09.06.24
Osaka, Japan
www.toyobo-global.com
2023 Nonwovens Sales: $135 million
Key Personnel
Koji Nishizaka , head of sales section, nonwoven material of Toyobo MC; Masahito Nakao, president of Kureha
Plants
Tsuruga, Iwakuni and Shiga, Japan
Processes
Spunbond, needlepunch, chemical bonded, spunlace, thermal bonded, stitchbonded
Brand Names
Volans, Ecule, Bonden, Kurelock, Dynac, Breathair
Major Markets
Geotextiles, roofing sheets, carpet backings, automotive interiors, automotive filters, needlepunch carpets, hot melt bonding sheets, plaster bases
The production capacity of PET spunbond nonwovens at Toyobo MC is 12,000 tons/year. Kureha, a subsidiary of Toyobo MC, produces chemical bonded, needlepunch, thermal bonded, and spunbond nonwovens at a capacity of approximately 7000 tons/year. Yuho, also a subsidiary of Toyobo MC, produces needlepunch, spunlace and stitchbonded nonwovens at a capacity of about 3000 tons/year.
Nonwovens sales at Toyobo MC in 2023 for automotive applications increased due to higher automobile production. In the civil engineering-related sector, construction periods are lengthening due to labor shortages and restrictions on working hours, and demand for nonwovens is stagnating as a result. Sales of nonwoven construction fabrics for concrete structures were strong, but those for wooden housing decreased. In overseas markets, sales of nonwovens were also sluggish in China due to a decline in production by Japanese automakers, but in the U.S., sales of nonwovens were strong due to an increase in production by Japanese automakers.
In April 2023, Toyobo launched Toyobo MC, a joint venture with Mitsubishi, and transferred its nonwovens business to Toyobo MC. Toyobo MC is 51% owned by Toyobo and 49% by Mitsubishi, and Kureha and Yuho, previously subsidiaries of Toyobo, are now subsidiaries of Toyobo MC. In addition to nonwoven fabrics, various functional materials that Toyobo has developed are transferred to Toyobo MC. The joint venture was formed to develop functional materials globally by combining Toyobo’s technology with Mitsubishi’s overseas network. For example, overseas sales of automotive nonwovens have been limited to Japanese-affiliated automakers, but the collaboration with Mitsubishi will enable the company to approach non-Japanese automakers as well, which is expected to expand the company’s business performance in the future.
Toyobo MC’s nonwovens are doing particularly well with Breathair, which is used for cushioning materials. This is a nonwoven made of thick fibers of polyester thermoplastic elastomer, which has high air permeability and high resilience and is used for various cushioning materials. Among other things, it is widely used as a cushioning material for seats in railroad vehicles and is also used in bed mattresses. Breathair has a manufacturing facility in Japan with a capacity of 2200 tons/year and a facility in Germany with a capacity of 1100 tons/year. Toyobo MC is developing a technology to recycle used Breathair and reuse it as raw material. The virgin raw material is mixed with 25% recycled material to make the nonwoven. It is also developing biodegradable products, which can be composted under industrial composting conditions.
www.toyobo-global.com
2023 Nonwovens Sales: $135 million
Key Personnel
Koji Nishizaka , head of sales section, nonwoven material of Toyobo MC; Masahito Nakao, president of Kureha
Plants
Tsuruga, Iwakuni and Shiga, Japan
Processes
Spunbond, needlepunch, chemical bonded, spunlace, thermal bonded, stitchbonded
Brand Names
Volans, Ecule, Bonden, Kurelock, Dynac, Breathair
Major Markets
Geotextiles, roofing sheets, carpet backings, automotive interiors, automotive filters, needlepunch carpets, hot melt bonding sheets, plaster bases
The production capacity of PET spunbond nonwovens at Toyobo MC is 12,000 tons/year. Kureha, a subsidiary of Toyobo MC, produces chemical bonded, needlepunch, thermal bonded, and spunbond nonwovens at a capacity of approximately 7000 tons/year. Yuho, also a subsidiary of Toyobo MC, produces needlepunch, spunlace and stitchbonded nonwovens at a capacity of about 3000 tons/year.
Nonwovens sales at Toyobo MC in 2023 for automotive applications increased due to higher automobile production. In the civil engineering-related sector, construction periods are lengthening due to labor shortages and restrictions on working hours, and demand for nonwovens is stagnating as a result. Sales of nonwoven construction fabrics for concrete structures were strong, but those for wooden housing decreased. In overseas markets, sales of nonwovens were also sluggish in China due to a decline in production by Japanese automakers, but in the U.S., sales of nonwovens were strong due to an increase in production by Japanese automakers.
In April 2023, Toyobo launched Toyobo MC, a joint venture with Mitsubishi, and transferred its nonwovens business to Toyobo MC. Toyobo MC is 51% owned by Toyobo and 49% by Mitsubishi, and Kureha and Yuho, previously subsidiaries of Toyobo, are now subsidiaries of Toyobo MC. In addition to nonwoven fabrics, various functional materials that Toyobo has developed are transferred to Toyobo MC. The joint venture was formed to develop functional materials globally by combining Toyobo’s technology with Mitsubishi’s overseas network. For example, overseas sales of automotive nonwovens have been limited to Japanese-affiliated automakers, but the collaboration with Mitsubishi will enable the company to approach non-Japanese automakers as well, which is expected to expand the company’s business performance in the future.
Toyobo MC’s nonwovens are doing particularly well with Breathair, which is used for cushioning materials. This is a nonwoven made of thick fibers of polyester thermoplastic elastomer, which has high air permeability and high resilience and is used for various cushioning materials. Among other things, it is widely used as a cushioning material for seats in railroad vehicles and is also used in bed mattresses. Breathair has a manufacturing facility in Japan with a capacity of 2200 tons/year and a facility in Germany with a capacity of 1100 tons/year. Toyobo MC is developing a technology to recycle used Breathair and reuse it as raw material. The virgin raw material is mixed with 25% recycled material to make the nonwoven. It is also developing biodegradable products, which can be composted under industrial composting conditions.
