Asahi Kasei


Location: Osaka, Japan

Sales: $167 million

Description: Key Personnel
Munenori Isoda, general manager, nonwoven fabric division; Yoshikazu Ban, general manager, spunbonded fabric sales; Mitsuharu takahashi, general manager, Bemliese/Coldon sales; Yukihisa Ilirano, general manager, new nonwovens business promotion

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka

Processes
Spunbonded, spunlaced, melt blown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Ellush, Coldon, Shaleria

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

The big news from roll goods supplier Asahi Kasei, Osaka, Japan, was the completion of a 420 cm wide SMMS production line, capable of producing 13,000 tons of material per year in Nobeoka, Japan. The new line is currently operating at about 30% capacity but company executives expect 80% of the capacity to be utilized by the end of the year. SMMS’ continued immunity from pricing pressures as well as the continued ramp-up of this material is expected to contribute to increased sales and earnings for Asahi Kasei in the future.
 
In terms of other capacity, Asahi Kasei currently produces 12,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond, 6000 tons of polyester spunbond and 4000 tons of nylon spunbonded materials per year. Additionally, the company produces 4000 tons of its cupra spunbonded nonwovens, 500 tons of spunlaced materials and 200 tons of melt blown materials. End use markets include coverstock, wipes, gauze, packaging and white blood corpuscle removing filters.
 
Asahi Kasei has been busy shifting its production capabilities to meet the demands of the market. This year, a company plan to convert one of its polypropylene spunbond lines (representing 2000 tons of capacity) to polyester was postponed to 2003 because demand for polyester spunbond had decreased.
 
In June 2002, Asahi Kasei began to produce household cleaning wipes made from its cupra spunbonded nonwovens at a new facility in Malaysia. Representing the company’s first converting operations outside of Japan, the new plant is expected to produce 12,000 cases of wipes per year. Until the new plant was constructed, Asahi had been shipping a portion of the 80,000 cases of wiping products it manufactures in Japan into Southeast Asia. The roll goods in the wipes are made in Japan and converted and packaged in Malaysia.
Location: Osaka, Japan

Sales: $147 million

Description: Key Personnel
Yoshikazu Ban, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division/spunbonded fabric sales: Mitsuharu Takahash, general manager, Bemliese/Coldon sales; Yukihisa Hirano, general manager, new nonwovens business promotion

Plants
Moriyam, Noveoka

Processes
Spunbonded, spunlaced, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Ellush, Coldon, Shaleria

Major Markets
Coverstock wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Asahi Kasei, Osaka, Japan can  produce 13,000 tons of SMS, 12,000 tons of polypropylene spunbonded, 6000 tons of polyester spunbonded, 4000 tons of nylon spunbonded, 4000 of cupra spunbonded, 500 tons of spunlaced and 200 tons of meltblown materials per year. In 2002, sales of SMMS and polypropylene spunbonded nonwovens were brisk, unlike polyester spunbonded and nylon spunbonded sales, which decreased. Meanwhile, Asahi’s Cupra-based spunbonded material, which is exclusively offered by the company, saw its sales decrease in early 2002 and pick up during the second half of the year.

Higher prices of polypropylene, polyester and nylon, deteriorated profit levels in Asahi Kasei’s spunbond  business, a situation that  the company countered with a pricing increases across the board in April 2003. Asahi Kasei had not raised prices since December 2000 when it levied increases in the polyester and nylon categories. At that time, polypropylene products were not subject to increases because of the intense price competition in the segment. This time, however, polypropylene prices were raised, a measure that was followed by many of Asahi’s competitors, according to executives.
 
A large portion of Asahi Kasei’s business targets wipes, a market that is not expected to grow within Japan and Southeast Asia in upcoming years. This prompted Asahi  Kasei, in June 2002, to construct a facility in  Malayasia, dedicated to manufacturing wipes for cleanroom applications. In another effort to boost its wipes business, Asahi Kasei has formed an alliance with an unnamed U.S.-based wipe manufacturer to export roll goods into the U.S. Asahi Kasei expects to export 100 tons of material there in 2003. This figure is expected to rise to 500 tons by 2005.
Location: Osaka, Japan

Sales: $167 MILLION

Description: Key Personnel
Yoshikazu Ban, general manager of nonwoven fabrics division; Ryujiro Yoshino, general manager, spunbonded fabric sales; Mistuharu Takahashi, general manager, Bemliese/Coldon sales.

