Chiba University of Commerce Students and Industry-Academia Collaboration to Expand Sales Channels for Next-Generation Insulation Panel "SD Panel"

Sun Fukusuke Home Co., Ltd. (Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture, President: Mitsuo Itakura) has initiated an industry-academia collaboration project with 12 third-year students from the HAGA Seminar at the Faculty of Service Industries, Chiba University of Commerce, aiming to expand sales channels for the next-generation insulation panel "SD Panel." Through the 2026 academic year's curriculum, students will undertake practical initiatives involving the assembly, implementation, and effectiveness verification of marketing and PR strategies applicable in real business settings. The first class was held on May 12, 2026, at Chiba University of Commerce, where Professor HAGA, President Itakura, and seminar leader Tomohito Hosoi spoke about their expectations for the project. [SD Panel Information Page] https://sdpanel.jp/ Project Background and Objectives ■ Leveraging Students' Fresh Perspectives for Sales Channel Expansion The SD Panel is an environmentally conscious insulation panel made from 100% recycled insulation material scraps. It achieves approximately 30% cost reduction compared to conventional insulation panels while boasting high performance that complies with the new insulation standards of the revised Building Standards Act in 2025 (thermal conductivity: 0.38). In this project, students will propose concrete measures such as website development, advertising, and promotional videos, considering budget and feasibility as part of their actual business proposals. They will clearly define target audiences and propose designs and copy that resonate with them from a student's viewpoint. ■ Building Strategies That Reach Consumers by Utilizing Marketing Expertise Leveraging Professor HAGA's expertise in marketing, strategies will be built to effectively appeal to target audiences. For instance, methods of sensory marketing will be considered to scientifically design elements that appeal to the five senses, such as color, sound, fonts, and layout. Specifically: - Color Selection: Warm colors for children's study spaces, cool colors for remote work environments. - Sound Utilization: Selection of catchy, easy-to-remember slogans and background music that matches the mood. - Photo Composition: Creating a sense of depth and solidity through careful composition and arrangement. Through such methods, the aim is to create promotions that influence the behavior and mood of the target audience. Comments from Stakeholders ■ Mitsuo Itakura, President (Sun Fukusuke Home Co., Ltd.) "The proposals from the students during the preliminary preparation phase offered novel approaches we hadn't considered, which was very refreshing. Therefore, for this full-scale collaboration, we want students to pursue their ideas freely without constraints. We want to shape those results into something practically usable. We are very much looking forward to the students learning a great deal through this initiative and for us to connect it to developing new sales channels." ■ Yuki HAGA, Lecturer (Faculty of Service Industries, Chiba University of Commerce) "In this project, we won't stop at mere proposals; we will actually implement them and analyze the digital data in the fall semester to verify their effectiveness. Students will be asked to correctly understand the target audience and thoroughly consider designs, copy, and expressions that resonate with them. Utilizing marketing knowledge, we aim for promotions that reach consumers and are genuinely effective." ■ Tomohito Hosoi, Seminar Leader (HAGA Seminar) "I am honored to have been given this valuable opportunity. We want to create promotions without regrets, for the benefit of Fukusuke Home and for our own learning. We aim for proposals that not only satisfy ourselves but also resonate with and are understood by actual customers. We will carefully consider the budget and feasibility as well." Project Schedule Through this project, students will learn marketing and PR strategies applicable in real business settings, while Sun Fukusuke Home aims to develop new customer segments. In the fall semester, the effectiveness of implemented measures will be analyzed, and the PDCA cycle will be utilized to further expand sales channels. May 12, 2026: Kick-off class (first session) held May-June: Target setting, design, and copy considerations through group work June: Progress report at interim presentation July: Final proposal and presentation Fall Semester: Implementation of website, advertisements, videos, etc. Analysis of digital data and verification of implemented measures' effectiveness Chiba Nippo Digital Co., Ltd., which supports the public relations activities of Sun Fukusuke Home Co., Ltd., will also participate as a support role in this project. In collaboration with Professor HAGA, they will support the implementation of the marketing and PR measures proposed by the students and provide PR-side backup to ensure effective communication with the media. What is SD Panel? The SD Panel is a next-generation insulation panel made from 100% recycled scraps of insulation material generated domestically. Its main features are as follows: Recycled Material: Utilizes 100% of insulation material scraps that would otherwise be discarded. High Insulation Performance: Achieves a thermal conductivity of 0.38 (tested by the Japan Building Material Testing Center), boasting performance equal to or exceeding that of general insulation panels (0.457). Cost Reduction: Enables approximately 30% cost reduction compared to general insulation panels. For a 30-tsubo house, this translates to a saving of approximately 600,000 yen. Regulatory Compliance: Complies with the revised Building Standards Act and new insulation standards of 2025. Environmental Contribution: Contributes to SDGs through scrap recycling and enhances the brand power of construction companies. The three strengths of SD Panel are its high performance (insulation performance equal to or exceeding conventional products), low price (approximately 30% cost reduction through scrap utilization), and environmental consideration (contribution to SDGs and enhancement of construction companies' brand power). These features enable environmentally conscious housing construction while maintaining performance and reducing costs. Company Profile Sun Fukusuke Home Co., Ltd. Location: 3-25-17 Yachiyodai Minami, Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture, 276-0033 President: Mitsuo Itakura Business Activities: Manufacturing and sales of lumber and building materials TEL: 047-484-8282 (Weekdays 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM) Email: info@sanfukusukeya.jp Product Information Page: https://sdpanel.jp/ Keywords: