Zeon builds new COP unit to meet growing demand

19 July 2007 10:20  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--Japan’s Zeon plans to build a new 13,000 tonne/year yen (Y) 10bn ($82m) cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) unit at its Mizushima complex in Okayama prefecture due to increasing demand, a spokesman from the chemicals producer said on Thursday.

 

The unit was scheduled to be completed by the end of July next year and would boost COP production from 18,000 tonnes/year to 31,000 tonnes/year, he said, adding commercial production was due start in September at the earliest, after the trial runs and quality checks.

 

The company’s current COP units in Mizushima produce performance resins Zeonor and Zeonex. The new facility would be the second unit producing Zeonor, which was then made into an optical film Zeonor Film, according to the spokesman.

 

Zeon expected net sales of its optical films would increase 60% this fiscal year ending March 2008, compared to the same period a year ago, the spokesman added.

 

The company’s net sales of optical films rose 35% annually in the last fiscal year ended March 2007, he said.

 

($1 = Y122)

By: Tomomi Yokomura
+65 6780 4359

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