09.01.11
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en
2011 Nonwovens Sales: $246 million
Key Personnel: Toshio Takanashi, general manager, Nonwoven Fabrics Division; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, Spunbond Fabric Sales; Tetsuya Nakamura, general manager, Bemliese Sales
Plants: Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan
Processes: Spunbond, meltblown
Brands: Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise
Major Markets: Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packing, white blood corpuscle removing filters
On an annual basis, Japan’s Asahi Kasei can make 13,000 tons of SMMS; 13,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond; 5,500 tons of polyester spunbond; 3,500 tons of nylon spunbond; 4,500 tons of cupra spunbond; 2,000 tons of compound spunbond nonwovens; and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens. Additionally, its Thai subsidiary, Asahi Kasei Spunbond Thailand (AKST), will start making spunbond nonwovens this month. Announced in 2011, this subsidiary will initially be able to make 20,000 tons of SMMS material per year and expansion could happen as early as 2014, depending on market conditions. The new site will serve Southeast Asia and India (60%), China (30%) and Japan (10%). End-use markets will be topsheets and backsheets for diapers.
According to Nonwovens Industry Far East correspondent, Kin Ohmura, polyester and nylon spunbond nonwovens showed favorable trends in 2011. Sales of Smash, Asahi’s polyester spunbond nonwovens, increased in coffee filters due to its excellent thermoforming characteristics. Meanwhile, nylon spunbond nonwovens have been used as the packaging medium in a chemical-based, portable body warmer. Demand for this product has increased since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan and Asahi has increased production in line with this demand.
Bemliese, the cupra spunbonded nonwovens, has also performed well in 2011, largely in the skin care, face mask and sanitizing wipes markets where increases have offset softness in the technical windshield wiper maker. Demand for this product in skin care applications has been particularly strong in overseas markets such as China and Korea but domestic demand has also been consistent.
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en
2011 Nonwovens Sales: $246 million
Key Personnel: Toshio Takanashi, general manager, Nonwoven Fabrics Division; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, Spunbond Fabric Sales; Tetsuya Nakamura, general manager, Bemliese Sales
Plants: Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan
Processes: Spunbond, meltblown
Brands: Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise
Major Markets: Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packing, white blood corpuscle removing filters
On an annual basis, Japan’s Asahi Kasei can make 13,000 tons of SMMS; 13,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond; 5,500 tons of polyester spunbond; 3,500 tons of nylon spunbond; 4,500 tons of cupra spunbond; 2,000 tons of compound spunbond nonwovens; and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens. Additionally, its Thai subsidiary, Asahi Kasei Spunbond Thailand (AKST), will start making spunbond nonwovens this month. Announced in 2011, this subsidiary will initially be able to make 20,000 tons of SMMS material per year and expansion could happen as early as 2014, depending on market conditions. The new site will serve Southeast Asia and India (60%), China (30%) and Japan (10%). End-use markets will be topsheets and backsheets for diapers.
According to Nonwovens Industry Far East correspondent, Kin Ohmura, polyester and nylon spunbond nonwovens showed favorable trends in 2011. Sales of Smash, Asahi’s polyester spunbond nonwovens, increased in coffee filters due to its excellent thermoforming characteristics. Meanwhile, nylon spunbond nonwovens have been used as the packaging medium in a chemical-based, portable body warmer. Demand for this product has increased since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan and Asahi has increased production in line with this demand.
Bemliese, the cupra spunbonded nonwovens, has also performed well in 2011, largely in the skin care, face mask and sanitizing wipes markets where increases have offset softness in the technical windshield wiper maker. Demand for this product in skin care applications has been particularly strong in overseas markets such as China and Korea but domestic demand has also been consistent.