Toray Industries, Inc. (Tokyo) announced that it will again increase production capacity for Torayfan biaxially oriented polypropylene film at the Tsuchiura Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture. The move is part of ongoing efforts to meet growing demand for automotive capacitor film in an expanding market for electrified vehicles. When they go online in 2025, the upgraded facilities will lift Torayfan production capacity by 40%.
Torayfan is one of the lightest plastic films. It is tough, with excellent mechanical and electrical properties. It serves in everything from industrial areas to film capacitors and packaging. Film capacitors are a prime application, commonly in the electronic parts of appliances and IT equipment and in inverter circuits for the power control units of electrified vehicle motors. An inverter is a power circuit or device with such circuitry that changes direct current to alternating current. The driving performance and efficiency of these vehicles have improved in recent years. Power control units and film capacitors have become smaller and lighter to enhance interior spaces and design flexibility. The downside, however, has been lower voltage resistance. Torayfan dominates the automotive capacitor film market because its unique technology maintains thinness and voltage resistance.
Recent years have seen automotive emissions regulations tighten worldwide as awareness of environmental issues grows. Governments are moving to restrict sales of vehicles employing internal combustion engines. It is against that backdrop that Toray projects that the electrified vehicle market will grow 20% annually through 2030. The company boosted Torayfan capacity at the Tsuchiura Plant in 2022 for automotive capacitors. It has decided to lift capacity further in view of expanding demand for these capacitors.
By swiftly boosting capacity at that facility to cater to growth market needs, Toray hopes to further expand its business in the years ahead in keeping with its corporate philosophy of contributing to society by creating new value with innovative ideas, technologies, and products.