News Releases 2011
Kuraray to Boost EVAL Production Capacity in the United States
Addressing the Expansion in Global Demand for Barrier-Type "Mirabakesso"* EVAL
October 31, 2011
Kuraray Co., Ltd.
Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Fumio Ito; "Kuraray") today announces that it will boost the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH resin; Kuraray trademark: EVAL) production capacity of Kuraray America, Inc., a wholly owned Kuraray subsidiary located in the U.S. state of Texas. Brief details are as follows.
* Derived from the campaign phrase Mirai ni Bakeru Shinsozai, which can be literally translated as "new materials that transform into the future"
Background of Capacity Enhancement
- EVAL boasts superior gas barrier properties. Thanks to this feature, EVAL demand is steadily expanding, particularly for food packaging applications that offer better food preservation and for automobile fuel tanks that effectively prevent hydrocarbon emissions.
- In recent years, EVAL applications have expanded to include wallpaper, pipes for floor heating systems and thermal insulation boards for refrigerators.
- Previously, the increase in EVAL demand has 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 concluded that it is necessary to boost its EVAL production capacity.
Overview of Capacity Enhancement
| Location | EVAL Plant of Kuraray America, Inc. (Pasadena, Texas, the United States) |
|---|---|
| Capacity increase | 12,000 tons/year |
| Schedule | Expanded facilities to start operations in January 2014 |
| Capital investment | Approx. ¥4.0 billion |
Kuraray Group's EVAL Production Capacity
| Current Capacity | Enhancement | Enhanced Capacity | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuraray America, Inc. | 35,000 | 12,000 | 47,000 | Texas, the United States |
| EVAL Europe N.V. | 24,000 | 24,000 | Antwerp, Belgium | |
| Kuraray Co., Ltd. | 10,000 | 10,000 | Okayama, Japan | |
| Total | 69,000 | 12,000 | 81,000 |
Kuraray America, Inc.
| Company name | Kuraray America, Inc. |
|---|---|
| President | Kenichi Abe |
| Capital | US$10.1 million (100% investment by Kuraray Holdings U.S.A., Inc.) |
| Employees | Approx. 210 |
| Business | Imports and sales of Kuraray chemical and textile products; manufacture and sales of EVOH resin and thermoplastic elastomer |
| Location | 2625 Bay Area Blvd. Suite 300 Houston, Texas 77058-1551, U.S.A. |
EVAL
- EVAL is Kuraray's trademark for EVOH resin.
- Kuraray was the first to commercialize this high-performance resin, which it launched in 1972. EVAL boasts the highest level of gas barrier properties among all plastics. Kuraray commands an approximately 65% share of the global EVOH resin market.
