Kaneka Corp. (Osaka, Japan; www.kaneka.com) will establish a new manufacturing facility for acrylic fibers Kanekalon and Kanecaron in the premises of Kaneka (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (Pahang State, Malaysia) with a production capacity of 12,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) and capital investment of approximately ¥9 billion (approximately $88 million). The facility is expected to begin operations in October 2015.
Kaneka has been manufacturing Kanekalon/Kanecaron in the Takasago Plant (Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture) since 1957, and this new facility marks the first production base established overseas. All Kanekalon/Kanecaron manufactured in Malaysia will be sold to the African market.
On top of the existing 61,000 m.t./yr production capacity of the Takasago Plant, this new facility in Malaysia will bring the total global production capacity of Kanekalon/Kanecaron to 73,000 m.t/yr.