Tosoh expanding CR production in Japan

Tokyo, Japan — Tosoh is increasing production capacity for chloroprene rubber (CR) at its manufacturing site in Nanyo Complex, Shunan City, in southern Japan.

Tosoh will carry out a debottlenecking project to raise capacity of the plant by 3 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) to 37ktpa, a company spokesman told ERJ in a written statement.

With an allocated Yen5 billion (€41.8 million) budget, the project is set to start in August and complete by October 2021, said Tosoh in a statement 1 Aug.

The company will then gauge the profitability and “consider possibility for further expansion including the construction of a new plant,” Kazuhiro Masuda, business development & sales manager, Tosoh Europe BV told ERJ.

The Nanyo plant is Tosoh's only CR production unit.

Marketed under the Brand Skyprene, Tosoh’s chloroprene rubber is used in automotive hoses and belts, industrial parts, and adhesives.

The company said the decision to increase capacity was prompted by continued supply tightness in the market, driven especially by increasing demand for medical gloves.