TOKYO—Kuraray Co. Ltd.'s isoprene business has seen a decline in first-half operating income as volumes declined, due mainly to raw material shortages.
The segment's operating income for the first six months of 2022 was down 24 percent year-on-year at $18.04 million (Yen 2.5 billion), on 4.5-percent higher sales of $230.9 million, said Kuraray.
The unit, which includes isoprene chemicals and elastomers, saw sales volumes decrease during the period mainly because of "temporary difficulty in procuring raw materials and despite steady demand," the company said in a presentation earlier this month.