Kuraray raising elastomer prices again

Tokyo -  Kuraray has announced that its elastomers business unit will raise the prices for a range of materials in all regions with effect from 15 April

The increase of $0.23 per pound covers all of the company’s Septon, Hybrar and TU-Polymer elastomers, the company announced 6 April.

This is the third time in less than six months that Kuraray is raising prices for the same elastomers.

The company introduced similar price hikes on the materials at the start of December last year and in February earlier this year.

Explaining the latest measures, the company said increasing feedstock prices, utility and logistics costs had been much higher than estimated. 

“This time, it is necessary again to recover a portion of these increases to ensure ongoing supply and new product innovation,” stated Kuraray.

According to Kuraray's website, Septon is a recyclable thermoplastic rubber that "possesses high elasticity, high strength, weather resistance, low temperature properties, chemical resistance (acid, alkali, alcohol), heat aging resistance, and electrical property (insulation)."

The material can be used in various applications including automotive parts, medical parts, toys and sporting goods.

Hybrar is a triblock co-polymer with polystyrene end blocks and a vinyl bonded rich polydiene mid-block.

The polymer has "high vibration damping and shock absorption properties," and can be processed in a variety of forms, including films, tubes and injection moulding.