Konica Minolta And MJ MATERIAL Develop 'Intelligent Recycled Materials' With Superior Supply Reliability And Quality Consistency Using AI

Aiming for Commercialization in the fiscal year 2026 by Introducing Production Line to MJ MATERIAL’s New Plant

Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) has expanded its partnership with MJ MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY SDN BHD (MJ MATERIAL) to establish a business for “intelligent recycled materials”. These recycled plastic materials are characterized by superior supply reliability and quality consistency combining Konica Minolta’s proprietary sensing and AI technologies and MJ MATERIAL’s end-to-end process from collection to production.

Conventional recycled materials use plastics waste as raw materials. To manufacture recycled plastic materials with a certain level of quality, it is necessary to purchase high-quality waste plastics with a high degree of purity and stability. This is a challenge due to limited supply. When manufacturing resin parts from recycled plastic materials, performance variations are greater than those of virgin materials, increasing the risk of defects. In addition, the specifications required for each customer and part vary, and molding conditions must be verified through trial and error with the help of an engineer’s experience. Thus, mass production through molding requires a significant number of man-hours.

Intelligent Recycled Materials
Konica Minolta has therefore expanded its partnership with MJ Materials, combining the expertise and technologies of both companies to produce intelligent recycled materials that are designed to ensure high delivery, reliability, and consistent quality.

The intelligent recycled materials are set to be launched at MJ MATERIAL’s new production base in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will open in the spring of 2026. The new production facility uses several sorting techniques for plastic waste that can better remove impurities and enable efficient selection of raw materials which can be used in the downstream processes.

In addition, Konica Minolta’s proprietary sensing and AI technologies enable plastic waste to be mixed under optimal conditions set by AI. This gives the recycled plastics almost the same physical properties and functions as virgin materials. This is expected to enable recycled plastic materials to be produced from a wide range of waste plastics as raw materials, ensuring a stable supply, and reduce the cost of raw materials.

Improving the Consistency of Molding Quality by Optimizing the Model for Each Customer
In addition, Konica Minolta will use its proprietary AI optimization model to propose molding conditions optimized for each part. This enables mass production, even for parts that are difficult to mold, while consistently ensuring the quality required by customers.

Thanks to their high and consistent quality, intelligent recycled materials are suitable for electronic devices, electric home appliances, and vehicles, which require stable material properties.

Aiming for Commercialization in the fiscal year 2026
The deployment of intelligent recycled materials will contribute to driving the business growth of the two companies and realizing a highly sustainable society.

Konica Minolta and MJ MATERIAL have been working on verification in the market with the aim of achieving commercialization in the fiscal year 2026. MJ MATERIAL will manufacture intelligent recycled materials and sell them to its customers in Asia, who are end-product manufacturers, for electronic devices and home appliances. Konica Minolta will receive fees for technology licensing depending on MJ MATERIAL’s revenue from its customers.

Ryuji Kamata General Manager, Manufacturing and Procurement for Digital Workplace/Professional Print, Corporate Vice President, Konica Minolta - “Based on its track record and experience of actively using recycled plastic materials, Konica Minolta deeply understands the challenges faced by customers. With technologies and solutions to address such challenges, we will offer recycled plastic materials optimized for each customer. Through recycled plastic materials, we will help realize a sustainable society by addressing customers’ challenges and expanding this business.”

Weng Wenbin President of MJ MATERIAL - “I am confident that the technology to stabilize the quality of recycled plastic materials, which was developed by Konica Minolta, helps tackle challenges encountered by many customers who use recycled plastic materials. I believe that the combination of this technology and our well-established manufacturing philosophy will enhance the value of recycled plastic materials and broaden their application, thereby realizing a clean, waste-free society.”

Use of recycled plastics since 2012
Konica Minolta started the manufacture of recycled plastic materials for its MFPs in the fiscal year 2012. Today, up to 37% recycled plastics (PCR = post-consumer recycled) are used in its multifunction systems and production systems. The company is considering using the new intelligent recycled plastics in its future models as well. Konica Minolta will continue to reduce environmental impact by accelerating collaboration with many companies to form a recycling-oriented society and create business.