Plants
Moriyam, Noveoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbonded, spunlaced, meltblown

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Asahi Kasei, Osaka, Japan, can produce 13,000 tons of SMMS, 1200 tons of polypropylene spunbonded, 6000 tons of polyester spunbonded, 4000 tons of nylon spunbonded, 4000 tons of cupra spunbonded, 500 tons of spunlaced and 200 tons of meltblown materials. Additionally, the company has already unveiled plans to increase production of its cupra spunbonded nonwovens.
 
Sold under the Bemliese brand name, the main use of cupra-based nonwovens is as a wipe used in the production of electronic machinery. Demand for this type of wipe has risen steadily. In 2002, a converting facility to make the wipe was built in Malaysia to respond to increased demand and to strengthen sales in Southeast Asia. Other initiatives within this business include a partnership between Asahi Kasei and Milliken in 2003. Under this agreement, Milliken buys Bemliese in roll form, uses it to convert wipes and sells them in the U.S. and Europe.
 
These agreements have increased Asahi’s role in both Malaysia and the U.S. and have led to its decision to expand the Bemliese operation from one to two lines. The new line is scheduled to begin operation in spring 2005; production capacity will increase 20-30%.
 
Beyond Bemliese, Asahi’s production of SMMS and PP, PET and nylon spunbond nonwovens increased about 15% in 2003, rising from 26,000 to 30,000 tons. This rise was largely attributed to increased demand for SMMS in diaper coverstocks. This increase, combined with favorable conditions in polypropylene-based spunbonded nonwovens, flat sales in polyester- and nylon-based spunbonded nonwovens. Meanwhile, Asahi Kasei’s meltblown output has largely been fueling the white blood corpuscle remover market which has seen steady demand, despite its low production level of 200 tons per year."
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Sales: $176 million

Description: Key Personnel
Yoshikazu Ban, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Ryujiro Yoshino, general manager, spunbonded fabric sales; Akira Naganami, general manager, Bemliese/Coldon sales

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbonded, meltblown

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Recent news this year for Asahi Kasei, Osaka, Japan, includes its withdrawal from the spunlace market. Although the company was producing 500 tons of spunlaced nonwovens annually, production of its core product, Shaleria acrylic microfiber-based nonwovens, has been halted due to the inaccessibility of raw materials. Shaleria represented half of Asahi Kasei's total spunlaced output while other spunlaced products included nylon-based nonwovens for nickel-cadmium battery electrode separators. The company tried unsuccessfully to increase its spunlace output through other products but was ultimately forced to withdraw from this production sector altogether.
 
In other technology segments, Asahi Kasei can produce 13,000 tons of SMMS, 1200 tons of polypropylene spunbonded, 6000 tons of polyester spunbonded, 4000 tons of nylon spunbonded, 4500 tons of cupra spunbonded and 200 tons of meltblown materials.
 
In the spunbond area, the company reports steady business conditions and an expansion of 1000 tons per year to its spunbond line for Bemliese cupra spunbonded nonwovens. As of June 2005, the system is now capable of producing 4500 tons per year. According to the company, demand for Bemliese materials for industrial wipes has increased, particularly in Southeast Asia.
 
In the SMMS segment, diaper demand has reportedly increased further and the company's plant is in full operation. Asahi Kasei expects its production of polypropylene spunbonded nonwovens to increase 1000-2000 tons per year through equipment improvements. The company is also working on the development of a new polyester spunbond product. Meanwhile, in the nylon spunbond segment, a slight decrease in sales was noted in 2004.

In April 2005, Asahi Kasei launched its FNB project to develop polymers and new nonwovens processing technologies, which the company hopes will play a key role in the industry in the next decade. Going forward, Asahi Kasei plans to strengthen its competitive edge through the development of unique nonwoven processes and products.
Location: Osaka, Japan

Sales: $176 million

Description: Key Personnel
Yoshikazu Ban, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Ryujiro Yoshino, general manager, spunbonded fabric sales; Akira Naganami, general manager, Bemliese sales

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbonded, meltblown

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Despite an increase in nonwovens sales, steep hikes in raw material and fuel prices have impacted profits at Osaka, Japan-based Asahi Kasei. Following unsuccessful efforts to pass along increased costs to customers, the company is now concentrating instead on tightening production efficiencies, reviewing raw material procurement routes and remodeling equipment.
 
In the spunbonding area, the equipment used to produce nylon spunbonded material has been expanded to also produce polyester nonwovens. The newly compatible line came  onstream in May. In the SMMS segment, Asahi Kasei has used equipment improvements to increase its annual production capacity from 13,000 to 15,000 tons per year. Additionally, the company has been experimenting with the production and sale of a new type of highly uniform, thin polyester spunbond material for filter applications.
 
