Kaneka

What Kaneka does

Kaneka Corporation is a Japanese diversified chemicals and materials group founded in 1949, headquartered in Osaka and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker 4118.T) with over 10,000 employees. The company operates four primary product platforms: specialty chemicals and materials (vinyl chloride resin, Kane Ace modifiers, Kaneka Telalloy heat-resistant resins, performance polymers, foam products); life science products (Kaneka Ubiquinol reduced coenzyme Q10 with 80+ patents, functional foods such as Watashi no Chikara Q10 Yogurt and SPANION spices); medical devices (i-ED COIL neurovascular embolization coils, bioresorbable coronary stents via acquired JMDT, EndoStream flow-related devices); and Green Planet PHBH, a 100% biomass-derived biodegradable polymer that degrades in seawater, for which Kaneka was the world's first industrial producer.

The company generates revenue through a hybrid B2B and B2C model. Industrial chemicals and medical devices are sold via enterprise field sales to manufacturers and hospitals globally, while consumer products (functional foods, supplements, spices, dairy) are distributed through Kaneka's own e-commerce storefront (shop.kaneka.co.jp), major online marketplaces (Rakuten, Amazon, Yahoo! Shopping), and retail partners (Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, Starbucks Japan, ITO EN, Shiseido). Medical device revenue is being scaled through the EndoStream Medical acquisition (January 2025) and the European launch of i-ED COIL (October 2025) after EC certification under EU Medical Device Regulation, targeting ¥300 billion in medical device sales by 2030. Geographic operations span Japan, Malaysia (manufacturing), Belgium (R&D), the United States (sales), and expansion targets in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Customer segments span industrial manufacturers (chemicals, plastics, electronics, automotive), healthcare providers and medical device distributors, health-conscious consumers, food service and professional bakers, and consumer brands adopting Green Planet for sustainable packaging. The pricing model ranges from per-unit consumer pricing (¥149–¥2,893) and bulk food-service pricing, to subscription and contract pricing for industrial chemicals with announced price revisions to offset input costs. FY2025 consolidated revenue was ¥520 billion, with active portfolio repositioning toward higher-value specialty products, medical devices, and biodegradable polymers.

Name

Kaneka

Legal name

株式会社カネカ

Website

https://kaneka.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Kaneka Corporation is a Japanese diversified chemicals and materials group (TSE: 4118.T) manufacturing specialty polymers, functional foods, medical devices, and the world's first industrially produced marine-biodegradable PHBH polymer (Green Planet), serving industrial manufacturers, healthcare providers, and consumer brands globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Specialty Chemicals and Materials: Sales of functional materials, performance polymers, foam products, vinyl chloride resins, modifiers, and plastic additives to industrial customers. Kaneka is restructuring its portfolio toward higher-value specialty products while maintaining traditional chemicals operations.
2. Life Science Products: Sales of nutritional ingredients including ubiquinol/coenzyme Q10, functional foods (Q10 yogurt, gummies, dairy products), and food ingredients (yeast, dairy, spices, fillings) to consumers and food service businesses.
3. Medical Devices: Sales of medical devices including bioresorbable stents, embolization coils (i-ED COIL), and neurovascular devices. The company aims to achieve 300 billion yen in sales by 2030, partially through medical device expansion.
4. Biodegradable Polymer Green Planet: Sales of PHBH biodegradable polymer resin and finished products (straws, cutlery, packaging) to consumer brands and retailers. The company is ramping up production to commercial levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kaneka Corporation is a diversified Japanese chemicals and materials manufacturer that fundamentally produces specialty chemicals (vinyl chloride resins, modifiers, foam products, performance polymers), biodegradable polymers (Green Planet PHBH), medical devices (neurovascular coils, bioresorbable stents), nutraceutical ingredients (reduced coenzyme Q10/Ubiquinol), and consumer food products (functional yogurt, dairy, spices). The company sells these through direct B2B industrial sales, brand-partner supply, and a proprietary consumer e-commerce platform serving industrial manufacturers, healthcare providers, and health-conscious consumers globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Green Planet: KANEKA Biodegradable Polymer Green Planet - 100% biomass-derived biodegradable polymer (PHBH) for marine environment applications including straws, shopping bags, cutlery, and food packaging.
• Kaneka Ubiquinol
• Watashi no Chikara (My Energy)
• KANEKA OLED
• SPANION
• Pan Suuki no Gyunyu (Milk for Bread)
• Pur Natur Organic
• i-ED COIL

