Sekisui S-lec

What Sekisui S-lec does

Sekisui S-lec is a world-leading manufacturer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer films for laminated glass, operating as a strategic business unit of the publicly listed Japanese conglomerate SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. (TSE: 4204). Founded in 1958 with the launch of its first S-LEC film, the company has over 60 years of specialty polymer experience and serves two primary verticals: automotive OEMs/glass manufacturers (windshields, side windows, panoramic roofs, head-up displays) and architectural firms (curtain walls, facades, partitions, skylights).

The company's core product is the S-LEC PVB Interlayer Film, a 0.76 mm standard safety/security film that blocks over 99% of UV-A. This base platform is extended through proprietary technologies — multi-layer coextrusion (enabling Sound Acoustic Film), fine particle dispersion (enabling Solar Control and Colour Films), and wedge-angle control (enabling HUD Wedge Shaped Film) — into a portfolio of functional modules: Sound Acoustic (including SV Grade for vibration-induced noise), Solar Control, Premium UV Blocking UA01, Wide Gradient, Colour, Wedge Shaped, and the S-LEC Opt Light switchable glass platform. Sub-brands include Cielora for architectural white-gradient applications. Four global R&D centers (Japan, China, Netherlands, USA) and wholly-owned manufacturing in six countries (Japan, China, Thailand, Netherlands, USA, Mexico) support the business.

Revenue is generated through B2B enterprise sales of PVB interlayer films in bulk to automotive OEMs and laminated glass manufacturers, with technical consultation and customization provided during the design-in phase. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per project. Geographic reach spans Asia Pacific, EMEA, and the Americas via wholly-owned subsidiaries and regional sales offices. The business is positioned to benefit from secular automotive trends — EV thermal management, panoramic roofs, AR-HUD adoption, and cabin quietness — as well as demand for functional, energy-efficient, and decorative architectural glazing.

Name

Sekisui S-lec

Legal name

SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.

Website

https://s-lecfilm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Sekisui S-lec is a world-leading Japanese manufacturer of PVB interlayer films for laminated glass, serving automotive OEMs and architectural firms globally. It supplies functional films — sound acoustic, solar control, UV blocking, HUD-compatible wedge, gradient, colour, and switchable glass — from production sites across Japan, China, Thailand, Netherlands, USA and Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Films for Laminated Glass

NAICS

Laminated Plastics Plate, Sheet (except Packaging), and Shape Manufacturing (326130)

SIC

Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)

akta.pro primary industry

Laminated Safety & Security Glass (PVB/SGP) (IMADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-layer Coextrusion & Barrier Structures (EVOH/PA Barrier, Tie-Layer Systems) (IMANACAJ), Low‑E, Solar Control & Energy-Efficient Coated Glass (IMADAHAF)

Keywords

• PVB interlayer films
• Laminated glass manufacturing
• Automotive glass solutions
• Architectural safety glass
• Sound acoustic film

Headquarters

HQ city

Toranomon

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. PVB Interlayer Film Sales: B2B manufacturing and sales of PVB interlayer films for laminated glass to automotive OEMs and glass manufacturers. Films are sold in bulk to manufacturers who incorporate them into laminated glass products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sekisui S-lec manufactures and sells S-LEC™ PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer films used between glass plies to produce laminated safety and security glass. The portfolio includes functional variants that add solar control, sound acoustic damping, UV blocking (over 99.9% UV-A), color and gradient aesthetics, HUD-compatible wedge shaping, and switchable-glass compatibility for both automotive and architectural applications. Films are supplied in bulk to laminated glass producers and automotive OEMs as a direct B2B material input.

Product overview

Sekisui S-lec (SEKISUI S-LEC) is a world-leading manufacturer of PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer films for laminated glass under the S-LEC™ brand. The core product is S-LEC™ PVB Interlayer Film, a film that provides fundamental safety (shatterproof), security (anti-break-in), and UV blocking (99%+ UV-A) functions. This core film serves as the foundation for a comprehensive portfolio of specialized add-on modules and technologies: S-LEC™ Colour Film (colored/design films), S-LEC™ Sound Acoustic Film (including SV Grade for enhanced damping), S-LEC™ Solar Control Film (infrared blocking), S-LEC™ Premium UV Blocking Film UA01 (advanced UV-A protection), S-LEC™ Wedge Shaped Film (for head-up displays), and S-LEC™ Wide Gradient Film (for panoramic gradient designs). The company also offers Cielora™ as a specialized white gradient sub-brand for architectural applications, and S-LEC™ Opt Light as a technology platform for switchable/dimming glass solutions. All products serve the automotive and architectural glass industries with solutions for safety, comfort, design, and performance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cielora: White gradient PVB interlayer film for laminated glass that creates transitions from opaque white to transparent glass, offering privacy and aesthetics for architectural applications.
• S-LEC
• S-LEC Opt Light
• S-LEC Wide Gradient Film
• S-LEC Sound Acoustic Film
• S-LEC Solar Control Film
• S-LEC Wedge Shaped Film
• S-LEC Premium UV Blocking Film UA01

