TICONA
New capacities pave the way for Asian growth / Japanese offshoot to push UHMW-PE
Ticona (D-65926 Frankfurt), the engineering plastics business of the new Celanese AG, has outlined its strategy for expanding its presence in Asia, where chairman and ceo Ed Muñoz said the company plans to “grow more aggressively.” Plans include new production capacity for the liquid crystal polymer (LCP) “Vectra” at Fuji City, Japan, in cooperation with 45% affiliate Polyplastics Co. Ltd (a joint venture with Daicel Chemicals Industries), and the acquisition of Hyosung´s 50% stake in polyacetals producer Korea Engineering Plastics Co. Ltd (KEP), a jv with Mitsubishi. A new Japanese subsidiary will promote Ticona´s ultra high molecular weight PE (UHMW-PE) “GUR” and support local plastics converters.
Polyplastics will increase nameplate capacity for “Vectra” by 2,000 t/y of neat polymer by Q4 of this year, lifting its and Ticona´s combined annual output to 8,000 t/y of neat polymer or 12,000 t/y of compounds. Ticona said the expansion was prompted by “strong demand” for personal computer components. In particular, the company projects a 25% increase in demand for connectors in PCs, one of the largest applications for LCPs, over the next two to three years. The partners, which together control 60% of the world market, also plan to extend their mutual technology licensing agreements.
Ticona´s new Korean joint venture KEP produces 55,000 t/y of POM at Ulsan. Largest domestic supplier, its portfolio includes 30 base resin grades and more than 100 grades of compounded resin. The new Ticona Japan Ltd at Tokyo will form the nucleus for growing the Japanese market for UHMW-PE, which Muñoz describes as “underdeveloped, compared to North America and Europe.”
The Frankfurt company, with annual output of 74,000 t/y, claims market leadership in the speciality PE. Its 2,000 t/y Asian sales volume accounts for 40% of the regional market, which it sees as growing at 12% annually, compared with 5-6% elsewhere. No plans for Asian production facilities have been unveiled. Asia is also believed to offer considerable potential for Ticona´s new cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC) Topas. Concepts for sales, market development and technical support in the region are being studied. A sales partner for Japan is to be announced this spring.
Polyplastics will increase nameplate capacity for “Vectra” by 2,000 t/y of neat polymer by Q4 of this year, lifting its and Ticona´s combined annual output to 8,000 t/y of neat polymer or 12,000 t/y of compounds. Ticona said the expansion was prompted by “strong demand” for personal computer components. In particular, the company projects a 25% increase in demand for connectors in PCs, one of the largest applications for LCPs, over the next two to three years. The partners, which together control 60% of the world market, also plan to extend their mutual technology licensing agreements.
Ticona´s new Korean joint venture KEP produces 55,000 t/y of POM at Ulsan. Largest domestic supplier, its portfolio includes 30 base resin grades and more than 100 grades of compounded resin. The new Ticona Japan Ltd at Tokyo will form the nucleus for growing the Japanese market for UHMW-PE, which Muñoz describes as “underdeveloped, compared to North America and Europe.”
The Frankfurt company, with annual output of 74,000 t/y, claims market leadership in the speciality PE. Its 2,000 t/y Asian sales volume accounts for 40% of the regional market, which it sees as growing at 12% annually, compared with 5-6% elsewhere. No plans for Asian production facilities have been unveiled. Asia is also believed to offer considerable potential for Ticona´s new cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC) Topas. Concepts for sales, market development and technical support in the region are being studied. A sales partner for Japan is to be announced this spring.
15.01.2000 Plasteurope.com [17601]
Published on 15.01.2000