A solid polymer (PEM) water electrolyzer is a technology that utilizes power generated from renewable energy to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen, producing high-purity green hydrogen. Because this system is able to start and stop quickly under conditions when the power supply is unstable, it is characterized by its extremely good compatibility with wind power, solar power, and other renewable energy that involves large fluctuations. It also functions to make effective use of excess power and to coordinate power demand and supply. Hystar AS is a spin-off from SINTEF, one of Europe’s largest research agency, and is a high-tech company that develops and produces highly efficient and safe PEM water electrolyzers utilizing its original patented technology. The production line produces the stack which is the core component in-house, and is planning large-scale expansion of production with support from the EU Innovation Fund, one of the largest climate change funds in the world.

NST has so far participated in the green hydrogen business through sales of materials for water electrolyzers. However with this additional investment, we will be actively involved not only in materials supply, but also in sales of complete water electrolyzers and stack units. We have recently acquired exclusive rights to sales of Hystar AS products in the Japan market, and have created a system that allows one-stop deliveries of cutting-edge water electrolyzer solutions to customers in Japan.
The reason behind our promotion of this business is our sense of a social mission based on the urgent need to establish a hydrogen society in order to achieve carbon neutrality. Although costs, technical obstacles, and other challenges are involved in introducing and expanding the systems, we will utilize cutting-edge technologies and partnerships to overcome each of these challenges. We will work to contribute to the continual development of society and industry as a theme that is deeply connected to multiple SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), including “Affordable and Clean Energy” and “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.”

This is classified as light-gauge steel framed housing, a type of steel frame structure, and is a construction method with a range of superior performance, including fi re prevention and resistance, heat insulation performance, and durability. It is widely used in apartment buildings, dormitories, company housing, facilities for the elderly, offices, shops, and other low-rise structures. With this construction method, because the frame panels which are a key structural component of the building frame are produced in a factory at the same time that the foundation work is being carried out, this method can achieve large reductions in construction periods compared to conventional methods. Because it is a prefabricated construction method in which the frame panels are assembled on-site, it is also a solution to the problem of shrinking numbers of experienced construction workers at worksites.

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai opened in April 2025. Approximately one year earlier, NS Hi-Parts Corporation received an inquiry about construction from the design office for the Columbia Pavilion. The reason was that an extremely short construction period had been set upon request from the Expo Steering Committee, with all work using heavy machinery to be completed by the end of October 2024 (approximately seven months). To address this issue, the NS Super-Frame construction method® was adopted. This method uses the SuperDyma® high corrosion-resistant plated steel supplied by NST as the frame material. After foundation work was completed at the end of September 2024, frame construction was completed in 12 days from October 12 to 23, 2024. The steel used with the NS Super-Frame construction method® is NSCarbolex® Neutral, a low CO₂ steel supplied by Nippon Steel. This was a good match for the “contribute to the achievement of SDGs” objective of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and is one of the reasons that this method was used for the Columbia Pavilion.

Oriented electrical steel sheet:

Designed so that magnetic force acts only in a particular direction, this type aligns the orientation of iron crystals that are easily magnetized to produce magnetic force in the predetermined direction. It is primarily used in products such as electrical transformers and power Transformer distribution transformers, where the magnetism needs to be concentrated in a specific direction, and contribute to the efficient use of power.

Non-oriented electrical steel sheet:

This type features excellent magnetic characteristics in all directions, and is prepared so the orientation of the crystal axes is random. It is primarily used in motor cores and generators.

The importance of electrical steel sheet grows year by year as we move toward the creation of energy-saving societies. With the expansion of generative AI and IoT, large-scale data centers which operate high-capacity servers are being constructed one after another. In large-scale data centers, because high energy-saving performance is being demanded not only from servers but also from a wide range of electrical equipment (such as generators, transformers, air conditioners, and coolers), high-efficiency electrical steel sheet has become essential.

Hithium stationary storage batteries are widely used in China, Europe, and the U.S., however none have yet been sold in Japan, and the company has positioned Japan as its next target. Motivated by the past performance and trust in NST through past business related to storage battery materials, Hithium consulted with NST regarding its entry into the Japan market. This is how we got involved in this business. In combination with the solar panels that NST already sells, being able to propose a storage battery that features good compatibility increases the range of proposals that we can make to customers, and is a new opportunity to expand business. For these reasons, we are working to expand the use of Hithium batteries.

In the Japan market, which has been growing rapidly since 2023, our role is to increase the recognition of Hithium and expand sales of its excellent products. Gaining a deep entry into the market through steady marketing activities, participation in exhibitions, use of media, and other means is an urgent issue. Because storage batteries are products that are used over a long period of 20 to 25 years, it is also necessary to establish a maintenance system to maintain performance during the period of use, and to create a warranty system in cooperation with the manufacturer.
Expanding the use of high-quality storage batteries as a new primary power source can also contribute to the creation of a zero-carbon society. We intend to continue assisting in the growth of the storage battery market, and make the storage battery business a new foundation for profits.

If price alone is prioritized, there will be growing trade in products from suppliers who do not give adequate consideration to animal welfare or environmental measures. NST believes that it an important mission for us to explain the efforts of producers who take an active approach to such matters and the advantages of their products, and expand the scope of understanding and support. In particular, NST was the first in Japan to begin importing OPG pork from Canada Packers, a producer in North America that has achieved carbon neutrality. We will continue to play a leading role in expanding these trends throughout the industry, and will contribute to the creation of a future with sustainable livestock and food.

ONE OCEAN is a material brand that was developed with the goal of resolving the problem of ocean plastics. It is made from plastic drink bottles collected in areas where there is a high risk of them reaching the ocean, and is upcycled as a recycled polyester material.

The goal of ONE OCEAN is to eliminate plastic from the oceans, and we are working to develop fabrics using plastic waste and for environmental preservation activities. A certificate (raw material certificate) can be presented showing that the product uses recycled material from plastic drink bottles that were collected from areas where there is a high risk of them reaching the ocean, and the reliability of recycling can be easily communicated to the consumers. The ONE OCEAN fabrics cut UV radiation, and feature rapid drying, stretchability, and other high performance for comfort. Compared to ordinary polyester products, a T-shirt made from ONE OCEAN fabric has been proven to reduce CO2 emissions by 28% during production.

ONE OCEAN will continue to develop and propose ideas so that the fabric will reach more people, not only in the fields of ladies’ and men’s fashion, but also in uniforms and a wide range of other product categories. This will allow consumers to feel closeness with environmentally friendly products, and expand opportunities for people to make environmentally responsible choices even without being aware of doing so. By increasing these everyday choices, we aim to make progress in fulfilling our environmental responsibilities as a corporation.