When it comes to technology segments, Asahi Kasei’s production capacity breakdown has remained steady at 12,000 tons of polypropylene spunbonded, 6000 tons of polyester spunbonded, 4000 tons of nylon spunbonded, 4500 tons of cupra spunbonded and 200 tons of meltblown materials. As previously mentioned, the company’s SMMS production capacity is now at the 15,000 ton-per-year mark.
 
Another important expansion for Asahi Kasei this year is in the area of cupra spunbond nonwovens, which are sold under the Bemliese brand. Production of these materials has been augmented by 1000 tons per year to reach an annual capacity of 4500 tons per year in 2005. However, despite these efforts, profits decreased for Bemliese products due to raw material price hikes as well as further depreciation costs of the extension of the facility. Therefore, in the industrial wipes segment—which is the main application for its cupra spunbond fabrics—the company plans to introduce a new application that will play a key role along with industrial wipes. Asahi Kasei also plans to develop new cupra spunbond-based products for consumer, medical, gardening and agricultural markets as well as strengthen its sales in the European sector for these materials.
 
Moving forward, the company plans to expand its spunbond nonwovens business in the long-term by realizing a return on its investments. Improvements to profitability are expected with the introduction of its newly upgraded SMMS facility. In terms of its previously outlined plans to add a spunbond nonwovens production line outside of Japan, Asahi Kasei has decided against committing to this project, at least for the time being. "
Location: Osaka, Japan

Sales: $170 million

Description: Key Personnel
Toshio Takanashi, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, spunbonded fabric sales; Akira Enami, general manager Bemliese sales

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbonded, meltblown

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Sales are on the rise for Asahi Kasei but despite this profits have continued to fall due to increased raw material costs. To combat this, the company has gradually been increasing its nonwovens prices in many areas. This strategy, however, has not been effective in the diaper market, which has been characterized as severe and unprofitable and represents more than half of the company’s spunbond nonwovens sales, so the company has had to focus its price hikes on value-added spunbonded nonwovens areas such as polyester and nylon that offer higher strengths and other attributes. Additionally, the company is reportedly reviewing a plan to produce its nonwovens for the diaper market outside of Japan to save costs.
 
The production capacity of Asahi Kasei is: 13,000 tons per year of SMMS; 13,000 tons per year of polypropylene spunbonded nonwovens; 5500 tons per year of polyester spunbonded nonwovens; 3500 tons per year of nylon spunbonded nonwovens; 4500 tons per year of cupra spunbonded nonwovens and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens. Additionally, the Osaka, Japan-based company is scheduled to open a new plant this month that will make 2000 tons per year of a new compound spunbond nonwovens, which will be sold under the brand name Precise. In other upgrades, Asahi Kasei is currently reconfiguring its polypropylene spunbond lines to be able to handle polyester, nylon and a number of other polymers to increase its flexibility.
 
In terms of specialty products, Asahi Kasei’s Precise nonwovens comprise a three layer laminate structure of PET and the thickness of each layer can be altered depending on the application. This nonwovens is manufactured through a one-process manufacturing method and is a three-layer structure with 1.2-2.0 microdiameters of a fiber diameter in the middle layer and 14-15 micrometers of both outer layers, which allow them to collect dust while maintaining high breathability and soakage potential. These characteristics are ideal for applications such as filters and masks. And, if a liquid of any viscosity is applied to the surface of a nonwoven, the middle layer would prevent the liquid from infiltrating into the rear face. This special quality makes Precise ideal for use as a base material for adhesive tapes and binders
Location: OSAKA, JAPAN

Sales: $170 million

Description: Key Personnel
Toshio Takanashi, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, spunbonded fabric sales; Tetsuya Nakamura, general manger, Bemliese sales

Plants
Moriyama, Nobeoka

Processes
spunbonded, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Semia, Smash, Precise

Major Markets
coverstock, wipes, gauze, packaging, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Like many nonwovens producers, Asahi Kasei’s profits have decreased—due to the steep manufacturing cost increases such as the cost of oil-based raw materials—even as its sales have increased. Also challenging its business is declining interest in SMMS and polypropylene-based nonwovens for diapers because these products account for more than half of Asahi Kasei’s total sales.
 
