Strengthen Advanced Materials Division Targeting at Market for such as Optical Device [2001.3.22] Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co. announced to strengthen Advanced Materials Division. The Company expects fiscal 2003 sales to increase from 2000 fiscal sales of 600 million yen to 2 billion yen. For that, the Company strengthens the production capacity of Metal Injection Molded (MIM) Products for Electronic Devices and Ray (UltraViolet (UV) Ray and Heat Ray) Shielding Film. In addition to it, the Company will triple the current production capacity of Zirconia Powder used for Optical Device by running newly established Plant (of Osaka) in August. The Company also sets ambitious target of over 10 billion yen in annual sales by fiscal 2003 with realizing 10 to 20 % growth rate (annual average) in total sales of Advanced Materials Division products. To achieve that growth rate, the Company expands activities in new business fields and as one of the activities already started new product development of Films for Next-Generation Display aggressively. Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co.has decided to invest about 100 million yen to increase production ability of Plant in Funabashi by the intense demand for MIM Products and Optical Device. The company will install more equipments such as Metal Injection Machine and Heating Furnace for Sintering by July and increase monthly production capacity of MIM Products by a little bit lower than 40%, to 400,000 pieces. Furthermore, faced with growing demand for maintenance of high quality of products, the Company has decided to increase the production volume of Wrapping Materials for Food and UV Ray Shielding Film for Fibers. Moreover, expecting strong demand for Heat Ray Shielding Film used for Window Glass of Construction and Automobile, the Company has decided to invest a little bit lower than 100 million yen to increase production ability of Funabashi Plant. That is, the Company will install more Fine Powder Dispersion Equipment by July and then double the current production volume of Ultra-Fine Powder as raw materials to 40 tons per year. Though the contribution of the investment to sales amount is not announced, the Company expects income increase by some hundred million yen. In addition to the above activities, the Company is widely developing some promising and sophisticated films for Anti-Reflecting, Near Infrared Radiation Shielding, Electromagnetic Waves Shielding and Next-Generation Display. Currently, the Company is also energetically accelerating the development of products for Plasma Display Panel.