Update: Tosoh raising chloroprene rubber prices

Tokyo - Tosoh Corp. is increasing prices for exported chloroprene rubber (CR) sold under the Skyprene brand name, the Japanese company announced 1 Nov.

The "general" increase will see prices will rise by $400 and €360 a tonne from 1 Jan, 2017, according to the Tosoh statement.

Tosoh said that over recent years it had strived to offset or absorb costs and that the export price rise was "necessary so as to ensure ability to stably supply [CR]."

The company statement went on to ask for customers' understanding regarding the increase.

Tosoh has a chloroprene rubber capacity of around 34 kilotonnes per annum, said Masayuki Kitani, business development & sales manager, Tosoh Europe BV said in reply to ERJ's enquiry.

The Japanese company is a producer and supplier of both CR and chlorosulphonated polyethylene,businesses which are positioned within its petrochemical group.

In May, the company reported that shipments of both rubber materials was benefiting from improved export prices because of the weaker yen.

In early 2015, Tosoh announced that it was looking to expand its chlorosulphonated polyethylene capacity.

Asked for an update on this proposed project, Kitani replied: “We are still considering the possibility, though we  havn’t reached a conclusion.”