Teijin Fibers to mass produce new polyester staple

24 June 2008 13:38 [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--Teijin Fibers plans to increase the capacity of its new anti-static polyester staple by about 4.5 times to 90 tonnes/month for an undisclosed cost by year-end, a spokesman from its parent Teijin said on Tuesday.

The existing unit had been producing the new polyester staple on a smaller scale - 20 tonnes/month - from July 2007, the spokesman said, adding the unit was currently acting as a test plant.

The company planned to expand the capacity by rebuilding the unit and adding some facilities, he said.

The new polyester staple, which is used for clothing such as sport equipment, is thinner and had improved anti-static property than the existing kinds produced by Teijin Fibers, according to the press statement released by the company.

Sales of the product had been favourable, and the company would be able to achieve its net-sales target of yen (Y) 600m ($5.6m) in the initial year of its launch, the spokesman said.

Teijin Fibers aimed to generate net sales of Y1.8bn for the product in the first three years, it said in a statement.

Teijin Fibers plans to shift its feedstock of all polyester staple products to non-naphtha feedstock by recycling fibres such as used uniforms and curtains which have high polyester content within the next two-to-three years, the spokesman said.

By reacting the fibres, which can be recycled repeatedly, to heat and chemicals, polyester is extracted and feedstock dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) is obtained, he said.

This method cuts CO2 emissions by 70% compared with when DMT is produced from a naphtha-based processs, the spokesman added.

Teijin launched this chemical recycling method, dubbed Eco Circle, in 2002, according to the company’s website.

($1 =Y108)

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By: Tomomi Yokomura
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