Kuraray : Addressing the Expansion in Global Demand Kuraray Decides to Boost EVAL™ Production Capacity in the United States and Europe
August 08, 2023 at 10:07 pm EDT
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Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku; President: Hitoshi Kawahara) announces a planned increase of its globally in-demand ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH resin; Kuraray trademark: EVAL™) production capacity in its bases of operation in the United States and Europe.
A total of 5,000 tons/year will be added to the capacity of U.S., and European bases of operation in 2024, with another 5,000 tons/year to be added in 2026. This 10,000-tons/year total capacity increase will bring global production capacity from the present 103,000 tons/year to 113,000 tons/year.
Also, as detailed in the PASSION 2026 medium-term management plan, a project team established last year is currently deliberating on the creation of a new base of operations in Asia.
We anticipate that the need for food packaging will continue to increase in Asia, where the market for EVOH resin is expanding significantly. To improve our capacity to react swiftly to our customer needs, we intend to set up a technical center at the new Asian base of operations.
Background of Capacity Expansion
EVAL™ is frequently used for food packaging due to its outstanding gas barrier qualities, which guard against deterioration of the contents.
We expect that demand for EVA™L will rise even further in the future as food packaging shifts to using just one type of material, as required for a circular economy, and as food products become more long-lasting to reduce food waste.
The increase in EVAL™ demand had been centered primarily in industrialized nations, such as Japan and the United States, as well as those in Europe. However, demand is now rising in emerging nations. To secure a stable supply structure, Kuraray has determined that it is necessary to boost its EVAL™ production capacity.
In 1972, Kuraray became the first company to industrialize this functional resin, which has the highest level of gas impermeability among polymers (global market share: approx. 60%, Kuraray survey)
Reference
Kuraray America Inc.
Company name
Kuraray America, Inc.
President
Takaharu Kawahara
Capital
US$10.1 million (wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Holdings U.S.A., Inc.)
Employees
Approx. 840
Business
Import and sale of fiber and textile products, resins, and chemicals; Production and sale of poval resins, polyvinyl butyral films, ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer resins (EVAL™) and thermoplastic elastomers
Location
2625 Bay Area Boulevard, Suite 600 Houston, TX. 77058-1551 U.S.A.
EVAL Europe N.V.
Company name
EVAL Europe N.V.
President
Berend Bootsma
Capital
€29.7 million (wholly owned by Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
Employees
Approx. 170
Business
Production and sale of ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer resins (EVAL™)
Location
Haven1053, Nieuwe Weg1-Bus10 B-2070 Zwijndrecht (Antwerpen), Belgium
Kuraray Co. Ltd. published this content on 09 August 2023 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 09 August 2023 02:05:48 UTC.
Kuraray Co., Ltd. is the world's leader in the manufacturing and marketing of chemical products, resins and synthetic fibers. Net sales break down by family of products as follows:
- chemical and resin (45.6%): functional resins and films, elastometers, thermoplastics, adhesives, fine chemistry products, etc. primarily for cosmetic products, televisions and mobile phones screens, foot packaging and paper manufacturing;
- fibers and textile products (29.8%): synthetic fibers and man-made leather, polyester, nonwoven textile products, resins, etc. sold under the brands Kuralon, Clarino Vectran and Kuraflex;
- functional materials (18.8%): methacrylic resin, medical chemicals, carbon materials, etc.;
- other (5.8%): primarily dental treatment and water purifying products.
At the end of 2019, the group had 52 production worldwide.
Net sales break down geographically as follows: Japan (27.1%), China (13.8%), Asia (12.3%), Europe (23.6%), the United States (18.5%) and other (4.7%).