FineToday to Open an Urban R&D Site, FineToday Beauty Innovation Center in Toyosu (Tokyo) in July To Perform Research and Development for Personal Care Products
In July 2023, FineToday Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Tetsuo Komori) will open an urban R&D site, FineToday Beauty Innovation Center in Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo. The facility will carry out research and development of FineToday personal care products. Since its founding, the company has been establishing a business operation that is integrated from technology development to production and sales. Now as the FineToday Group, it will continue to accelerate the responsive development and supply of personal care products for the rapidly changing Asian market.
■Background and Purpose
FineToday was established in 2021 as a spin-off of Shiseido's personal care products business. The management of FineToday began with a clear purpose-to enrich the lives of everyone today and for generations to come, one fine day at a time. The Group's objective is to deliver high-quality products based on an aesthetic sense it has cultivated over many years since it was part of Shiseido. In order to better deliver these products, in April 2023, the Group began operating its own production company, Fine Today Industries Co., Ltd. (FTI).*
With the opening of the Group's new urban R&D site, FineToday will be able to conduct its own high-quality, wide-ranging research and development. This will allow the Group to realize an integrated system of technology, production, and sales that it has been building since its founding, while also allowing it to further accelerate business operations as an independent manufacturer. By swiftly and responsively developing and providing personal care products that beautifully enrich everyday life, the Group is aiming for sustainable development as a role model for glocal (local and global oriented) companies in Asia.
* Press release dated April 3, 2023: "Notice Concerning the Start of Personal Care Product Business Operation by a New Group Company"
■Features of the FineToday Beauty Innovation Center
Based on the concept of providing a place where everyone can joyfully say "Today is a fine day", the Group designed the new site to be a research and development facility that embodies the FineToday name and purpose of "helping to make every day more beautifully enriching for everyone."
(1) Urban location easily accessible from the head office and factory - Promoting product development based on close cooperation between sites
The new facility is located in the Toyosu district of Tokyo, which is easy to reach from the head office in Minato-ku, Tokyo, as well as from FTI, the production facility in Kuki City, Saitama. This should help further strengthen cooperation among the teams for technology development, production, sales, and brand marketing. As part of product development, it is important for team members to check the actual prototypes and products. A shorter distance between sites enables in-person confirmation and discussion, thereby promoting product development based on close communication. In addition, being located in metro Tokyo where cutting-edge technologies and trends come together, the new facility will be able to participate in exchanges and collaboration with research institutes and local governments going forward.
(2) Seamlessly integrated office and R&D space design that encourages innovation
The office and R&D zones, which are generally designed to be separate, are seamlessly connected in the new R&D facility. This creates an integrated space with good sight lines, enabling active communication between researchers. Since FineToday's R&D organization is made up of human resources from diverse backgrounds, it can actively put into practice ideas that are generated by an inclusive team in a shared space. This will further promote a level of innovation that is unique to FineToday.
(3) Incorporated employee feedback into the layout design, so that both researchers and customers can make every day more beautifully enriching
The Group's name and purpose involve making every day more beautifully enriching. In order to deliver even better products to consumers, feedback from researchers has been utilized throughout the facility planning stage, including the room layout and interior design, and the R&D work flow has been thoroughly taken into consideration.
(4) Creating ideas to enhance natural beauty in a space that conveys Japanese aesthetics
The interior has been finished using materials such as natural wood and plaster, which have been widely used in Japan since ancient times. The interior design is simple yet beautiful, expressing an aesthetic sense that has been cultivated by FineToday over many years since it was part of Shiseido. To help relax the minds of researchers, comfortable communication booths are arranged along the windows in a way that evokes the porch of a traditional Japanese house. The arrangement is designed to encourage a free flow of ideas arising from daily conversations. Using this space, FineToday aims to continue providing the world with daily-use beauty products that embody the Japanese sense of natural beauty that it values.
■Overview of the New R&D Site
| Name |
FineToday Beauty Innovation Center |
| Location | MEBKS TOYOSU, 6-4-34 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo |
| Floor space | Approx. 1,100 m2 |
| Function / role | Research and development of personal care products |
| Start of operations | July 3, 2023 |
| Trade Name | FineToday Co., Ltd. |
| Location | 18F Shinagawa Grand Central Tower, 2-16-3 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Representative | Tetsuo Komori, Representative Director, President and CEO |
| Business Areas | Marketing and sales of personal care products |
| Major Shareholder and Shareholding Ratio | FineToday Holdings Co., Ltd.: 100% |
（Shiseido will maintain a 20.1% stake in FineToday Holdings Co., Ltd. and indirectly promote this personal care product business as a joint venture.）
Official website：https://www.finetoday.com/en/
Corporate Philosophy：https://www.finetoday.com/en/company/philosophy/