1930 Formation of the Research Division

1930 Formation of the Research Division

Pursuing R&D in Chemistry, Metals and Electricity Fields

In around the 1920s, Sumitomo Electric Wire & Cable Works began developing a wide variety of new products based on its electric wire and cable manufacturing technology. One of its research efforts culminated in the cemented carbide tools IGETALLOY™, which remains one of our core products. In those days, the Company urgently needed to improve dies as a tool for making copper wire longer and thinner. Knowing that tungsten carbide alloy had been invented in Germany, the company soon launched its research. While incorporating technology from abroad, the company succeeded in development, laying the cornerstone for the subsequent growth of IGETALLOY™.

At the same time, the company also began research on special steel wires. When most of such wires used in Japan were being imported, requiring development and production of excellent domestic products, the company succeeded in trial production of monel metal wire, composed of nickel acetate and copper alloy. Afterwards, although it had been considered impossible to draw a stainless steel block into wire, the company succeeded in doing this after the first case in Germany. Moreover, regarding capacitors, the company hit upon the idea of applying OF-cable technology. This research came to fruition as a successful production of an OF-type capacitor in 1929, followed by the realization of domestic production.

In 1930, the Research Section of the Engineering Division was spun off as an independent Research Division. Accelerating research and development of technologies related to manufacturing electric wire and cable, such as chemistry, metals and electricity, the company invented new products, some of which have led to our current business operations. In 1939, the company was renamed Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. The new name indicated then as now our strong determination to reinforce efforts to achieve future business expansion and prosperity.

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