In 1991, we became the first company in the world to successfully mass-produce unidirectionally solidified thin strips of RE-Fe-B alloys for neodymium sintered magnets using the "single-roll strip casting method with a tundish" (hereinafter referred to as "our SC method"). Today, our SC method has become the mainstream technology for manufacturing high-performance magnet raw material alloys both in Japan and worldwide. We have supplied high-performance magnet raw material alloys manufactured using this technology to major magnet manufacturers in Japan and abroad over many years.
We hold a large number of patents related to our SC method, and following the merger with Wakayama Rare Earth Co., Ltd. in 2017, we inherited further related patents, resulting in an extensive patent portfolio both domestically and internationally (hereinafter collectively referred to as "our SC method patents"). The major manufacturers of high-performance magnet raw material alloys in Japan have become licensees of our SC method patents.
Some of the patents related to alloys, manufacturing methods, and equipment among our SC method patents are shown in the table below.
We are pleased to provide information about our patents for your reference. For any inquiries regarding the patents and licensing described herein, please contact our Intellectual Property Department.

• (1) As we hold numerous patents related to our SC method, we recommend that you confirm with your supplier in advance that the RE-Fe-B raw material alloys produced by the SC method do not infringe upon our SC method patents before making any purchase.
• (2) We generally do not grant permission to import RE-Fe-B raw material alloys manufactured using our SC method patents into Japan. Therefore, if you intend to import RE-Fe-B raw material alloys produced by the SC method from overseas, we recommend that you confirm with your supplier in advance that such alloys do not infringe upon our SC method patents, as stated in (1) above, before proceeding with the import.

In regions where our SC method patents are in force, please be aware that the manufacture, sale, and in-house production of magnet raw materials involving RE-Fe-B raw material alloys produced by the SC method may infringe upon our SC method patents, regardless of the purpose.

In regions where our SC method patents are in force, we recommend that you confirm with your supplier in advance that the SC equipment you intend to purchase does not infringe upon our SC method patents before making any purchase.