Page 40 - Plastics News February 2023

Bio-based ABS in Pipeline in Japan; More PPS for Korea Europe’s Plastics
Industry: The Good
News Is that It Probably

Won’t Get Any Worse
Image courtesy of
Plastics Information

Europe

apan’s Toray Industries and Idemitsu sulfide, a key raw material for PPS
JKosan plan to develop a supply chain resin. Toray would thereby solidify loomy forecasts for the second
for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene its position as a cost-competitive, Ghalf of 2022 from members of
(ABS) resin based on biomass styrene integrated manufacturer of everything the plastics industry in Europe par-
monomer derived from biomass from raw materials through resins. ticipating in a survey in June and July
naphtha. Idemitsu will leverage the Toray Advanced Materials Korea 2022 proved to be prescient, re-
mass balance method to manufacture will supply PPS resin not consumed ports Plastics Information Europe
biomass styrene monomer that will domestically to Toray Group (PIE). In the most recent survey
be fed to Toray’s Chiba plant for compounding sites in the United conducted by the information out-
polymerization of biomass-derived States, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, let for Europe’s plastics industry in
ABS resin starting in October this and other regions as part of an effort late 2022 and early 2023, a little
year. Both Idemitsu and Toray are to expand its global business. under half of the companies sur-
striving to achieve carbon neutrality PPS resin is a high-performance veyed said that business indeed was
by 2050. engineering plastic. Key benefits worse in the second half of 2022
Toray’s ABS resin is used in a variety are heat and chemical resistance, than in H1. There were some re-
of industries such as automotive, mechanical strength, and flame gional differences: More than 81%
consumer electronics, and medical retardance. Applications include of respondents from Italy reported
devices, for which it offers transparent electrical components, electric a downturn while 55% said so in
grades. vehicles, electrical and electronic German-speaking countries.
Toray Advanced Materials Korea Inc. devices, and housing-related parts. The hardest hit sectors were plas-
plans to increase annual production Applications continue to broaden. tics recycling — 73.3% reported
capacity for Torelina polyphenylene Toray decided to boost capacity at a decline in business in H2 — and
sulfide (PPS) resin by 5,000 tonnes Toray Advanced Materials Korea to raw materials distribution and com-
at a plant in Gunsan, Korea, from cater to a projected 6% growth in pounding, with just under two-
December 2024. The Toray Group’s annual global demand for PPS resin thirds of those companies saying
combined PPS manufacturing capacity compounds. their business suffered during that
at this facility and the Tokai Plant in Toray Group is a comprehensive time frame.
Aichi Prefecture, Japan, will thereby manufacturer of PPS not just for
rise to a world-leading 32,600 tonnes/ compounds but also for films and The silver lining in the most recent
year. fibers. It is the world’s largest player survey is that a majority of EU plas-
A concurrent move will be to expand in this field. tics companies believe it won’t get
any worse.
production of sodium hydrogen

42 PLASTICS NEWS February 2023