Konica Minolta has expanded its collaboration with MJ Material to establish a smart recycled materials company. These plastic materials are characterized by offering a supply with a higher level of reliability and consistent quality, combining Konica Minolta's patented detection and artificial intelligence technologies with MJ Material's comprehensive process, from collection to production.
Conventional recycled materials use plastic waste as raw material. To manufacture recycled plastic materials that meet the required standards, high-quality plastic waste with a high degree of purity and stability is necessary, which poses a challenge due to limited supply.
When resin parts are manufactured from recycled plastic materials, performance variations are greater than with virgin materials, increasing the risk of defects. Furthermore, the specifications required for each customer and part vary, and molding conditions must be verified by an experienced engineer. Therefore, mass production using molding requires a significant number of hours.
More efficient and sustainable recycling
Konica Minolta has expanded its collaboration with MJ Materials by combining the expertise and technologies of both companies to produce "smart" recycled materials that guarantee high reliability and consistent quality.
The launch of these smart recycled materials will take place at MJ Materials' new production facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, scheduled to open in spring 2026. The new facility utilizes various plastic waste sorting techniques that allow for better removal of impurities and efficient selection of raw materials.
Furthermore, Konica Minolta's patented sensing and AI technologies enable the blending of plastic waste under optimal conditions. This gives recycled plastics physical properties and functions virtually identical to those of virgin materials. This is expected to allow the production of recycled plastics from a wide range of plastic waste as raw materials, thus ensuring a stable supply and reducing raw material costs.
Optimized molding in mass production
Furthermore, Konica Minolta will use its patented AI optimization model to propose optimized molding conditions for each part. This enables mass production of even difficult-to-mold parts, while guaranteeing the quality each customer requires.
Thanks to their high and consistent quality, smart recycled materials are suitable for electronic devices, household appliances, and vehicles, which require stable properties.
Commercialization in 2026
Konica Minolta and MJ Material aim to market these materials to their Asian customers who manufacture end products for electronic devices and appliances during fiscal year 2026. Konica Minolta will receive technology licensing fees based on the revenue MJ Material generates from its customers.
Ryuji KamataGeneral Manager of Manufacturing and Procurement for the Digital Workplace/Professional Printing and Corporate Vice President from Konica MinoltaHe explains that “thanks to its track record and experience in the active use of recycled plastic materials, Konica Minolta understands the challenges our customers face. With technologies and solutions to address them, we will offer recycled plastic materials optimized for each customer, contributing to a sustainable society, responding to our customers' demands, and expanding our business.”
To Weng Wenbin, president of MJ Material“The technology developed by Konica Minolta to stabilize the quality of recycled plastic materials helps many customers who use recycled plastic materials. The combination of this technology and our established manufacturing philosophy will enhance the value of recycled plastic materials and expand their applications, thus achieving a clean, waste-free society.”
