By 2000, PET film capacity is to be increased to 200,000 t/y by Toray Industries Inc (2-2-1, Nihombashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103, Japan) of which 87,600 t/y will be located in Japan. In August 1998, a 214,000 t/y facility for thick PET film is due to be brought onstream in Malaysia by the company's subsidiary Penfibre Sdn Bhd. In 1999, the subsidiary is due to begin production of commodity PET film at another facility with a capacity of 15,600 t/y. Investment will total JPY 20bn.

Facilities for production of 10,000 t/y of PET film for magnetic tapes are to be built by Toray Plastics Europe (TPE, Saint Maurice-de-Beynost, BP 140, F-10701 Miribel) at a cost of JPY 10bn. By mid 1998, production is due to start, and then the existing facility will be closed.

By 2002, Toray Industries aims to have a PET film capacity of 60,000 t/y in France, including a new 20,000 t/y unit. In early 1997, production of PET films for heat-sensitive transfer ribbons is to begin in the US. The facility will have a capacity of 4,000 t/y and bring the total US capacity to 24,000 t/y. Global demand for PET film is increasing at 4-5%/y from the 1996 level of 800,000-900,000 t/y. Competition is expected to increase, with new capacity being announced for 2002 by Mitsubishi Chemical / Hoechst.