SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. (President and Representative Director: Teiji Koge; hereinafter, “SEKISUI CHEMICAL”) announced today that SEKISUI YOUNGBO HPP (WUXI) CO., LTD. (Head Office: Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province), a consolidated subsidiary of the High Performance Plastics Company (President: Ikusuke Shimizu), commenced mass production and sales in May 2019.
SEKISUI YOUNGBO is a company that primarily manufactures polypropylene foams (“PP foams”) for automotive interiors; its establishment was approved by the Chinese government in April 2017*1. Used as an underlayment material for automotive interiors, PP foams are high-performance foams that possess outstanding impact resistance and that are easily processed. As customers demand increasingly high-quality automobiles in China, so demand for high-performance foams has risen rapidly. For this reason, the SEKISUI YOUNGBO commenced mass production and sales two months earlier than originally planned.
China’s environmental regulations are extremely strict, and the plant housing the production line is being operated as a “zero industrial wastewater” plant. The layout of the plant has been designed to enable multiple production lines to be added in the future, with a view to increased production.
On July 16, an opening ceremony was held at the plant. Approximately 80 people attended the ceremony, including Chinese government officials, bank officials, and SEKISUI CHEMICAL representatives.
The opening ceremony
About polyolefin foam and SEKISUI CHEMICAL’s foam business
Polyolefin foams are flexible foams made by heat-foaming polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene. SEKISUI CHEMICAL is a pioneer in the field of polyolefin foam, having developed the world’s first radiation cross-linking*2 method for its production. Using this production method, the company produces and sells a variety of foam products centered on closed-cell, cross-linked polyolefin foams—they offer outstanding thermal insulation and thermal resistance, and are easily processed and highly durable. SEKISUI CHEMICAL boasts the world’s leading share of the cross-linked polyolefin foam market*3.
The SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group’s foam products are used for an extremely wide variety of applications in diverse fields, including automobiles, electronics such as home appliances and mobile terminals, and buildings. Foams are typically produced where there is demand and, for this reason, the SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group owns 10 foam production bases worldwide.
Overview of SEKISUI YOUNGBO
| Name | SEKISUI YOUNGBO HPP (WUXI) CO., LTD. |
|---|---|
| Lines of business | Production and sales for cross-linking polyolefin foam |
| Address | No.1219, Lianfu Road, Xishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province |
| Establishment | April 2017 |
| Paid-up capital | US $ 24 million |
| Representative | General Manager Takanobu Sugiyama |
| No. of employees | 37 |
About the production line
| Address | No.1219, Lianfu Road, Xishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province (on the same site as the Head Office) |
|---|---|
| Lot area | 22,000㎡ |
| Plant and buildings area | 7,500㎡ |
| Investment amount | Approx. 2.5 billion yen |
| Production items | Cross-linked polyolefin foam |
| Start of production | May 2019 |
*1 Please refer to the Press Release issued on March 24, 2017, entitled: “Establishment of a Polyolefin Foam Production Company for Automobile Interiors in Wuxi, China”
*2 A “cross-link” is a bond that links one polymer chain to another
*3 According to research carried out by SEKISUI CHEMICAL in fiscal 2018
About SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group
Headquartered in Japan, SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. (TSE: 4204) and its subsidiaries make up the SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group. 26,000 employees in over 200 companies throughout 21 countries aim to contribute to improving the lives of the people of the world and the earth’s environment. Thanks to a history of innovation, dedication and a pioneering spirit, SEKISUI CHEMICAL now holds leading positions in its three diverse business divisions as well as top global market share in interlayer film, foam products, conductive particles and more.
Since its foundation in 1947, the SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group has dedicated itself to social and environmental contribution and is now an internationally recognized leader in sustainability and environmental initiatives, having recently been selected as one of the Global 100 most sustainable companies. SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group will continue to maintain a strong corporate presence for 100 years and beyond.
Press Contact
SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
Public Relations Department
Fax: +81-(0)3-6748-6547
Disclaimer
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements due to changes in global economic, business, competitive market and regulatory factors.