Technology Research Center, Hyogo-Ono
"TREC"

Guided by its Purpose, “Continuing to contribute to the realization of a better living environment through chemical technologies,” the ISK Group is pursuing Vision 2030, its ten-year long-term vision for sustainable growth.
To support the achievement of key initiatives set forth in Vision 2030 Stage II (FY2024–FY2026), we established this facility to strengthen our research and development capabilities and to increase our share of the global market through the stable supply of agrochemicals and the reduction of manufacturing costs.

Through the establishment of the Technology Research Center, Hyogo-Ono,
we will consolidate organizational functions previously dispersed across multiple locations and further strengthen our research and development capabilities for agrochemical production technology.
These efforts will support the achievement of the following objectives in our Organic Chemicals Business.

Cost Reduction
Continuous cost reduction through process optimization of new and existing products
Establishment of highly Efficient and Cost-Effective Processes
Establishment of highly efficient and cost-effective processes through in-house scale-up studies
Talent Development and the Transfer of Manufacturing Expertise
Cultivation of chemical engineers and the passing on of plant engineering capabilities.

Facilities

To support the development of manufacturing processes for agrochemical active ingredients,
TREC comprises two facilities: the Research and Development Building and the Scale-Up Test Plant.
While each facility serves a distinct function, they work closely together,
enabling an integrated research framework from fundamental research to applied development.

Research and Development Building

The Research and Development Building houses laboratories for synthesis and analytical studies at the fundamental research stage,
as well as a kilo-laboratory for verification at ten times the laboratory scale.
In addition to a laboratory area equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that combines convenience and safety, the building also features a flexible workspace that has received the highest S Rank certification under the CASBEE Wellness Office evaluation system, along with two refreshment spaces, one inspired by Japanese design and the other by Western design.

Synthesis Laboratory
The Synthesis Laboratory is designed for fundamental research and provides researchers with ample individual workspace.
The fume hoods are equipped with Variable Air Volume (VAV) control systems that automatically optimize exhaust airflow.
Kilo-Laboratory
The Kilo-Laboratory is equipped with kilo-laboratory scale equipment for the initial stage of scale-up studies, where findings obtained through fundamental research are verified.
Analytical Laboratory
Analytical instruments are connected to the internal server, enabling the digitalization of analytical data.
Office Area
A variety of desks are available to accommodate different work styles according to individual needs and preferences. The area is designed as a flexible workspace.
Refreshment Spaces
Two refreshment spaces, one Japanese-style and the other Western-style, are provided. The open layout encourages communication among researchers.

Scale-Up Test Plant

The Scale-Up Test Plant is equipped with reaction vessels ranging from several hundred to several thousand liters, as well as downstream processing equipment, and serves as a facility for verifying manufacturing technologies suitable for industrial production.
By conducting integrated scale-up studies through three stages, each approximately ten times larger than the previous stage, from the fundamental research phase onward, the facility contributes to the realization of safer and lower-cost manufacturing.

Bench-Scale Equipment
Equipped with reaction vessels ranging from 100 to 500 liters, this facility is used to conduct scale-up verification of manufacturing conditions identified in the Research and Development Building.
Pilot-Scale Equipment
Equipped with reaction vessels ranging from 1,500 to 5,000 liters, this facility demonstrates that manufacturing conditions verified through the bench-scale equipment can be reliably transferred to production at actual plant scale.
Central Control Panel
Detailed data from scale-up verification experiments conducted using the bench-scale and pilot-scale equipment are collected and centralized here. Researchers analyze the accumulated data to evaluate technologies and assess experimental results.