01.01.10
Location: Osaka, Japan
Sales: $195 million
Description: Key Personnel
Toshio Takanashi, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, spunbond fabric sales; Tetsuya Nakamura, general manager, Bemliese sales
Plants
Moriyama, Nobeoka, Japan
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown
Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Semia, Smash, Precise
Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packaging, white blood corpuscle removing filters
Nonwovens production capacity at Asahi Kasei is 13,000 tons of SMMS, 13,000 of polypropylene-based spunbond; 5500 tons of polyester spunbond, 3500 tons of nylon spunbond, 4500 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens, 2000 tons of Precise, the group’s composite spunbond nonwovens and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens.
In 2009, Asahi Kasei’s nonwovens business did suffer from decreased earnings but performance started to recover during he second half of the year, thanks largely to growth in new products and applications. For instance, Asahi Kasei’s new polyester spunbonded nonwovens, sold under the brand name Smash, are performing well in molded applications, particularly filter bags for dust collectors. Filter bags made with Smash offer improved breathability, leading to a reduction in the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumptions at the time of using the filter.
Another newer product, Precise, an SMS nonwoven made from PET, which acts as a support material, with another layer of SMS, made from PPS, has offered a number of new applications.
As for the cupra spunbonded nonwovens, sold under the Bemliese brand name, the technical windshield wiper business has been sluggish because of the delay of the electronics industry but the products used in medical gauze and cosmetic products has strengthened.
Turning back to Asahi Kasei’s more traditional nonwovens business, the company is making 26,000 tons of polypropylene SMMS material for the diaper market. So far, production of this material has been limited to Japan, despite increased demand for the material in China, because the company feels they do not have the competitive edge needed to make overseas expansion worth its while.
Sales: $195 million
Description: Key Personnel
Toshio Takanashi, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, spunbond fabric sales; Tetsuya Nakamura, general manager, Bemliese sales
Plants
Moriyama, Nobeoka, Japan
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown
Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Semia, Smash, Precise
Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packaging, white blood corpuscle removing filters
Nonwovens production capacity at Asahi Kasei is 13,000 tons of SMMS, 13,000 of polypropylene-based spunbond; 5500 tons of polyester spunbond, 3500 tons of nylon spunbond, 4500 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens, 2000 tons of Precise, the group’s composite spunbond nonwovens and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens.
In 2009, Asahi Kasei’s nonwovens business did suffer from decreased earnings but performance started to recover during he second half of the year, thanks largely to growth in new products and applications. For instance, Asahi Kasei’s new polyester spunbonded nonwovens, sold under the brand name Smash, are performing well in molded applications, particularly filter bags for dust collectors. Filter bags made with Smash offer improved breathability, leading to a reduction in the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumptions at the time of using the filter.
Another newer product, Precise, an SMS nonwoven made from PET, which acts as a support material, with another layer of SMS, made from PPS, has offered a number of new applications.
As for the cupra spunbonded nonwovens, sold under the Bemliese brand name, the technical windshield wiper business has been sluggish because of the delay of the electronics industry but the products used in medical gauze and cosmetic products has strengthened.
Turning back to Asahi Kasei’s more traditional nonwovens business, the company is making 26,000 tons of polypropylene SMMS material for the diaper market. So far, production of this material has been limited to Japan, despite increased demand for the material in China, because the company feels they do not have the competitive edge needed to make overseas expansion worth its while.