Products and services

• Green Planet (PHBH Biodegradable Polymer) 100% biomass-derived PHBH (polyhydroxyalkanoate) biodegradable polymer resin and finished products including straws, cutlery, shopping bags, and packaging that biodegrade even in seawater. Supplied to consumer brands (Starbucks Japan, Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, JAL, Shimano, Mizuno, Shiseido, ASICS, Tokyu Hotels, Tully's Coffee, ITO EN) for incorporation into their own products and retail distribution. Certified OK Biodegradable Marine (2017) and listed in EU Plastic Implement Measure for all food types (2019).
• Kaneka Ubiquinol (Reduced Coenzyme Q10) Reduced form of Coenzyme Q10 nutraceutical ingredient backed by over 100 clinical studies and 80+ patents across 45 years of research, positioned as an innovation partner for mitochondrial health solutions. Supplied as a raw ingredient to nutraceutical brands including Eqology (joint product Pure Arctic Oil Heart & Energy, Vitafoods Europe Innovation Award 2026).
• i-ED COIL Neurovascular Embolization Device Detachable coil system used for embolization treatment of brain aneurysms, sold directly to hospitals and interventional neuroradiology departments. EC-certified under EU Medical Device Regulation enabling European commercial launch in October 2025; available in Japan since 2019. Part of Kaneka's medical device portfolio targeting 300 billion yen in sales by 2030.
• Kane Ace Impact Modifiers and Processing Aids Impact modifiers (B, M, FM series) and processing aids (PA series) used in polymer modification applications across PVC and other plastic manufacturing, supplied to industrial polymer processors.
• Kaneka Telalloy Heat-Resistant Resins Heat-resistant resins manufactured by Kaneka Corporation, sold as a specialty polymer material for industrial applications requiring thermal performance.
• Low-Temperature Demold BMI Prepreg Aerospace-grade bismaleimide (BMI) prepreg composite material that enables low-temperature demolding after initial cure at 121°C, reducing cost and lead time for composite aerospace tooling while maintaining thermal oxidative stability and microcrack resistance.
• High-Clarity Colorless Polyimide (CPI) Films Advanced colorless polyimide films used for flexible OLED displays and foldable smartphones, currently being commercialized for automotive and electronics applications.
• Watashi no Chikara (わたしのチカラ) Functional Food Series Functional food brand featuring Q10 yogurt, Q10 gummy, and Q10 drink products containing 100mg reduced coenzyme Q10 per serving, marketed for mitochondrial health, energy, skin moisture, and quality of sleep. Sold directly through Kaneka e-commerce, online marketplaces, and retail partners including Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart.
• SPANION Spice Products Premium spice brand operated by subsidiary Kaneka Sansho Spice, offering organic spices, Japanese specialty ingredients (sansho/Japanese pepper), curry blends, and specialty seasonings sold through e-commerce and retail channels.
• Bread-Loving Milk (パン好きの牛乳) Dairy Series Premium dairy product line including milk, cafe latte, and milk tea varieties made with 100% Hokkaido raw milk and processed using Belgium PUR NATUR technology since 2018 partnership, marketed for pairing with bread.
• Pur Natur Organic Dairy Products Organic dairy products sold under the Pur Natur brand, produced through a technology partnership with Belgian company PUR NATUR established in 2018 to provide organic dairy with distinctive flavor while maintaining organic certification.
• KANEKA OLED CRAFTS Interior Lighting Interior OLED lighting products and crafts for interior illumination applications, leveraging Kaneka's OLED materials technology for premium decorative and architectural lighting use cases.
• Women's Healthcare Business (Pregnancy and Childbirth Support) Newly established women's healthcare business line supporting pregnancy and childbirth, including vaginal health probiotic supplement products, extending Kaneka's life science capabilities into women's health.
• Bioresorbable Coronary Stents (via Japan Medical Device Technology) Bioresorbable coronary stents for cardiac interventional treatment, developed and marketed by subsidiary Japan Medical Device Technology Co., Ltd. (acquired November 2023), targeting the approximately 30 billion yen Japanese coronary stent market.
• Vinyl Chloride Resins Industrial vinyl chloride resin (PVC) products sold to plastics manufacturers and chemical processors, with periodic price revisions (e.g., additional 30 JPY/kg from May 21, 2026).
• Liquid Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic Soda) Industrial liquid sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) supplied to chemical processing customers, with announced price revision of 30 JPY/kg from July 1, 2026.
