Toyoda Gosei Co, Ltd, a manufacturer of plastics and rubber automotive components, safety systems, and LEDs invests in Genial Light Co, Ltd., a Japanese startup that develops testing equipment and other devices for medical institutions. Genial Light has worked with medical device manufacturers and applied its optical technologies to develop small inspection devices for international markets.
The investment is in line with Toyoda Gosei’s strategy to achieve sustainable growth amid the challenges faced by the automotive industry. The company develops products in other fields such as for healthcare to meet increasing demands. Some of its recent innovations include the development of deep UV LEDs for bacterial and viral disinfection and e-Rubber, a novel rubber material that can function either as an actuator in response to electrical stimuli or as a sensor in response to mechanical force. Its basic structure is a thin dielectric elastomer film sandwiched between two electrodes.
Toyoda Gosei will integrate Genial Light’s expertise in the medical and healthcare business in accelerating the practical application of products.
Early in the year, Toyoda Gosei’s production subsidiary Toyoda Gosei East Japan Co, Ltd. (TGEJ) announced that it is establishing a new plant in Ohira, Kurokawa-gun, Miyagi. Construction of the plant will begin in April 2021 and production of radiator grilles and other large painted plastic parts will start around the summer of 2022.