Kuraray Co. (Tokyo) announced that construction of a new plant for isoprene-related businesses has been completed and will soon start operations in stages. The construction was undertaken by Bangkok-based subsidiaries Kuraray GC Advanced Materials Co., Ltdand Kuraray Advanced Chemicals (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Aerial view of the new plant (Source: Kuraray)
The new Thai plant will contribute to the continued growth of isoprene-related businesses by strengthening the global supply system and meeting rising global demand for the 3-Methyl-1.5-Pentanediol (MPD), SEPTON hydrogenated styrenic block copolymers (HSBC), and GENESTAR heat-resistant polyamide-9T (PA9T), which were developed using proprietary Kuraray technology.
The new facilities have been designed to produce 13,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of PA9T, 16,000 m.t./yr of HSBC and 5,000 m.t./yr of MPD. The company invested around ¥40 billion ($310 million) in the project.