Japan’s ethylene production volume for April 2018 dropped 11.8 percent year-on-year to 484,300 tons, according to a May 24 report from the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association. Two ethylene facilities in...
resins
Mitsubishi Chemical Aims to Make Biodegradable Resins Using 100% Biomass
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. intends to shift to using entirely biomass-derived raw materials for its biodegradable resins. The company hopes that working toward this goal will allow it to positively respond...
Chuetsu Teams With Universities to Develop CNF for Medical, Resin Applications
Chuetsu Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd. (TYO:3877) is partnering with universities to augment research and development into cellulose nanofiber (CNF). As part of this, the company is working with the...
Interview: Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics CEO Discusses Booming Resin Operations
Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corp. (MEP) appears to be enjoying success across the board of late, with major resin lines largely exceeding expectations. President and CEO Yasushi Kosaka recently took some time...
Unitika’s Nanocon Finds Adoption in European Auto Industry
Unitika Ltd. (TYO:3103) recently saw its Nanocon polyamide 6 dyed resin get picked up for use in the European auto industry. Featuring a high-gloss metallic appearance and planned for application...
Sumitomo Chemical Develops New Resin for Comfortable Clothing
Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4005) is entering the market for comfortable clothing materials with the development of a new resin that can regulate temperature. Existing thermal clothing is made of...
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical to Use New Polyester Resin in Functional Fibers
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co. Inc. (TYO:4182) is looking to cultivate new ground in the functional fiber market with Altester, a new polyester resin with excellent heat resistance and transparency. To...
JXTG Develops New Technology That Applies Metal-Level EMC to Resin Products
JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. has developed technology capable of applying metal-equivalent electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) to resin molded products. The Japanese petroleum company aims to promote the product primarily...
JPCA Report: All Major Petrochemical Products Saw Increased Production in 2017
The Japan Petrochemical Industry Association (JPCA) reported on Jan. 25 that production of 18 major chemical products in 2017 exceeded the previous year’s figures. Factors behind this trend include domestic...
Sumitomo Bakelite Sets Sights on Technology to Combine Resin With Metal
Sumitomo Bakelite Co. Ltd. (TYO:4203) is setting out to develop technology for the combination of thermosetting composites and metals. Such combined materials could see use in automotive applications, such as...
Western Chemical Companies in Japan – Part 9: Celanese
The Chemical Daily recently conducted a round of interviews with the heads of Japanese subsidiaries of Western chemical companies. For this installment, we talked with Hajime Suzuki, managing director Japan....
Sumitomo Chemical Set to Boost Photoresist Production
Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4005) plans to increase its production of photoresist, a light-sensitive resin used in semiconductor production, at its Osaka Works plant within fiscal 2017. The company will...
Mitsubishi Chemical Prepares to Absorb Nippon Kasei Chemical
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. has begun preparations for an absorption in April 2018 of Tokyo-based subsidiary and inorganic materials manufacturer Nippon Kasei Chemical Co. Ltd. The absorption-type merger will see Nippon...
Sumitomo Bakelite to Boost European Production of Phenolic Resins for Housing Insulation
Sumitomo Bakelite Co. Ltd. (TYO:4203) will increase its production of phenolic resins in Europe for housing insulation applications. To this end, the company is installing new production equipment at its...
JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Develops New Weight-Reducing Prepreg
JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. has developed a new prepreg technology using the company’s proprietary resin. Compared to conventional epoxy resin prepregs, including carbon fiber, the new technology allows...
Sumitomo Bakelite to Double Production of Long-Fiber-Reinforced Resin in US
Sumitomo Bakelite Co. Ltd. (TYO:4203) will double its production capacity in the U.S. for long-fiber-reinforced resin molding material. The Japanese chemical manufacturer hopes to capture demand for the material in...
Henkel Opens Composite Technology Center in Yokohama
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA plans to expand its automotive composites business in Asia. As part of its strategy, the firm has opened a technical support center for composite parts...
Nippon Paper Aims to Mass-Produce World’s First CNF-Reinforced Automotive Resins
Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. (TYO:3863) is moving forward with plans to commercialize resins reinforced with cellulose nanofiber (CNF) for automotive applications. The firm has invested a total of 300...
Hitachi Chemical Develops World’s First Resin Injection Foam-Molding Technology for Automotive Exterior Parts
Hitachi Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4217) has developed the world’s first resin injection foam-molding technology for automotive exterior parts. The technology enables the production of attractive, lightweight material that maintains the...
Toyota Boshoku, Mitsui Chemicals to Form Business Alliance for High Impact-Resistant Plastic
Toyota Boshoku Corp. (TYO:3116) and Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (TYO:4183) announced on April 11 that they will form a business alliance for the commercialization of high impact-resistant plastic. Using patents owned...
