Sumitomo to increase Sumikasuper LCP capacity

18 October 2007 13:07  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--Sumitomo Chemical, plans to increase the production capacity of neat resin for its liquid crystal polymer (LCP), Sumikasuper LCP, to 9,200 tonnes/year from 7,000 tonnes/year due to growing demand, a company spokesman said on Thursday.

 

The expansion to increase the capacity of pre-polymerisation for LCP neat resin by 2,200 tonnes/year would take place at the company’s subsidiary Taoka Chemical Co in Osaka, and it was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008, he said.

 

He added the advanced- polymerization unit at the same site would also be increased by 500 tonnes/year by the same period.

 

The spokesman did not provide a specific time for the start of commercial production at these facilities, but said the company planned to bring the units to full-rate operation by mid-2010.

 

Upon completion of the capacity increases, Sumitomo Chemical group would be able to produce 9,200 tonnes/year of LCP neat resin, which converts to 14,000 tonnes of compounds, equivalent to 30% of the projected 2009 global demand, based on the company’s estimates, the spokesman said.

 

The company also plans to build new facilities for LCP production at its subsidiary, Sumika Electronic Materials (Wixi), in Jaingsu, China, according to the spokesman.

 

An advanced-polymerization unit for LCP neat resin, with a capacity of 1,800 tonnes/year, and a LCP compounding units producing 2,400 tonnes/year, would be built at the site, he said.

 

The spokesman said both units would be completed by January 2009, and would be in full-rate operation by mid-2010.

 

He did not clearly disclose investment costs for each expansion, but said the company was looking to spend about a total of yen (Y) 3bn ($259m) for both projects in Osaka and Jiangsu.

 

LCP is a super engineering plastic that exhibits excellent heat resistance and thin-wall flowability, and these characteristics are used to advantage in various electronics components.

 

($1 = Y116)

By: Tomomi Yokomura
+65 6780 4359

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly