Toray Industries Inc. (TYO:3402) is entering the final stages of its global expansion in polyphenylene sufide (PPS). The company recently announced that it will establish a PPS compounding facility within the Hungarian plant of group company Zoltek Companies Inc. Toray is following on from Japan, other countries in Asia and the U.S. with compounding facilities...
polyamide
Asahi Kasei to Boost Production of Successful Fiber Products
Asahi Kasei Corp. (TYO:3407) is expanding investment in fibers and textiles. The company plans to grow its polyamide 66 brands in Japan for the automotive field, with a focus on artificial leather and airbags, and will establish a production base overseas. In Thailand, the company is looking to respond to demand for diapers by increasing...
Evonik Expands Performance Polymer Business With Automotive, Aviation Applications
Evonik Industries AG is expanding its performance polymer business operations into automotive and aviation applications, Iordanis Savvopoulos, senior vice president of the company’s high-performance polymers division, said during a recent visit to Japan. The expansion includes the use of polyamide (PA) 12 films in automotive air bags and the world’s first use of polyether ether...
Digest: Chemical Price Hike Announcements for Week of March 13
A series of price hikes were announced by chemical companies during the week of March 13 – March 17. Unless noted otherwise, all price increases listed here are per kilogram. In chloroprene rubber (CR), Denka Co. Ltd. (TYO:4061) raised prices by no less than 40 yen ($0.35) on March 21. In polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Denka...
Digest: Chemical Price Hike Announcements for Week of March 6 – Part 2
A series of price hikes were announced by chemical companies during the week of March 6 – March 10. As with the first installment in this two-part special, unless noted otherwise, all price increases listed here are per kilogram. In polybutylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), on March 15, E.I. du Pont Nemours and...
Unitika Targets 2018 for Pilot Sales of CNF-Reinforced Polyamide 6
Unitika Ltd. (TYO:3130) plans in fiscal 2018 to commence pilot sales of its cellulose nanofiber (CNF) reinforced polyamide 6, currently in development. The company aims to sell 100 tons per year in fiscal 2020. Due to a unique manufacturing method that mixes in native CNF during the process of polymerizing the raw material caprolactam, functionality...
Digest: Chemical Price Hike Announcements for Week of Feb. 6
A series of price hikes were announced by chemical companies during the week of Feb. 6 – Feb. 10. Unless noted otherwise, all price increases listed here are per kilogram. In caustic soda, Toagosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:4045) and Kureha Corp. (TYO:4023) will raise prices for solid conversion by no less than 10 yen ($0.09) on...
Japan’s Environment Ministry Starts Lightweight Vehicle Program Using CNF
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has launched the Nano Cellulose Vehicle (NCV) Project, aimed at using cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and resin compounds to reduce motor vehicle weight by 10 percent by 2020, thereby cutting vehicle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. A consortium for the project was launched in late October, comprising 20 research organizations and...
Toyota Boshoku, Mitsui Chemicals Look at Potential Partnership in High-impact Plastic
Toyota Boshoku Corp. (TYO:3116) announced on Nov. 10 that it is considering a partnership with Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (TYO:4183) pertaining to Toyota Boshoku’s business in high-impact plastic. The two companies will use their technical expertise and sales channels to promote the use of this material as a modifier for boosting the impact resistance of plastic....
Rabigh Phase 2 Project Completion Pushed Back to May 2017
An expected delay in the completion of a derivatives plant is set to push back the timeline on the Phase 2 expansion project of Rabigh Refining & Petrochemical Co., a joint venture for oil refinery and petrochemical business in Saudi Arabia between Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4005) and Saudi Aramco. The plant was initially set...
Riken Technos Develops High-heat Resistant TPV That Bonds With Polymide for Integral Molding
Riken Technos Corp. (TYO:4220) has developed a new thermoplastic vulcanite (TPV) product that can support areas requiring high-heat resistance, such as automobile engines compartments. Even at 150 degrees Celsius, it displays excellent compression set properties, surpasses the oil resistance of acrylic rubber, and can be used in fuel oil tanks and brake fluid reservoirs. The...
Kuraray to Partner with Sumitomo, PTTGC on Butadiene Derivatives in Thailand
Kuraray Co. Ltd. (TYO:3405) and Sumitomo Corp. (TYO:8053) announced on Sept. 13 that they have entered into discussions with Thai petrochemical giant PTT Global Chemical Co. Ltd. (PTTGC) regarding a potential business collaboration in Thailand on high-performance butadiene-derived resins and elastomers. The three firms have concluded a heads of agreement (HOA) on the front-end engineering...
Toray Expands Into Mexico With Airbag Materials
Toray Industries Inc. (TYO:3402) has announced plans to expand its business to Mexico, with full-scale production of polyamide 66 fiber and base fabric for use in airbags. The company will invest roughly 10 billion yen ($98.6048 million), and plans to establish a production base within the factory premises of its carbon fiber manufacturing subsidiary in...