The result is the company’s attempts to balance its special-purpose, value-added nonwovens, which have lower productivity, with higher volume, lower margin businesses.  Asahi Ka­­sei has been achieving this balance by promoting its polyester and nylon spunbonded nonwovens improving on its polypropylene-based spunbonded nonwoven line to add polyester and nylon spunbonded production capabilities
 
Meanwhile, Asahi Kasei has been making its value-added Precise nonwovens, comprising a three layer laminate structures of PET where the thickness of each layer can be altered depending on the application. This nonwoven is manufactured through a one-process manufacturing method and is a three-layer structure with 1.2-2.0 microdiameter of a fiber diameter in the middle layer and 14-15 micrometers of both outer layers, which allow them to collect dust while maintaining high breathability and soakage potential. These characteristics are ideal for applications such as filters and masks. If a liquid of a viscosity is applied to the surface of a nonwoven, the middle layer would prevent the liquid from infiltrating into the rear face. This specialty quality makes Precise ideal for use as a base material for adhesive tapes and binders.
 
Currently, Precise’s output is only at 50% capacity but because of its potential to develop new end use applications, Asahi Kasei intends to increase the operational rage at the end of 2008, making it fully operational by the end of 2009.

Location: OSAKA, JAPAN


Sales: $195 Million


Description: Key Personnel
Toshio Takanashi, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, spunbonded fabric sales; Tetsuya Nakamura, general manger, Bemliese sales Plants Moriyama, Nobeoka

Processes
Spunbonded, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Semia, Smash, Precise

Major Markets
coverstock, wipes, gauze, packaging, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Asahi Kasei annual production capacity of nonwovens is: SMMS, 13000 tons per year, PP spunbond, 13,000 tons; PET spunbonded nonwovens, 5500 tons; nylon spunbond, 3500 tons; cupra spunbond, 4500 tons; compound spunbond nonwovens (Precise), 2000 tons and meltblown nonwovens, 200 tons.

While earnings decreased in 2008, the situation was not as bad as it could have been because of the defensive nature of one of Asahi’s core business, disposable baby diapers. However, demand decreases have been unavoidable so Asahi Kasei has emphasized cost reductions in nonwovens production. Additionally, new product development has been an important future undertaking.

One of these new products, an SMS with PPS as a crude material polymer, was introduced in May 2009. These nonwovens are made by laminating the PPS polymer in three structures through a spunbond/meltblown method. The fiber of the spunbond nonwovens is 2 dtex while that of meltblown is 0.03 dtex and the mass per unit area is 10-200 gsm. A line able to make this material—a couple hundred tons of it—was set up in March 2009 and the development of new end use applications has been promoted. Asahi has also been making SMS from PET under the brand name Precise since 2007 with a capacity of 2000 tons.

As for the SMS, raw and processed materials were diversified from initial PP to PET or PPS, furthermore a new product with newer polymers has been exploited.

Another new product, a nanofiber nonwoven made from cellulose fibers, was released in December 2008. Crude material of these nonwovens is pulp and the average diameter of the nonwovens is 150nm or less; the thickness is 5-20 um and the mass per unit area is possible to be less than 10gsm.
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.

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.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahikasei.co.jp
2012 Nonwovens Sales: $201 million
 
Key Personnel: Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, nonwoven fabrics; Hiroshi Maruo, general manager, spunbond fabric sales; Yasumasa Shii, general manager, Bemliese sales
 
Plants: Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan
 
Processes: Spunbond, meltblow
 
Brands: Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise
 
Major markets: Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters
 
Asahi Kasei makes 13,000 tons of SMMS nonwovens, 13,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond, 5500 tons of polyester spunbond, 3500 tons of nylon spunbond, 4500 tons of Cupra spunbonded nonwovens, 2000 tons of Compound spunbond and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens per year.
 
The company established a Thailand site in November 2012 and expects the new line, with a capacity of 20,000 tons per year, to reach a sold-out status by the end of 2013. Materials made in Thailand are used for the topsheet and backsheet of the diaper, a field where Asahi Kasei can be competitive due to its proprietary technology.
 
Another area of focus for Asahi Kasei has been in nanofiber nonwovens, which it manufactures through cellulose nanofiber and meltblown methods. As for the cellulose nanofiber nonwovens, the fiber diameter is 30-100 nm, the mass per unit is 3-20 gsm and the thickness is 7-80 microns.
 
