Kraton to increase HSBC capacity in Taiwan by 30%

HOUSTON—Kraton Corp. has announced an expansion project for high flow hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer (HSBC) products at its joint venture manufacturing facility in Mailiao, Taiwan.

The supplier and its joint venture partner Formosa Petrochemical Corp. aim to increase the plant's production capacity by 30 percent by the third quarter of 2024, said Kraton in am Aug. 29 statement.

With the expansion project, Kraton continued, the company will be able to offer its full range of SEBS (styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) and SEPS thermoplastic elastomer products, both in crumbs and pellet form.

"This exciting capacity expansion further demonstrates Kraton's commitment to maintaining our leading position in the global styrenic block copolymers market," said Kraton Polymers CEO Holger Jung. "Broadening our Asia-manufactured HSBC portfolio helps support the growing customer base."

Houston-based Kraton opened its HSBC plant, which has the annual capacity of 30,000 metric tons, in Taiwan in May 2017.

The polymers are claimed to enhance characteristics such as toughness and clarity in olefin-based compounds and are targeted for automotive, medical and film applications.