The decision has been reached by Asahi
Chemical to expand its Nobeoka polymerization plant
capacity for Leona® nylon 66 resins to 72,000 metric
tons per year, from its current level of 42,000 tons
per year.
Background and circumstances of expansion
Asahi Chemical is the only
Asian nylon 66 manufacturer with the vertically intergrated
capability for nylon 66 production from basic raw materials
to end products. Its Leona® nylon 66 production
and business operations extend from its highly cost
competitive cyclohexene process for cyclohexanol, adipic
acid, and other intermediate materials, to tire cord,
industrial materials and components, and engineering
plastics.
To the present, Asahi Chemical has
conducted extensive debottlenecking throughout its
Leona® production facilities, to meet the rising
demand for Leona® resins particularly as an engineering
plastic for applications in the automotive, electrical
and electronic, office automation, and other related
fields. The continuing high operating rates of these
facilities, and the clear prospect for a further substantial
rise in demand, have led to the decision for expansion
of the Leona® polymerization plant.
Expansion schedule
| Facility: |
Leona® nylon 66 resins
polymerization plant |
| Size of expansion: |
30,000 metric tons per year |
| Capital investment: |
Approx. ¥3 billion |
| Site of expansion: |
Leona® Plant, Nobeoka
City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
| Groundbreaking: |
June 2000 |
| Targeted start-up: |
October 2001 |
| Resulting plant capacity: |
72,000 metric tons per
year, resins
105,000 metric tons per year, resins and fibers
|
Continuing development and growth in nylon
66
Nylon 66 at Asahi Chemical
is positioned as a key competitive-superiority segment
of the current and future corporate business operations,
and is targeted for vigorous and continuing expansion
and growth. The planned expansion of the polymerization
facility, together with the strong and rising sale of
intermediate materials to other companies, will result
in high operating rates at its adipic acid and cyclohexanol
production facilities, and the construction of a new,
large-scale facility for their production is now under
study. In the next stage of expansion of its nylon 66
resins polymerization capacity, overseas siting of a
new polymerization facility will be considered, in accordance
with the expanding demand for this product in the overseas
markets.
|
