[Company analysis] Unitika, Ltd. (ユニチカ)

「Unitika, Ltd. (ユニチカ)」is a company whose main business is fiber, and has recently entered the polymer and functional materials businesses. Like「Toyobo Co., Ltd.,」,it was one of the largest textile companies in the world. Now, the business diversification was advanced and they also deal in textiles, glass, plastics and carbon fiber products. The number of consolidated employees is approximately 3,671.

 

1. Company Profile

2. Summary and Features

3. Major Business

4. Financial Information

 

 

 

1. Company Profile

 

※Unit is JPY million, as of 2019

Company name	Unitika, Ltd.
Company name (Japanese)	ユニチカ
Date of establishment	19 June 1889
Headquarters location	〒541-8566 大阪府大阪市中央区久太郎町四丁目1番3号
Capital	100
Consolidated sales	129,098
Consolidated operating profit	8,144
Consolidated total assets	199,093
Consolidated capital	41,352
Capital adequacy ratio	20.8%
Consolidated number of employees	3,671

 

 

 

2. Summary and Features

 
「Amagasaki Boseki(尼崎紡績)」, founded in 1889, is the predecessor of Unitika. Like「Toyobo」, this company also experienced relatively rapid and sucessful growth prior to the end of World War II. However, companies from Asian nations entered the textile industry, so they lost Competitive advantage in price. To recover this, they decided to  expand their business terriotry into various fields based on the textile business.

However, unlike「Toyobo」, which has been involved in the medical field, 「Unitika」has defined itself as a functional materials company. In other words, they have been exploring ways by utilizing their own technology. As a result, This company were able to respond to the three business fields of polymers, functional materials, and fibers, and were able to develop products utilizing our unique technological capabilities, such as "Unibeads".  

In the resin compound field, under the global niche strategy, 「Unitika」are pursuing areas where other companies are unable to respond. Unitika has commercialized a proprietary engineering plastic called "U-Polymer" and is strengthening production and sales through alliances with related companies. Such engineering plastics are expected to be used not only in automobiles but also in energy and aerospace related fields.

In addition, they succeeded in commercializing a nylon film for the first time in the world by utilizing their own unique technology. Unitika's plastic film, named "Emblem", has excellent toughness, flexibility and durability, and secures a global level market share in the food packaging field.

 

 

 

3. Major Business

 

■ Polymer business
Unitika's core business is in the three areas of film, resin and nonwovens.

■ Functional Materials Business
This company manufacture and sell products such as activated carbon fiber, glass fiber, and glass beads that meet the needs of users.

■ Textile business
「Unitika」manufactures and sells clothing and industrial materials, and utilizes its overseas production bases to develop its business globally.

 

 

 

4. Financial information

 

※Unit is JPY million

		2016	2017	2018
Consolidated sales		126,219	128,388	129,098
Consolidated operating profit		12,538	11,658	8,144
Consolidated total assets		211,872	203,326	199,093
Consolidated net assets		45,264	40,729	41,352
Breakdown of sales	Polymer business	55,057	58,516	61,963
	Functional Materials Business	12,089	12,536	12,739
	Textile business	55,535	53,612	52,862
	Others	3,536	3,723	1,532