TOKYO (March 30, 2010)—Kuraray Co. Ltd. plans to establish production at its Niigata, Japan, facility for a new acrylic thermoplastic elastomer.
The firm said it will be able to produce 5,000 metric tons of the material, a block copolymer of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate that uses Kuraray proprietary technology. The TPE is transparent, soft and has adhesive properties, and can be used in the optical and molding material fields.
Kuraray has been producing the TPE since 2004 at a pilot plant. The full-scale operation will cost $53.8 million, employ about 20 and open in September 2011.
The TPE, according to the company, should generate sales of $65 million in 2015 and $108 million in 2018.