Kuraray Co. (Tokyo, Japan; www.kuraray.co.jp/en) will boost the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH resin) production capacity of EVAL Europe N.V., a wholly owned Kuraray subsidiary located in Antwerp, Belgium. The capacity increase will add 11,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of production capability. The expanded facilities are expected to start operations at the end of 2016, and the capital investment was approximately ¥8.0 billion.
The company’s EVAL products have gas-barrier properties, and the applications have expanded to include stain-proof wallpaper, under-floor heating and vacuum insulation panels for refrigerators. Previously, the increase in EVAL demand has been centered primarily in industrialized nations, such as Japan and the U.S., as well as those in Europe. However, demand is now also rising in emerging nations.