDWLRQ DQG WKH SUHVHQFH
In the hope of helping to make vehicles lighter in order to reduce CO 2 of aluminium is growing day by day. Of course, we only have a short
emissions, we’ve been conducting R&D on various automotive materials history as UACJ, and our company name hasn’t fully penetrated yet, but
from every angle in our pursuit of materials with greater strength and we’re eagerly moving ahead with the desire to develop and supply the
excellent formability. The development of processing technology and CAE optimum materials for automotive parts together with our customers,
analysis are, of course, essential for that. Right now, our hottest research based on our world-leading R&D system and our extensive global
theme is joining technologies, such as how to join dissimilar materials and production and supply system. We will be very happy to hear your requests
materials with different thicknesses. and ideas. Please contact us at UACJ.

What kind of R&D results have you had
for automotive materials? Akio Niikura, Ph. D.
Regarding aluminium alloy sheet for automotive materials, we were one General Manager
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UACJ R&D Division
the 6000 series aluminium alloy sheet for body panels, and we now UACJ Corporation

COMPANY OVERVIEW - UACJ Corporation

The largest manufacturer of aluminium rolled products in
Japan. The UACJ Research and Development Division consists
of a group of about 300 expert researchers, the largest
number in the world in the rolled aluminium industry. UACJ

is actively involved in the R&D of aluminium materials as well

as the technological development required for promoting
their utilization. And UACJ has an extensive global network
system to supply products worldwide.
Core members of the Automotive Materials Research Dept.

CORPORATE NAME UACJ Corporation
HEADQUARTERS Tokyo Sankei Bldg., 1-7-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
Manufacture and sales of rolling products, extrusions, casting products, forged
PRINCIPAL BUSINESS products and precision-machined products of nonferrous metals, including
aluminium and copper and alloys thereof

CAPITAL 52,277 million yen (approx 467 million U.S. dollars) The UACJ Research and Development Division
Location: Nagoya, Aichi Pref., Japan