Daikin to built fluoroelastomers plant in France

DUSSELDORF, Germany (June 26)—Daikin Industries Ltd. plans to build fluoroelastomer plant near Lyon, France, and expects it to go on-stream at the start of 2003. The factory will be located on AtoFina S.A'.s Pierre-Benite site, from which Daikin will source fluorine gas feedstock. Daikin Chemical France S.A.S., a new company created with an equity of about $10 million, will manage the facility, according to Yasuhiko Hirai, president of Daikin Chemical Europe GmbH. While the plant mainly will supply customers in Europe, it will also ship base polymer to customers in the U.S. and Southeast Asia, Hirai said.