Nemoto & Co., Ltd.

Japanese maker of phosphorescent (glow-in-the-dark) pigments, founded in December 1941 in watch and clock dial luminizing; head office in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, with factories in Hiratsuka (Kanagawa), Ishioka and Ushiku (Ibaraki). Its LumiNova long-afterglow pigments, invented by Nemoto in 1993, are aluminate based (G/GLL green and BG/BGL blue-green series, V-300 violet) and the company says they give about 10 times the brightness and afterglow of conventional zinc sulphide types; it also sells R-300 orange-red (oxysulphide based) and ZnS-based GSS green, GSO orange and RAS red phosphorescent pigments. Semi-processed forms: LumiNova PVC sheet, ceramic aggregates, plastic pellets for injection moulding (PMMA, PP, ABS and others) and PP chain. Other products: specialty phosphors (light-converting materials for lamps, security, medical and inspection uses), photoluminescent safety signs and markings, and Lumipearl, a high-purity calcium carbonate light-diffusion pigment for clear resins (lighting covers, cosmetic bottles, sign boards). Group production and sales companies include Nemoto Portugal Química Fina (Pombal), LumiNova AG Switzerland (Teufen), Dalian Nemoto New Materials (China), Nemoto Lumi Products (Shenzhen) and Shanghai Nemoto Electronic Technology; the group also makes gas sensors.