Kureha: Expansion of PPS capacities planned

The Japanese chemical company Kureha plans to expand its polyphenylsulfide (PPS) production.

As the company announced in a press release, new plants with an annual capacity of 5,000 metric tons are to be built at the Iwaki site in Fukushima Prefecture. The new complex is expected to be completed in September 2020 and regular production is scheduled to start in February 2021. The company estimates the necessary investments at around JPY 10 billion (76.4 million Euro).

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So far, Kureha's Honshū site on the east coast of Japan's main island has capacity to produce approximately 10,700 tons of PPS per year. With the capacity expansion, the company is responding to the further growth in demand, especially in the automotive industry. According to the latest release, Kureha intends to continue its cooperation with the Japanese company Polyplastics, which produces PPS compounds under the Durafide brand.

Kureha, based in Tokyo, produces PPS, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyglycolic acid (PGA), plastic packaging and specialty chemicals. For the first nine months of fiscal 2017/18, the company reports an 18 percent increase in sales to JPY 110.2 billion (842 billion Euro), with operating profit up 34 percent to JPY 12.5 billion (96 million Euro) and net income up 30 percent to JPY 9.5 billion (73 million Euro).

More information: www.kureha.co.jp, www.polyplastics.com

Kureha, Tokio, Japan