Eco handset - a real differentiator for NEC

It looks like the handset maker NEC together with Unitika company successfully completed their project on developing eco-friendly bio-plastic, which is 90% bioplant-based. The newly developed renewable plastic will be used for the body of the N701iECO handset model, to be sold by NTT DoCoMo in coming weeks.

Besides its nature-friendly characteristics the newly developed bio-plastic is raved for its high heat resistance and ruggedness, as the companies integrated fibers of Deccan hemp plant into the polyactic acid base, making it perfect for handset molding.

The move to use the eco-friendly material instead of traditional petroleum-derived plastic for handset molding is going to benefit NEC in a long-term as the company will have a head-start in developing alternative nature-friendly materials for handsets, a process that, as it can be easily predicted, will accelerate in future. Before rivals copy the technology, NEC should use its advancement to differentiate its products not only domestically but on a global scale too, as the marketing of eco-friendly handset has a huge potential for mass-market appeal.