Strengthening Of Petrochemical Operations In Japan

Asahi Kasei Corp., Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp., and Asahi Kasei E-materials Corp. have made a decision to strengthen their petrochemical operations in Japan as described below.

Having identified acrylonitrile (AN) and solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (S-SBR) for fuel-efficient tires as world-leading businesses in its strategic management initiative “For Tomorrow 2015,” the Asahi Kasei Group is proactively expanding production capacity for these products overseas, mainly in Asia.

In contrast, the operating climate in the domestic Japanese petrochemical market is expected to be increasingly challenging, with contracting demand and increasingly severe competition from low-priced imports. Based on careful study of how to best realign operations in such a climate, it was determined that the following measures would establish the optimum production configuration from feedstock to derivatives in balance with domestic demand in order to heighten competitiveness and ensure a stable earnings base.