June 5, 2025 – Sumitomo Chemical, a Japanese chemical giant, has announced a major restructuring plan for its ICT and Mobility Solutions business, set to kick off in July 2025. This strategic move aims to optimize resource allocation and enhance its competitive edge in the market, marking a significant strategic transformation in the company’s display materials segment.
The restructuring plan by Sumitomo Chemical places a strong emphasis on enhancing the synergy within its display materials business. As reported by the Color Masterbatch Industry Network, the color resist business will be transferred from the Electronic Materials Department to the newly established Display Materials Department (formerly the Optical Materials Department). This realignment is expected to foster closer collaboration with the polarizing film business. Additionally, the company is setting up a dedicated Display Chemicals Marketing Department to boost product promotion and expand its market reach.
To better meet the diverse demands of the end – market, Sumitomo Chemical is making meticulous adjustments to its marketing system. The former Global Marketing Department will be split into the Mobile Display Materials Marketing Department and the Automotive Display Materials Marketing Department. The former will focus on serving the mobile device market, such as smartphones, while the latter will be dedicated to the automotive display sector. This adjustment underscores the growing importance of the automotive display market.
Concomitant with the business restructuring, the company is systematically updating the names of relevant departments. The Optical Materials Department will be renamed the Display Materials Department, and the Electronic Materials Department will be adjusted to the Semiconductor Materials Department. These name changes not only clarify the responsibilities of each department but also highlight Sumitomo Chemical’s strategic layout in niche markets.
Industry insiders analyze that this restructuring is a crucial step for Sumitomo Chemical to respond to the changes in the display materials industry. Through business integration and specialized division of labor, the company is expected to further enhance its competitiveness in the high – end display materials market, especially in the rapidly growing automotive electronics field. These adjustments also reflect the global display materials industry’s accelerating shift towards market segmentation based on application scenarios and customization of product functions.