Chem-wire Express Japan

11 September 2003 04:06  [Source: CWEJ]

Chem-wire Express Japan: edition of 10 September

Basic and Fine Chemicals

The Supercritical Fluid Research Center at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Sciences and Technology has succeeded in synthesising nylon materials such as cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone from phenol at a low cost using supercritical carbon dioxide and a rhodium catalyst. (Page 1)

Nippon Polyurethane Industry plans to rearrange its polyurethane production at its Nanyo site, keeping pace with its joint venture company Nanyo Kasei’s capacity build-up program for hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) derivatives. (p. 1)

The price of domestically produced naphtha for Q4 deliveries is most likely to reach the Yen26 000 ($217)/kl order, which was attained in H1 in the wake of the US’ attacks on Iraq. (p. 2)

The spot price of paraxylene (PX) in Asia has sharply fallen to $580/tonne in tandem with similar drops in the US and Europe. PX suppliers are timing their proposal of price hikes for October shipments. (p. 2)

A high-ranking official at SABIC recently revealed his forecast that the Middle East’s production of low-density polyethylene (ldPE) will double over the next five years and hdPE, lldPE and PP will also see double-digit growth in the same term. (p. 2)

A fire caused at Bridgestone’s Tochigi factory on 8 August may affect the company’s tire expansion program. The factory produces tires for trucks, buses and passenger cars, and rigid polyurethane foam. (p. 2)

In an attempt to rebuild its Omuta factory Denki Kagaku intends to boost sales of fine ceramics by 74% by fiscal 2005. To this end, the company envisages commercialising spherical alumina and investing in production facilities for ceramics-based electronic circuit substrates. (p. 3)

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical’s natural gas chemicals division is scheduled to dispose of deficit-ridden operations in its middle-term business plan. It has gained confidence with regard to improving the profitability of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and polyol. (p. 3)

Nissei Plastic Industrial has concluded a contract to in-license Trexel (US)’s ultrafine foam moulding technology. Based on the agreement, it intends to manufacture and sell dedicated moulding machines worldwide. (p. 3)

Takasago International is aiming to increase sales of 1-menthol by a factor of 1.5 by 2005 through expanding application fields and winning new customers. On this account it has inaugurated a sensate center in the US. (p. 4) 

Shinto Paint has engineered and started selling an indoor environment-improving coating. On the strength of its photocatalytic function, the product absorbs and breaks down formaldehyde and other hazardous substances emitted from construction material and furniture. (p. 4)

Matsumoto Trading is proposing that the cosmetic ingredient Unicontrozon C-43 introduced from Induchem (Switzerland) should be employed as an anti-aging agent capable of preventing ozone from destroying cell membranes, vitamins and hyaluronic acid. (p.4)

Showa Shell Sekiyu in collaboration with its parent company Royal Dutch Shell’s consulting division has started checking its oil refineries across the country in order to ensure their optimum operation. (p. 7)

Japan Air Gases opened the Kawasaki hydrogen station which was built under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s hydrogen fuel cell project on 8 September. The five stations stipulated in the project have thus been all brought onstream. (p. 7)

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has developed a new process to smother sewage sludge in a high-temperature kiln, cabonize and activate the resultant product, thereby producing high-quality active carbon. The company plans to start seeking orders for the new process next spring. (p. 11)

Panasonic Communications has succeeded for the first time in the world in forming a thin piezoelectric film using a sputtering process. The company has applied the technology to the manufacture of a line-type ink jet head, which will be commercialised through a local printing machine maker. (p. 11)

Life Sciences and Health Care

A research group led by Professor Yaeta Endo at the Ehime University has become the world's first to synthesize protein involved in propagation of the SARS virus using a non-cell synthesis method. They claim the research result will help shorten the time needed for developing vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics. (p. 8)

Eisai announced that Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Israel), its business partner in the field of neural diseases, has applied to the US FDA for approval of the Parkinson’s disease therapy Rasagiline. (p. 8)

Local governments in Belgium are due to hold a seminar in Fukuoka, western Japan on September 12 with the aim of introducing the country’s bioindustry, thereby seeking technical partnership with Japanese concerns and inviting them to their country. (p. 8)

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