According to the company, these materials can be used in filters, battery separators and medical applications. One specific area of success has been in the filter market where Asahi Kasei makes its own cartridge filter with meltblown nonwovens of less than one micron in fiber diameter. This cartridge is sold under the brand name Eutec Nano.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
2013 Nonwovens Sales: $200 million

Key Personnel
Hiroshi Takasahi, president Asahi Kasei Fibers; Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, nonwoven fabircs division; Hiroshi Maruo, general manager, spunbond fabric sales; Yasumasa Shii, general manager Bemliese sales

Plants
Shiga, Miyazaki, Japan; Siracha, Thailand

Processes
Spunbond, meltlbown

Brand names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise

Recent news from Asahi Kasei includes the start of construction on a new line in Siracha, Thailand. Announced in May 2014, the new line will double the company’s Thai capacity to 40,000 tons when it comes onstream in late 2015. Asahi Kasei established the Thai operation in 2012 as a base for local production in Thailand to meet growing demand for spunbond in diaper applications in Asia where demand is not only growing in terms of volume but also in terms of sophistication. The new line will feature state-of-the-art technology to meet demands for performance and quality even as price competition intensifies.

Asahi Kasei has been making spunbond nonwovens since 1973, marketing them under the Eltas brand name. In Japan, the company makes an additional 26,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens at two production sites in Shiga and Miyazaki. While these lines are all reportedly running at full capacity, Asahi Kasei has made no plans to expand the site but will instead supply Japanese demand from Thailand. Already, about 20% of the first Thai line’s output is being exported to Japan.

According to executives, the expansion of spunbond production in Thailand has contributed nicely to earnings increases in Asahi Kasei’s fibers division, which contains the nonwovens business.

In addition to Eltas, Asahi Kasei offers a wide range of other highly functional nonwoven products made with advanced and innovative production technologies. Precisé is a multifunctional nonwoven fabric with higher barrier efficiency used in electronic applications; Bemliese is the world’s only 100% cellulose continuous-filament nonwovens; and Lamous artificial suede is used for upholstery and automotive interiors.

Asahi Kasei has more recently been targeting the oil-water separation market with its Eutec nanofiber meltblown nonwovens. These nonwovens, made from 300nm diameter fibers are being applied to liquid cartridge filter products. According to executives, the technology has allowed it to establish niche market leadership in oil-water separation and expand into applications with microfiltration.
Asahi Kasei
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp

2014 Nonwovens Sales: $167 million


Key Personnel
Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, spunbond fabric sales; Yasumasa Shii, general manager, Bemliese sales

Plants
Moriyama, Japan; Nobeoka, Japan; Thailand

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Asahi Kasei produces nonwovens in Japan and Thailand. In Japan, the company produces 26,000 tons of polypropylene-based spunbond nonwovens per year, 5500 tons of PET spunbond per year, 3500 tons of nylon spunbond nonwovens per year, 4000 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens per year, 2000 tons of compound spunbond nonwovens (trade name: Precise) per year and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens per year. Asahi Kasei Spunbond Thailand (AKST) has produced 20,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens per year on one line since November 2012 is adding another line, capable of making another 20,000 tons of material later this year. A third line is also on Asahi’s radar, although it is still in the planning stage and not expected to be operational until 2017 or 2018.

Asahi Kasei’s nonwovens sales have been increasing since 2014. The product expansion of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens in Thailand has contributed to the increment value of the sales, yet profits have decreased because of the remarkable rise in crude material prices. Exportation of cupra spunbond nonwovens (Bemliese) has largely increased due to the low yen rate effect, and the sales volume has also increased. On the other hand, PET spunbond nonwovens and nylon spunbond nonwovens were confined to level out.
Bemliese is the world’s only continuous-filament cellulose nonwoven fabric, which is primarily used for industrial wipers and medical applications, but is now gaining momentum in the face mask market. The amount of Bemliese exported for face masks has been increasing rapidly in China and Korea since 2013, and the percentage of exports accounts for more than 70% currently. In July, the company announced it will add 1500 tons per year of the material in Japan, which should come onstream in March 2017. At the plants making polypropylene spunbond nonwovens in Japan, the company upgraded the equipment, which increased production capacity by around 10%.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
2015 Nonwovens Sales: $212 million


Key Personnel
Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Hiroshi Maruo, general manager, spunbond fabric sales; Yasumasa Shii, general manager, spunbond fabric sales; Yasumasa Shii, general manager, Bemliese sales

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan; Thailand

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packagings, white blood corpuscle removing filters


Asahi Kasei has produced nonwovens in Japan and Thailand. In Japan, the company can make 26,000 tons of polypropylene nonwovens, 5500 tons of polyester nonwovens; 3500 tons of nylon spunbond nonwovens, 4000 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens, 2000 tons of its Precise compound spunbond nonwovens and 200 tons of spunbond nonwovens. Meanwhile, its Thai subsidiary, Asahi Kasei Spunbond Thailand (AKST) has produced polypropylene spunbond nonwovens with an annual capacity of 20,000 tons per year on one line since 2012 and 20,000 tons on a second line since early in 2016.