Products and services

• S-LEC™ PVB Interlayer Film Core PVB interlayer film for laminated glass providing shatter-resistance, anti-break-in security, and over 99% UV-A blocking; the foundational product across the S-LEC™ portfolio.
• S-LEC™ Colour Film Coloured PVB interlayer film with various colors and visible light transmittance (TVis) options for automotive and architectural glass design applications.
• S-LEC™ Sound Acoustic Film Sound-insulating PVB interlayer film using multi-layer coextrusion with a sound-dampening core PVB layer between outer PVB layers to reduce exterior noise transmission in laminated glass.
• S-LEC™ Sound Acoustic Film SV (SV Grade) Enhanced sound acoustic film grade providing superior cabin quietness by addressing pseudo-noise not captured by standard Sound Transmission Loss testing.
• S-LEC™ Solar Control Film PVB interlayer film blocking infrared rays (1300-2500nm) and UV while maintaining visible light transmission, reducing heat load and interior temperature for thermal comfort and energy efficiency in vehicles and buildings.
• S-LEC™ Premium UV Blocking Film UA01 Premium UV-blocking PVB interlayer reducing UV-A transmission to under 0.1%, protecting skin and interior materials in architectural and automotive laminated glass applications.
• S-LEC™ Wedge Shaped Film Wedge-shaped PVB interlayer film that controls light refraction for clear head-up display (HUD) projection on windshields, with customizable wedge angles for AR-HUD and dual-plane HUD configurations.
• S-LEC™ Wide Gradient Film Wide gradient PVB interlayer with continuous visible light transmittance transition from low-transmittance gray at the roof area to transparent at driver/passenger line of sight, enabling seamless panoramic glass designs and privacy.
• Cielora™ White gradient PVB interlayer for architectural laminated glass providing a natural 80cm transition from opaque white (privacy glass) to fully transparent glass, with safety, security, UV blocking and decorative design for facades and partitions.
• S-LEC™ Opt Light Interlayer solution platform for switchable/dimming glass technologies including PDLC, SPD, and EC, providing UV protection, thin 0.38mm PVB films, color matching, and low-temperature processing for automotive switchable glass.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% savings on air conditioning energy consumption in electric vehicles
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eastman Chemical Company: Eastman is the global market leader in PVB interlayer films through its Saflex product line, directly competing with Sekisui S-lec in automotive and architectural laminated glass. Both supply acoustic, solar-control, and HUD-capable interlayers to overlapping OEM and glass-fabricator customers, making Eastman S-lec's primary global competitor.
• Kuraray Co., Ltd. Kuraray produces Trosifol and Mowital PVB interlayer films and is one of the top global PVB suppliers. It competes head-to-head with S-lec in automotive safety glass and architectural acoustic/solar-control applications, serving the same OEM and laminated-glass fabricator base.
• EVERLAM: EVERLAM is a focused PVB interlayer manufacturer serving architectural and specialty automotive markets from European production. It directly competes with S-lec's architectural offering and acoustic/solar-control film portfolio, particularly in EMEA.
• Chang Chun Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Chang Chun is a major Asian PVB resin and interlayer film producer with significant share in the Asia-Pacific laminated-glass supply chain. It competes with S-lec in both automotive OEM programmes and architectural glass applications across Greater China and Southeast Asia.

Emerging players

• Huakai Plastic (Hubei Huakai Plastic Industry): Huakai is a Chinese PVB interlayer manufacturer that has been gaining share in domestic and regional automotive and architectural markets. It overlaps with S-lec on standard and functional PVB films, particularly in cost-sensitive Asian OEM programmes, representing a rising competitive threat.
• Kolon Industries: Kolon Industries produces PVB film (and other specialty films) and has been expanding in the laminated-glass interlayer market, primarily in Asia. It overlaps with S-lec on standard and functional PVB products and represents a regional competitive threat in Korea and broader APAC.

Broad incumbents

• AGC Inc. (Asahi Glass Company): AGC is one of the world's largest flat-glass manufacturers, supplying automotive OEM glass and architectural glazing, and has interlayer capabilities of its own. AGC is both a major customer of S-lec PVB films and a vertical competitor in integrated glass/interlayer solutions.
• Saint-Gobain S.A. Saint-Gobain is a global building materials leader producing flat and laminated glass for both automotive (Sekurit) and architectural markets. It overlaps with S-lec's downstream value chain as a large buyer of interlayer films and as a competitor in functional/architectural glass systems.
• Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. (NSG Group): NSG is a major global flat-glass manufacturer with significant automotive and architectural exposure (Pilkington brand). It is a significant customer for PVB interlayer films and a competitor in advanced glazing systems, particularly in Japan, Europe, and the Americas.

Others

• 3M Company: 3M is a diversified materials and adhesives manufacturer with adjacencies to functional films and laminating technologies. While not a direct PVB interlayer competitor, it is an adjacent materials peer whose specialty films and acoustic/optical technologies could intersect with S-lec's functional-film roadmap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sekisui-slec-global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Sekisui S-lec