• Processed Oil Products and Yeast Products Processed oil products and yeast products supplied to food manufacturers and bakeries, with announced price revision of 15 JPY/kg from June 15, 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Green Planet certified as OK Biodegradable Marine in 2017
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EqologycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2026Partnership for joint product development combining Kaneka Ubiquinol with Eqology's CodMarine Arctic cod liver oil, resulting in Pure Arctic Oil Heart & Energy. Won Vitafoods Europe Innovation Award 2026 in the Most Innovative Consumer-Ready Nutraceutical Finished Product category.
• Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2025Collaborative research with Institute for Research Initiatives of Nara Institute of Science and Technology to elucidate the crystal structure of full-length PHA synthase, the key enzyme in PHA biosynthesis.
• Giichi Shinozaki (Sansho Farm) and紀陽銀行 (Kiyo Bank)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to support local Japanese pepper (sansho) production in Wakayama Prefecture's Aridagawa Town, including employee volunteering for harvest and processing, and product development under SPANION brand.
• Kameoka City, Kyoto PrefectureminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2021Kameoka Future Creation Environmental Partnership Agreement to contribute to sustainable town planning with Green Planet biodegradable polymer.
• Kashima AntlersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 October 2021Official partnership agreement signed for collaborative promotion of initiatives to realize a sustainable society, including promoting use of Green Planet biodegradable polymer.
• PUR NATUR (Belgium)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Technology partnership established in 2018 for organic dairy products. PUR NATUR provides processing technology for milk with distinctive flavor while maintaining organic certification. Products sold under Pur Natur brand.
• EndoStream MedicalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaneka acquired EndoStream Medical to enhance its neurovascular offerings, expanding product portfolio in the coil transcatheter embolization and occlusion devices market.
• EU Notified BodycoreTechnology or IntegrationObtained EC certification under EU Medical Device Regulation for i-ED COIL product, enabling commercial launch in European markets.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mitsubishi Chemical Group: Largest Japanese diversified chemicals and materials conglomerate, directly comparable to Kaneka across specialty chemicals, polymers, performance materials, and life science segments with similar B2B enterprise sales models.
• Sumitomo Chemical: Japanese diversified chemical company with overlapping portfolios in specialty chemicals, performance polymers, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceutical intermediates, serving similar industrial customers.
• Asahi Kasei: Japanese diversified materials and chemicals group with comparable exposure to performance polymers, specialty resins, medical devices, and life sciences; similar enterprise B2B sales motion and global manufacturing footprint.
• Mitsui Chemicals: Japanese specialty chemicals manufacturer with overlapping offerings in performance polymers, life sciences, and food packaging materials; competes with Kaneka in modified resins and high-performance materials.
• Danimer Scientific: US-based PHA bioplastics producer and the global PHA market leader at 15.8% share, directly competing with Kaneka's Green Planet PHBH in biodegradable polymer applications including foodservice and packaging.
• NatureWorks: Leading PLA bioplastics manufacturer and adjacent competitor in the marine- and soil-biodegradable plastics space, competing with Kaneka's Green Planet PHBH for foodservice and packaging customers seeking bio-based alternatives.
• dsm-firmenich: Global nutrition and health ingredients company with overlapping nutraceutical portfolios; directly comparable to Kaneka Ubiquinol as a science-backed ingredient supplier repositioning toward finished consumer health solutions.
• Ajinomoto: Japanese food ingredients and amino acid manufacturer with comparable consumer foods, dairy, and bakery-adjacent ingredients businesses (including Kaneka's Milk for Bread line and functional Q10 yogurt competing in similar categories).
• Toray Industries: Japanese advanced materials specialist in films, fibers, and performance polymers; directly comparable to Kaneka's high-clarity colorless polyimide (CPI) film and aerospace composite material businesses.

Broad incumbents

• Terumo: Major Japanese medical device incumbent with overlapping interventional and neurovascular device portfolios; competes with Kaneka's i-ED COIL and bioresorbable stent franchises in hospital channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=CZNkcS0blHw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaneka-corp-4118-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kaneka