Japan's synthetic fibre production falls 35%
25 May 2009 13:28 [Source: ICIS news]
TOKYO (ICIS news)--Japan’s synthetic fibre production fell 34.9% to 52,578 tonnes in April compared with the same time last year due to the decreased car production, an official from the Japan Chemical Fibers Association (JCFA) said on Monday.
"Just like other industries, the (manmade fibre) industry has largely been affected by the sharp drop of car production from the start of the year," the official said.
The use of synthetic fibres in the garment industry also declined as the sales of expensive clothes weakened due to the economic slowdown, the official added.
The production of nylon and polyester filament fibre fell 47.6% to 4,997 tonnes and 47% to 11,202 tonnes year on year, respectively, because most of these materials were used in automobile production, the official said.
Nylon filament is used in airbags, tyre cord and hoses of cars, while polyester filament is used in tyre cord and car seats, according to the official.
The output of polypropylene (PP) filament fibre was 5,438 tonnes in April, down 10.7% from the same month last year, the official said.
The decline rate of PP filament was not as large as nylon or polyester filament because PP filament is used in non-woven clothes such as medical and hygiene products, which are not affected by the economic conditions, the official said.
In February, Japan’s Mitsubishi Chemical announced plans to end domestic production of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), a feedstock of polyester fibres, in 2010 due to continuing decline of domestic demand.
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By: Tomomi Yokomura
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