Innovative Operations and Management

Investments in Innovation and R&D

unit: NTD $

Item 2019 2020 2021
Operating revenues 10,966,471,000 10,172,220,000 16,034,251,000
R&D Funds 177,916,049 116,819,025 160,687,540
Number of employees 474 468 465
Number of R&D staff 54 56 56
Proportion of R&D staff in all employees 11.4% 12.0% 12.0%

Innovative Operations and Management

Each year we invest a huge fund in R&D and actively recruit and cultivate professional talents. The R&D investments in 2020 and 2021 were NT$117 million and NT$160 million respectively. In 2020, although the trial mass production of some projects started, and the relevant fees were included in the operating cost, the annual investments in product and technology R&D was still NT$117 million. In 2021 the High-Value R&D Center in Kaohsiung started operations to provide services including process and product optimization, material quality and property improvement, added value and production efficiency enhancement, and energy consumption reduction. The R&D investment was thus increased to NT$160 million, NT$43.87 million more than that of 2020.

Benefits of Product Innovation

R&D is one of our core strategies for sustainable development. Each year we invest over NT$100 million in R&D and actively recruit outstanding talents from home and abroad to the R&D team in order to optimize processes and maintain sustainable product development. Additionally, we have also implemented the "green design" concept to constantly innovate and optimize products and make upstream and downstream deployment to create sustainable value for enterprises in collaboration with suppliers.

In 2021, we developed the industry-leading high-flow injection HDPE product-LH5590 for energy conservation

Following the introduction of two high-flow injection HDPE products in 2019: LH5544 (MI: 44g/10min) and LH5564 (MI: 64g/10min), in 2021, we successfully developed the high-flow injection HDPE product LH5590 (MI: 90g/10min) ahead of the industry. It is the HDPE product with the highest melt index (MI) in the market so far. Its high flow property can significantly shorten the processing time, increase productivity, reduce process energy consumption, and thereby lower environmental impact and reduce production costs for customers. We realize sustainable operations and share win-win with customers. Alongside other properties including good processability, stiffness, and so on, the LH5590 is very suitable for thin wall injection molding, powder coating, and masterbatch.

Three new ViviOn™ CBC products for 2021: 8210XT, 0510HT, and 0510T plastic-reduced products

★ Packaging ViviOn™ 8210XT

The ViviOn™ 8210XT has passed the materials safety certification of many countries. Due to its high PE/PP compatibility, the ViviOn™ 8210XT can be directly mixed with dry PE/PP pellets to enhance the stiffness and rigidity of packaging films to favor lightweight and thin films for plastic reduction. As it is lightweight, it reduce fuel consumption in transportation to bring positive effect to the environment. Additionally, the ViviOn™ 8210XT can reduce film tearing strength for linear easy tear to facilitate consumer use. Developed market applications include: easy tear film, heat shrinkable film, medical device package, food package. Please visit ViviOn™ (CBC) - Cyclic Block Copolymers (CBCs)
https://www.usife.com.tw/zh-tw/dirProduct/frmProduct7

★ Ultrahigh impact-resistant ViviOn™ 0510HT

In 2021 we developed the ultrahigh impact-resistant ViviOn™ 0510HT, with 2-3 times higher impact resistance than the CBC floatable glasses introduced in 2019 to significantly reduce the risks brought by glasses damage caused by impacts during exercise. Additionally, the ViviOn™ 0510HT has ultralow density floating property that consumers can feel very light when wearing. It is suitable for making any sports goods and outdoor leisure products, particularly for those related to water games because it will not sink in water to prevent loss in order to reduce marine waste, prevent human economic activities from deteriorating marine ecology, and contribute ourselves to environmental protection.

USI-ESG-Technology R&D
★ High transparency and impact-resistant ViviOn™0510T

The ViviOn™ 0510T makes a big step forward in impact-resistant performance while maintaining high transparency at the same time to provide customers with more choices in materials.

USI-ESG-Technology R&D

Successful replacement of quartz and entry into the market of UVC LED portable UV disinfection products by ViviOn™ CBC

The medical grade ViviOn™ CBC is characterized by its high UVC penetrability, anti-ageing against UVC performance, and lightweight portability to allow easy disinfection in the daily life. It has successfully replaced quartz and entered the market of UVC LED portable UV disinfection products. Currently, commercialized cases include the disinfection cabinet by Sandra, a Taiwanese brand, the tablet stylus by Adonit, a US brand, and the disinfection cabinet by Moshi, a US brand.

Promotion of all-purpose eco-friendly water-based sunshield coatings

On July 30, 2021 TSMC Charity Foundation held the “Charitable Green Energy Model Activation--Solar Panels and Sunshield Coating Completion Ceremony” together with USI and National Cheng Kung University. Besides further promoting green energy, this model also helps cut electricity bills for vulnerable groups and reduce the operational pressure for power plants.

Through the arrangement of TSMC Charity Foundation, USI Chairman Quintin Wu provided USI’s all-purpose eco-friendly water-based sunshield coatings for this charitable collaboration project. With total solar reflectance (TSR) up to 90% and low urban heat island effect, these coatings can effectively reduce indoor temperature, aircon use, energy consumption, and carbon footprint.
Please visit https://www.usife.com.tw/ESG/zh-tw/ESGNewsDetails.aspx?Passcode=2021081804 for related news reports.

TV promotion of USI sunshield coatings

A special report on USI sunshield coatings on September 18, 2021, Channel 37 of Azio TV.
Please visit https://youtu.be/IDCAs-WFoyQ for details.