Joint TOYOCHEM-Asahi can coating technology honoured at 2026 National Invention Awards

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TOYOCHEM has announced that a can coating technology developed jointly with Asahi Breweries has received the Invention Award at the 2026 National Invention Awards. The technology is used in Asahi's "Draft Beer Can" ("Nama Jokki Kan"). Two TOYOCHEM engineers who worked on the project attended the award ceremony held on June 15, 2026, at The Okura Tokyo.

Interior coatings are widely used in beverage and food cans to prevent corrosion and stop metal ions from coming into contact with the contents, which can affect flavour. TOYOCHEM has supplied these coatings for canned beer for many years using its polymer design technology.

The award-winning technology differs from conventional can coatings because it makes use of a phenomenon that has traditionally been treated as a manufacturing defect. In the can manufacturing industry, excessive foam released when a can is opened has generally been regarded as an undesirable result. TOYOCHEM and Asahi Breweries instead developed a coating that uses this effect to create the characteristic foam of the Draft Beer Can.

The technology is based on a specially developed coating applied to the inside surface of the can. The coating forms a microscopic crater-like texture made up of two different surface structures. The first consists of indentations measuring between 5 and 20 micrometres in diameter, distributed at a density of about 200 to 1,200 per square millimetre. The second consists of much finer surface textures measuring between 0.5 and 5 micrometres. Together, these structures produce a continuous stream of fine bubbles when the pressure inside the can changes after opening, creating a rich and creamy foam similar to draft beer served at a restaurant.

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The TOYOCHEM engineers said they were pleased that the coating technology used in the Draft Beer Can had been recognised with the award. They said the project began with Asahi Breweries' objective of recreating the experience of draft beer served in restaurants inside a sealed can. They added that the development combined that goal with knowledge gained from earlier coating development work. The engineers also acknowledged Asahi's efforts in overcoming the technical challenges involved and said they were proud to have contributed to the project.

TOYOCHEM said it will continue developing coating technologies by applying its polymer design and coating expertise to meet customer requirements and develop products in collaboration with its customers.