The second line in Thailand is expected to start contributing to sales this year. For the past couple of years, Asahi’s Japanese operation has been running at full capacity and the company has been relying more on imports from Thailand.

Asahi Kasei is also expanding capacity of its Bemliese nonwovens by 1500 tons per year. The exports of these materials have increased greatly thanks to the low yen rate. The two major uses of Bemliese have traditionally been technical wipes and medical gauze, and its use is growing in face masks. This is being driven by exports to China and Korea.

In meltblown, Asahi makes materials for liquid filters using nanofibers that are 400 nm in diameter, made of polypropylene and nylon. Although the filter business represents a small portion of Asahi’s sales, it is important enough for the company to focus on developing high value added products.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
2016 Nonwovens Sales: $202 million


Key Personnel
Katsuhiko Hinamoto, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, spunbond fabrics

Plants
Moriyama, Nobeoka

Process
Spunbond, meltblown

Brands
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise, Semia, Pulshut

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packaging, white blood corpuscle removing filters

In Japan, Asahi Kasei can make 26,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens per year, 5500 tons of polyester spunbond nonwovens, 3500 tons of nylon spunbond; 5500 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens, 2000 tons of Precise compound spunbond nonwovens and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens.

In Thailand Asahi Kasei can make 40,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens and is investing in new equipment for its Bemliese cupra spunbond lines which will bring its capacity from 4000 to 5500 tons per year.

While sales of nonwovens increased for Asahi Kasei, growth was hindered by decreasing overseas sales caused by yen appreciation. A new facility with a capacity of 20,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens began operation in February 2016 and is expected to reach full capacity this year.

While growth of polypropylene nonwovens in Japan has been low as a result of a decrease in diaper production growth, the company plans to meet market needs and expand sales by improving existing value-added products with even higher performance and higher quality.

Exports of Bemliese for face mask use in China and Korea have greatly increased.

Asahi Kasei is developing cellulose nanofiber nonwovens, which it has been researching since 1990. CNF nonwovens currently under development are made with a wetlaid process. These feature a single layer sheet and multilayered sheet composed of other nonwovens. The company is planning to begin the full-fledged production in 2019 to use for cell culture substrates, heat exchange membranes and battery separators.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
2017 Nonwovens Sales: $214 million


Key Personnel
Yasuyoshi Nakajima, general manager nonwoven fabrics division; Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, spunbond division

Plants
Miyama, Nobeoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, precise, Semia PUlshut

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packagings, white blood corpuscle removing filters


Production capacity of nonwoven fabrics at Asahi Kasei in Japan is 29,500 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens; 5500 tons of polyester spunbond nonwoven fabrics, 3500 tons of nylon spunbond nonwoven fabrics, 5500 tons of cupra spunbond nonwoven fabrics and 2000 tons per of meltblown nonwovens. Additionally, Asahi makes 40,000 tons of spunbond polypropylene materials in Thailand.

The increase of sales volumes of polypropylene spunbond nonwoven fabrics and Bemliese have contributed to the increasing sales of nonwoven fabrics at Asahi in 2017. Between Japan and Thailand, the company can make nearly 70,000 tons of spunbond materials per year. The company expanded its Thailand facility in 2016 and has been increasing output there ever since. While much of this material is exported to Japan, exports to other areas greatly increased in 2017.

The company is reportedly considering another expansion in Thailand to meet demand for materials both from Japan and other parts of Asia.

In terms of Bemliese, a new facility capable of making 1500 tons of the material per year, began operation in February 2017. Demand for face masks made of Bemliese is high and around 70% of the material made with this process is used in face masks. Growth is in part being driven by an increase in exports of this material to China and Korea which reached 2500 tons last year.

Bemliese is also being used as medical gauze and cleanroom wipes but face masks are dominating. It is ideal for face masks because it uses a cellulose long fiber, which in addition to high strength is durable and transparent, when wet
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
2018 Nonwovens Sales: $224 million


Key Personnel
Yasuyoshi Nakajima, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, spunbonded fabric division

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan; Siracha, Thailand

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, precise, Semia PUlshut

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packagings, white blood corpuscle removing filters


Asahi Kasei’s annual production capacity for of nonwoven fabrics in Japan is 34,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens; 5500 tons of polyester spunbond nonwovens; 3500 tons of nylon spunbond nonwovens; 5500 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens (trade name: Bemliese); 2000 tons of compound spunbond nonwovens (trade name: Precise); and 200 tons of meltblown nonwovens.

