Kuraray expands poval, styrenic elastomer operations

Japanese synthetics producer Kuraray has completed trial production of optical-use poval (polyvinyl alcohol or PVA) film for polarised film, an essential component of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) at its subsidiary Kuraray Tamashima Co., Ltd. in Kurashiki City in Japan.

Full-fledged operations of the additional third and fourth production lines have commenced, adding a total of 30 million sq. m. (15 million sq. m. per line) to Kuraray Tamashima''s annual production capacity. This takes Kuraray Tamashima''s total annual production capacity to 60 million sq. m., and group capacity (including that at Kuraray Saijo Co. Ltd.) to 91 million sq. m.

The new production facilities can make wide poval film used in large-screen LCDs. According to the company, VF-PE, a new optical-use poval film these plants can produce, has substantially improved optical properties. Poval film''s superior transparency, dye affinity, antistatic properties and stretchability make it an optimal base for the production of polarised film, a principal component of LCDs.

Meanwhile, in response to rising demand, Kuraray Plastics has decided to expand its capacity for styrenic elastomer compound. It will add of 2,500 tons of annual capacity to take total manufacturing capacity to 5,000 tons by March 2008.

Styrenic elastomer compound is a ready-to-mould material that combines olefin resins, process oil and various additives with styrenic elastomer as the base resin. Kuraray Plastics makes styrenic elastomer compound mainly by using hydrogenated styrenic thermoplastic elastomers, and sells it under the trademark of SEPTON. This compound, the company says, has superior weather resistance properties; it is currently used in such applications as automobile interiors, home electronics, electronics components, home building materials, sporting goods, as well as in such common objects as toys, industrial tools and writing implements.

The Kuraray management expects demand for styrenic elastomer compound to increase in applications like food containers, sealing material for precision electronic devices, and soft touch grips. According to a company source, Kuraray Plastics "is developing materials that possess functionalities suited to user needs such as styrenic elastomer compound with specifically improved adhesion, abrasion and heat resistance, innovative soft biomass plastic, and new, high-value-added materials".

Kuraray, founded in 1926 as Kurashiki Kenshoku Company to produce rayon, commercialised vinylon fibre and textiles, and synthetic fibre and textiles in the 1950s. Adding synthetic leather to its product portfolio in the 1960s, Kuraray established a series of new businesses in the 1970s, including contact lenses, artificial organs, dental materials, and other medical businesses, gas barrier resin EVAL and a non-woven fabric business.

In the 1980s, Kuraray built a joint venture in the US to make and market EVAL, and in the 1990s, it established an EVAL production plant in Belgium and a poval resin manufacturing facility in Singapore. Recently it acquired a poval-related business portfolio in Germany, and began production of SEPTON in the US.