Asahi Kasei’s Fibers & Textiles SBU will expand its production capacity for Leona™ nylon 66 filament in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan.

With exceptional strength, heat resistance, durability, and light weight, Leona™ nylon 66 filament is widely used in industrial applications, notably airbags and tire cord for the automotive industry, satisfying rigorous quality requirements. Under the Cs for Tomorrow 2018 medium-term management initiative, Asahi Kasei has identified automotive markets as a focus for expansion in the Material sector, which includes fibers and textiles operations. Leona™ nylon 66 filament is enjoying remarkable growth in its predominant application of airbags, as vehicle production in Asia increases and the airbag installation rate rises in line with heightened safety requirements. This capacity expansion will enable Asahi Kasei to meet increasing demand as the market continues to grow.

Outline

Location

Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan

Product

Leona™ nylon 66 filament

Capacity

Approximately 5,000 tons/year
(currently approximately 33,000 tons /year)

Groundbreaking

February 2018

Start-up

First half of fiscal 2019

Ryujiro Yoshino, Senior General Manager of the Leona Filament Division, said, “With increased capacity for Leona™ nylon 66 filament, we will meet the strong demand growth which is being driven by greater vehicle production, stricter safety regulations, and the use of more airbags per vehicle. We will work to further enhance our supply configuration, considering subsequent capacity expansions, as we continue to expand the business.”