Asahi Kasei Spunbond Thailand (AKST) produces polypropylene spunbond nonwovens with the capacity of 35,000 tons/year in Thailand. The company recently decided to expand its polypropylene spunbond nonwovens with the additional capacity of 15,000 tons/year in Thailand, and the new facilities are expected to operate in July 2021. Therefore, the production capacity of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens in Thailand will increase to 50,000 tons/year. In accordance with that, aggregate production capacity of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens in Japan would be  84,000 tons/year in 2021.

Asahi Kasei has commercialized a nanofiber nonwoven fabric, a nonwoven with a wet process cloth of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and a meltblown nonwoven fabric. The wet process nonwoven of CNF has been developed with the brand name of ‘NanoLeaf.’

There is a single-layered seat only by CNF, and the compound seat that is laminated to the single-layered seat to other nonwoven fabrics. The nonwoven fabric of cellulose nano fiber (CNF) has pushed forward the development for various uses such as filters, battery separators and reinforcement materials for the FRP. The meltblown nonwoven fabrics could be produced to the smallest fiber diameter to 300nm, and the polymer is made of nylon, and it could be produced with polypropylene too.

The nanofiber nonwoven fabric of the meltblown is used for the filter medium of liquid cartridge filters, and marketing has been pushing forward.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
2019 Nonwovens Sales: $224 million


Key Personnel
Yasuyoshi Nakajima, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, spunbonded fabric division

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan; Siracha, Thailand

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, precise, Semia PUlshut

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packagings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

In May 2020, Asahi Kasei decided to close its plant in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan, for the manufacture of Eltas spunbond nonwoven fabric.

The plant has supplied nonwoven fabric mainly for hygiene products such as disposable diapers in the domestic Japanese market for some 19 years since it began operation in 2001. However, the plant was severely damaged when hit by the tornado that occurred in Nobeoka on September 22, 2019, and its operation has been suspended ever since. Although various studies were performed regarding the restoration of operation, the decision was made to close the plant considering the high cost of repair, the deteriorated state of equipment, and the time required for restoration being more than one year.

The Nobeoka site was able to make 14,5000 tons of spunbond nonwoven fabrics per year and the company plans to shift much of this production to its Thai facility, where a new line capable of making 15,000 tons of spunbond nonwovens per year is set to come onstream next year bringing the company’s capacity in Thailand to 50,000 tons. Asahi Kasei will continue to make spunbond nonwovens at its Moriyama factory in Shiga Province where its current capacity is 15,000 tons.

Under the Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021 medium-term management initiative, Asahi Kasei is prioritizing and allocating management resources to develop a business portfolio of sustainable and high value-added businesses. In accordance with its Group Vision to enable “living in health and comfort” and “harmony with the natural environment,” the company’s polypropylene spunbond nonwoven fabric business falls under “Life Material” as a priority field for provision of value. Moving forward, Asahi Kasei Spunbond Thailand will play a central role in the ongoing expansion of this business which contributes to life and living for people around the world.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $196 million


Key Personnel
Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, spunbond fabrics division; Koiti Yamashita, general manager, Bemliese sales division

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise, Semia, PUlshut, Ecorise, NanoLeaf

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Asahi Kasei’s capacity of nonwoven fabrics in Japan is 6000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens, 5500 tons of polyester spunbond nonwovens, 3500 tons per year of nylon spunbond nonwovens, 5000 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens (Bemliese), 2000 tons of compound spunbond nonwovens (Precise) and 1000 tons of meltblown nonwovens.

Meanwhile in Thailand, Asahi Kasei makes 35,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens per year and is in the process of adding a new line capable of making 15,000 tons per year to the site.

Asahi Kasei reduced its polypropylene spunbond output in Nobeoka, Japan, following damage caused by a tornado in late 2019. While the company hoped to resume operations following the tornado, the cost of repair, the deteriorated state of the equipment and the time needed to fix it made this impossible.

The plant has supplied nonwoven fabric mainly for hygiene products such as disposable diapers in the domestic Japanese market for about 19 years since it began operation in 2001.
Moving forward, Asahi Kasei will concentrate its polypropylene spunbond nonwovens business in Thailand.

Asahi Kasei has been marketing  spunbond nonwovens under the Eltas brand name since 1973. It is used in a wide variety of applications including disposable diapers and other hygiene products, automotive and other industrial applications and deodorizing sheets and other consumer products. The new line, the site’s third line, will further reinforce AKST’s capability to meet ongoing demand growth with higher product performance, quality, and cost competitiveness.

