NICCA Chemical Co., Ltd. is contributing proactively engaging textile mills and brands in Bangladesh to reduce environmental footprint and to drive sustainable excellence to compete in the global market. NICCA Chemical Co., Ltd. hosted a technical seminar for processing heads of textile factories and apparel millers that handle the textile processing supply chain in Bangladesh.
Yasumasa Emori, CEO, NICCA Chemical Co., Ltd. was the keynote speaker in the seminar who introduced the latest information and innovative technologies on processing agents that shorten the scouring and dyeing process, and wastewater management provided by NICCA.
In a post-seminar discussion with Textile Today, he shared the vision and future plan for NICCA to expand more business in Bangladesh and stay a longtime partner.
Textile Today: Please give a short introduction about NICCA.
Yasumasa Emori: NICCA Chemical Industry & Co., Ltd. was established in 1941 and it has 12 facilities in eight countries with more than 78 years of technical experience. NICCA Chemical Co., Ltd. is a leading global manufacturer in developing sustainable, high performing processing and effects chemicals. NICCA is covering a number one market share in Japan.
It has a wide range of textile processing chemicals that can provide the best output for dyeing combining all the steps from scouring to finishing. NICCA sales portfolio 322 M USD(52%) in textile chemicals; cosmetics 127 M USD(28%), Specialty Chemicals 19% and other 1%, total 456 million USD on 2018 and have a vision of 500 million sales target on 2019.
Textile Today: How NICCA Chemical Co., Ltd. is going to contribute to Bangladesh-Japan relationship and build a win-win business partnership?
Yasumasa Emori: The mutual understanding and cordial relations between the people of Bangladesh and Japan have a historical backdrop. Japan was one of the earliest countries to officially recognize Bangladesh during its liberation war in 1971. Like JICA or JETRO many Japanese organizations are promoting mutual trade and investment in Bangladesh.
NICCA believes this friendship ground can be an immense opportunity to introduce sustainable chemical in the textile dyeing process and to make efforts to connect the Bangladesh mills and Japanese brands.
As Bangladesh has 85% revenue from Textiles, NICCA is working on contributing to Textile Universities to bring more talents in Bangladesh Textile industry to make this sector more sustainable.
Textile Today: At present how many factories are using chemical from NICCA and how much from your production?
Yasumasa Emori: Many of the renowned dyeing factories in Bangladesh are using chemicals for scouring, bleaching, dyeing, and finishing from NICCA and they are the biggest beneficiary in terms of quality and sustainability.
We have the vision to explore deepen market in Bangladesh. As polyester orders are now growing in Bangladesh, we fancy our chances of business in more factories because we are the best solution provider in polyester processing.
Textile Today: How does NICCA proceed R&D work and what is the latest developments?
Yasumasa Emori: NICCA promotes innovation and continues to provide valuable new products and solutions with its strong R&D team. We are developing new products based on our core technologies of surface science.
The latest developments are in time-saving, energy-saving, water-saving chemicals along with full ETP solution. In the future, we will further promote “Open Innovation”, and will continue to provide valuable new solutions with customers by “Fusion of Knowledge”.
Recently we have established “NICCA INNOVATION CENTER” in Fukui, Japan where its headquarter is located, and by now we have had more than 8,700 guests from all over the world and they appreciate our Open Innovation system.
Textile Today: We see Nano dye process or herbal dye chemical is used for sustainable dyeing so what is you offering for sustainable dyeing process?
Yasumasa Emori: We have comprehensive chemical solution of preparation (scouring, bleaching, relaxing), dyeing (dyeing, soaping, fixing), and finishing (functioning) for all material such as polyester, nylon, and cotton.
We do not have dyes in our range as of now but we do have all the chemicals which can help nano dye process or herbal dyeing.
Textile Today: Bangladesh yet to get enough efficiency in the textile dye for synthetic fiber, in this regard how can NICCA help to provide training or by other services to enhance the skill.
Yasumasa Emori: The expertise in process of Synthetic dye is not available in the world even once China had to go for a long struggle to have expertise on Synthetic dyeing. Polyester or Nylon are the most used materials in the textile field for sports and activewear.
Since the Fukui area in Japan where our headquarter is located has been the center of synthetic fabric processing, we have the core of technology in synthetic dying.
So, if Bangladesh is ready to diversify its product from basic to high-end category NICCA can help to share its 78 years of experience. We are providing our products and techniques to support our customer and enable them to maintain enhanced potentiality in the Synthetic dyeing.
Textile Today: ETP is a major part of the textile dye process to purify water, in this regards how your chemical is cost-effective to ETP?
Yasumasa Emori: NICCA chemicals that are used in the process for ETP water, provides an opportunity to save more by utilizing less water. So the consumption of water purification in less in an amount that helps to reduce ETP cost.
Also, we have special ETP chemical that can reduce COD, remove color from wastewater, and help to remove carcinogenic gas of phosphorous and nitrogen and this provides a great contribution to the environment.
Textile Today: How does NICCA consider the environment and how is it ensuring sustainability?
Yasumasa Emori: Creating a sustainable textile value chain is one of the top priorities in the textile industry. As one of the global leaders, we are addressing industry challenges with sustainable products and solutions meeting economic and ecological needs.
NICCA is committed and well-positioned to help the industry address these challenges. We have been a system partner of bluesign® and a contributor to ZDHC as the first Japanese Textile chemical supplier, also have some bunch of products with GOTS certification.
NICCA aims to be a trusted company which enriches people’s lives through industrial activities based on Surface Science and Life Science. We make eco-friendly products and work to prevent environmental pollution. At the same time, we have developed a process flow with a minimal environmental load.
We promote energy saving of resources as well as for carbon dioxide reduction our technical process reduces factory waste with 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) and zero-emission (process, or other energy sources, that emits no waste products that pollute the environment). NICCA works with an environment where the community and employees can feel relieved.
Textile Today: What is the new product NICCA provides that can reduce cost and save the environment?
Yasumasa Emori: We have an intensive focus on eco-friendly products development such as Fluorine-free durable water repellent, DMF-free polyurethane resin and water-smart processing chemicals. Our new innovation H2 O2 bleaching mechanism and SUNMORL BH-50 effect can reduce cost and can contribute to the environment. NEOSEED APPLICATION has a big potentiality for Polyester, Nylon, Cotton and their blends.
Textile Today: What is NICCA’s future plan?
Yasumasa Emori: As a dynamic company NICCA recognizes its success by implementing initiatives aimed at extending our networks while continuing to optimize new product and opportunities. We have a vision for a long-term business plan from 2017 to 2025.
We have divided this plan into three phases. Phase 1 is a new mid-term business plan from 2017 to 2019. This phase is for reforming – strengthening our business foundations for future with a sales target 50 billion JPY in 2019, which is already achieved in 2018. Phase 2, business plan for 2020 to 2022, is for growing – fundamental business stably and establish a new business.
And the final phase is for exploration- new business will become core business and profits are maximized for 2023-2025 with a sales target 80 billion JPY in 2025.
