R&D Activities that Meet Society's Needs

Central Glass's research & development organization assesses the marketplace's needs for energy savings and safety, environmental considerations, and comfort, and engages in R&D to create new products that respond as quickly as possible to these needs.
In the automotive area, some of the products of Central Glass R&D include highly-durable water repellent glass, UV cut glass, and energy-saving glass that offers thermal insulation or heat-shielding properties. We are constantly engaged in research to create products designed to improve vehicle interior comfort. In the area of architectural glass, we have developed high-performance heat shielding/thermal insulating laminated glass, security glass, soundproofing glass, electromagnetic shielding glass, which in recent years have seen a greater demand. Our research is moving forward to respond to a wide range of needs, including glass products such as vanity cabinets and anti-fogging mirrors for bathrooms, all with the goal of improving day-to-day livability.

Central Glass Has Extensive Functional Glass Technology

One of the ways to impart features to typical sheet glass is to apply a special film to the glass surface. In addition to its research into fundamental glass technology, Central Glass has for many years studied and developed optical design technology, technologies associated with film materials, and film coating technology. The 1980s saw the earliest commercialization of vehicles incorporating windshields that had built-in heads-up display features. These windshields used Central Glass technology.
More recently, in response to a growing demand for glass that has the ability to block harmful ultraviolet rays, Central Glass developed and commercialized UV cut glass products in a short time frame. Some customers are looking for glass that also blocks infrared rays, so we next turned to the development of glass that cuts infrared rays. At about the same time frame, we also succeeded in this development.

Keys to Success

Central Glass's Strengths

Our strength lies in our ability to analyze global marketplace demand and combine the various technologies we have cultivated over the years, and to bring products from R&D to the market rapidly. We are now developing new products in a wide range of fields beyond sheet glass by fusing technology derived from glass with technology cultivated in chemical products and other areas, Moreover, we have incorporated development methods such as those based on computational science to move R&D forward in a broad and efficient manner.
We will continue to pursue comfort by utilizing our accumulated technologies with the aim of contributing to the realization of a truly prosperous society.