Asahi Kasei Corporation will construct
a new facility for the production of polycarbonatediol (PCD),
a polyurethane intermediate, as an integral part of the expansion
and growth of its Performance Chemicals operations. The plant
to be constructed at Asahi Kasei’s Mizushima plant complex,
with a capacity of 3500 tons/year, will be the largest PCD
plant in Asia.
Polyurethane made with PCD features outstanding weatherability
and resistance to hydrolysis. Principal applications are high-performance
synthetic leather for automotive and furniture upholstery,
and water-resistant polyurethane elastomers. Recent years
have seen a significant rise in demand for synthetic leather
in the automotive sector, as auto makers increasingly seek
to utilize ecologically sound materials and consumers increasingly
favor automotive upholstery with the look and feel of real
leather. As a result, domestic Japanese demand for synthetic
leather made from polyurethane has grown to record levels,
and demand for PCD as an intermediate has grown apace.
Sustained growth in worldwide demand for polyurethanes made
with PCD is foreseen, with heightened environmental concern
leading to increased use in place of polyvinyl chloride as
synthetic leather for automotive upholstery, and regulation
of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) leading to increased
adoption by the auto industry of water-based paints using
polyurethane made with PCD.
Asahi Kasei’s PCD differs from ordinary PCD in that it enables
the production of synthetic leather with exceptional softness.
Small-scale production is presently performed on consignment
by a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei, and users in
Japan, Asia, Europe, and North America have recognized the
outstanding performance characteristics of our unique PCD.
Large-scale production has now been made possible through
technological development and process innovation, leading
to the decision to construct a 3500 ton/year plant. This large
expansion of PCD capacity will solidify our position as the
leading Asian producer of polyurethane intermediates, notably
adipic acid and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI), and heighten
our ability to comprehensively meet the needs of polyurethane
users throughout the world.
Overview of plant construction
Production capacity: 3500 tons/year
Site: Mizushima complex, Kurashiki, Okayama
Completion schedule: December 2002
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