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Sales and profits declined due to a difficult business environment The Toagosei Group’s commodity chemicals business comprises chlor-alkali and sulfuric acid products, high-purity products, and industrial gases. Under the current medium-term management plan, we have set ourselves the target of aggressively developing and expanding the high-purity products business as a profit generator, while ensuring stable performance in the other more mature, established businesses of chlor-alkali and sulfuric acid products and industrial gases. In 2012, sales and profits in the commodity chemicals business were both below initial targets amid weakness in the Japanese and global economy. This shortfall was attributable to a drop in production and shipments due to sluggish demand in general, as well as a decline in demand for high-purity products used in the key electronics materials field that includes semiconductors and LCDs. We are steadily implementing initiatives to strengthen strategic businesses, primarily high-purity products, and expect them to bear fruit going forward. Boost profits by enhancing operational efficiency in core businesses and actively developing strategic businesses Tsurumi Soda Co., Ltd. was integrated with Toagosei in January 2013 and was repositioned as the Yokohama Plant. This deepened the level of integration in the chlor-alkali business, which is a core business in commodity chemicals. The next moves will be to fully integrate production, sales and technology, as well as optimize production activities at the three plants in Nagoya, Yokohama and Tokushima and realize efficient operations and sales. Our goal is to strengthen the position of the chlor-alkali business in the industry and increase earnings. In the chlor-alkali business, we will invest in the business to strengthen its production base in order to achieve stable business profit. In 2012, we installed additional production capacity for easily soluble copper oxide used in PCB plating. With this capacity, we plan to boost output and sales in 2013. In order to reinforce our position as the top supplier of sodium hypochlorite for use in water, we will increase production capacity for high-quality grade water purification chemicals at Yokohama and build a new facility in Nagoya. We also plan to introduce gas-diffusion electrolysis cells to reduce the cost of electric power, which is essential for the chlor-alkali business. In the high-purity products business, we will continue to make strategic investments in high-purity liquefied hydrogen chloride in order to boost productivity and establish a streamlined production, filling and shipping system. We also plan to boost earnings by accurately addressing rising demand from the semiconductor sector, mainly in East Asia. In high-purity agents, we will continue to expand our existing businesses in high-purity caustic soda, caustic potash, hydrochloric acid, high-grade ferric chloride and other chemicals, while enhancing the potential of EL sulfuric acid and developing new etching agents. In the industrial gases business, we plan to become the most profitable industrial gas supplier in the Chubu (Nagoya) region by building a more efficient business model and stepping up marketing. We are also looking into upgrading that will enable us to build the state-of-the-art industrial gas facilities. Challenges in 2013 and Our Responses 2012 Review . Second Year Achievements of Medium-term Management Plan Toagosei Co., Ltd. 11