Japanese chemicals and plastics giant Toray (Tokyo; www.toray.com) started up its 11,000 t/y compounding plant for PA, PPS and PBT at Chengdu City in China’s Sichuan province – see Plasteurope.com of 02.08.2012 – at the end of 2013, the company’s European headquarters has confirmed to Plasteurope.com. Toray did not disclose whether the new facilities of subsidiary P.T. Indonesia Toray Synthetics in Jakarta / Indonesia for 6,000 t/y of PA and PBT compounds had gone on stream in November 2013 as planned – see Plasteurope.com of 23.10.2012.

Toray’s first compounding plant in western China is part of a EUR 100m expansion scheme for Asia, where the lion’s share is to be invested in China. The Sichuan facility is planned to complement units at Shenzhen and Suzhou in China’s coastal regions and reflects expected above-average growth in demand from the region’s automotive and home appliances sector.

With a new 3,300 t/y unit expected to go on stream at Seoul / Korea in October 2015, the Japanese group will lift its total compounding capacity for PPS to 23,600 t/y. Along with Shenzhen and Suzhou, it already has facilities at Nagoya / Japan.

In reaction to tightening capacity for PPS base polymer, Toray has announced plans to build a new 8,600 t/y polymerisation plant at Seoul / Korea by 2016, widening overall output to 27,600 t/y. At its main production site in Tokai / Japan, the group has capacity to produce 19,000 t/y of the high-temperature polymer after several expansion phases – see Plasteurope.com of 06.06.2011 – and capacity is being run flat out.