Asahi Kasei has launched Bemliese, its proprietary ultra-sustainable continuous-filament cellulosic nonwoven fabric, in North America via its trading arm in the U.S., Asahi Kasei Advance America. Bemliese is a nonwoven fabric sheet made from cotton linter – tiny hair-like fibers on cotton seeds. Through science, Asahi Kasei is the only company in the world that has developed a clean proprietary process for treating this linter to produce sheets that can be integrated in a diverse array of product designs.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.com
2021 Nonwovens Sales: $166 million


Key Personnel
Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, Spunbond Fabrics division; Koiti Yamashita, general manager, Bemliese sales division

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise, Semia, PUlshut, Ecorise, NanoLeaf

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

Asahi Kasei’
s capacity of nonwoven fabrics in Japan is 6000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens, 5500 tons of polyester spunbond nonwovens, 3500 tons per year of nylon spunbond nonwovens, 5000 tons of cupra spunbond nonwovens (Bemliese), 2000 tons of compound spunbond nonwovens (Precise) and 1000 tons of meltblown nonwovens.

Meanwhile in Thailand, Asahi Kasei makes 50,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens per year, following the completion of its latest production line which began operation in Spring 2021 and is capable of making 15,000 tons per year at the site. The growth of this site has offset reductions in spunbond production in Japan following a change in the company strategy to shift focus from Japan to the countries of Southeast Asia and China.

Asahi Kasei reduced its polypropylene spunbond output in Nobeoka, Japan, following damage caused by a tornado in late 2019. While the company hoped to resume operations following the tornado, the cost of repair, the deteriorated state of the equipment and the time needed to fix it made this impossible. The plant has supplied nonwoven fabric mainly for hygiene products such as disposable diapers in the domestic Japanese market for about 19 years since it began operation in 2001.

Recent developments from Asahi Kasei include the development of a PLA spunbonded nonwoven fabric, under the trade name Ecorise, which has been certified to biodegrade in marine environments.

For Asahi Kasei's 2020 top company profile, click here.
Osaka, Japan
www.asahi-kasei.com
2022 Nonwovens Sales: $131 million


Key Personnel
Kazuhiko Sanmaido, general manager, Spunbond Fabrics division; Koiti Yamashita, general manager, Bemliese sales division

Plants
Moriyama and Nobeoka, Japan

Processes
Spunbond, meltblown

Brand Names
Eltas, Bemliese, Microweb, Smash, Precise, Semia, PUlshut,
Ecorise, NanoLeaf

Major Markets
Coverstock, wipes, gauze, packings, white blood corpuscle removing filters

In February 2023, Asahi Kasei and Mitsui Chemicals, a fellow leader in the Japanese nonwovens industry, announced a plan to form a new integrated company combining their nonwovens businesses with a tentative start date of October 2, 2023. This plan will be carried out through a corporation-type demerger enabling the establishment of the new integrated company pending the approval of authorities in Japan and Thailand, where the two companies have operations.

Under the proposed plan, Asahi Kasei’s spunbond and cartridge filter business will be integrated with all of Mitsui Chemicals’ nonwovens businesses with the exception of its SWP fibrillated polyolefin fiber. The new company will be known as Mitsui Chemicals Asahi Life Materials Co. and it will be based in Tokyo, Japan. Mistui will own slightly more than 60% of the company while Asahi Kasei will hold the remaining shares. Sales are estimated at ¥48.3 billion or about $370 million annually.

The Japanese sites for the company will include Mitsui’s Sunrex subsidiary in Mie, Japan as well as its Nogoya Works plant in Aichi. Meanwhile, Asahi Kasei’s plant in Moriyama will provide outsourced production. Overseas sites including both companies’ Thailand operations, will continue to carry out production and sales as subsidiaries of the integrated company. Asahi Kasei’s spunbond operation in Moriyama will be merged into the company by way of an absorption-type merger at a later date.

The main reason for the integration has been cited as intensifying competition in Asia, particularly among polypropylene spunbond manufacturers. The larger scale created by the merger of the two companies, which will produce 132,000 tons of polypropylene spunbond nonwovens per year initially, will improve the companies’ position within Asia, particularly in the Chinese diaper market where oversupply has been caused by decreasing birth rates. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), enacted in January 2022, and the elimination of tariffs in East Asia has also contributed to increased competition, and escalating raw materials prices have made achieving profitability more difficult.

Asahi Kasei makes nonwovens in Japan and Thailand and its technologies include spunbond and meltblown. A main reason for the partnership with Mitsui was the closure of Asahi Kasei’ plant in Nobeoka, Japan in late 2022, following a fire at the site. This line made spunmelt nonwovens for diaper side guards, a market where Mitsui is strong.