The Japanese Kuraray group (Europe: Eval Europe NV (Haven 1053, Nieuwe Weg 1, B-2070 Zwijndrecht) is expanding its EVOH production capacities worldwide. In the US, the facility at Pasadena, Texas, was enlarged in May by 2,000 t/y to 23,000 t/y. Capacity of the European plant at Antwerp is also being increased by 2,000 t/y. From July 2001, plans are to manufacture 12,000 t of the gas barrier resin “Eval” annually at Antwerp. The plant at the Japanese site of Okayama (10,000 t/y) brings Kuraray´s global production capacity for ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers to 45,000 t/y. There are also preliminary plans for further expansion in Europe. Parallel to the expansion of EVOH – in which it is the world market leader – the group has announced its withdrawal from manmade fibre production (rayon), originally Kuraray´s core activity.