01.01.04
Location: Osaka, Japan
Sales: $66 MILLION
Description: Key Personnel
Seiich Takigawa, general manager, Kuraflex department 1; Mamoru Fujiwara, general manager, Kuraflex department 2
Plants
Okayama and Saijo
Processes
Resin bonded, thermal bonded, spunlaced and meltblown
Brand names
Kuraflex, Microflex
Major markets
Coverstock, wipes, medical and household materials
Nonwovens capacity at Kuraray is 10,500 tons per year in its Kuraflex division, which includes thermal bonded, spunlaced and resin bonded nonwovens and 1800 tons of Microflex meltblown nonwovens. Kuraflex Ibaragi produces another 3500 tons per year of spunlaced nonwovens.
Kuraflex mainly targets the wet wipe and diaper coverstock markets, which account for more than 70% of the division’s total sales. These markets recently been characterized by severe price competition keeping their value ratios low. This is especially the case with Kuraflex’s thermal bonded nonwovens for the coverstock market, which has seen stiff competition from spunbonded nonwovens. Kuraflex has been working on developing new uses for this material.
Another focus of Kuraray’s research and development has been fibers. The company has produced the fiber brand Vectran from a liquid crystal polymer. Vectran is a highly efficient fiber that is heat resistant up to 400°C and has a tensile strength of 22cN/dtex. The cloth made from these fibers was used in air bags on Mars probes to help them land.
Kuraray has already commercialized the nonwovens made from Vectran and is also producing meltblown nonwovens using the same liquid crystal polymer technology. In fact, the company has installed a line dedicated to this type of technology at its Saijo site. This line can produce 150 tons of the material per year. Capacity is going toward electronic applications such as reinforcing materials for printed wiring boards and electrical insulating paper.
Sales: $66 MILLION
Description: Key Personnel
Seiich Takigawa, general manager, Kuraflex department 1; Mamoru Fujiwara, general manager, Kuraflex department 2
Plants
Okayama and Saijo
Processes
Resin bonded, thermal bonded, spunlaced and meltblown
Brand names
Kuraflex, Microflex
Major markets
Coverstock, wipes, medical and household materials
Nonwovens capacity at Kuraray is 10,500 tons per year in its Kuraflex division, which includes thermal bonded, spunlaced and resin bonded nonwovens and 1800 tons of Microflex meltblown nonwovens. Kuraflex Ibaragi produces another 3500 tons per year of spunlaced nonwovens.
Kuraflex mainly targets the wet wipe and diaper coverstock markets, which account for more than 70% of the division’s total sales. These markets recently been characterized by severe price competition keeping their value ratios low. This is especially the case with Kuraflex’s thermal bonded nonwovens for the coverstock market, which has seen stiff competition from spunbonded nonwovens. Kuraflex has been working on developing new uses for this material.
Another focus of Kuraray’s research and development has been fibers. The company has produced the fiber brand Vectran from a liquid crystal polymer. Vectran is a highly efficient fiber that is heat resistant up to 400°C and has a tensile strength of 22cN/dtex. The cloth made from these fibers was used in air bags on Mars probes to help them land.
Kuraray has already commercialized the nonwovens made from Vectran and is also producing meltblown nonwovens using the same liquid crystal polymer technology. In fact, the company has installed a line dedicated to this type of technology at its Saijo site. This line can produce 150 tons of the material per year. Capacity is going toward electronic applications such as reinforcing materials for printed wiring boards and electrical insulating paper.