Japanese chemical company Teijin plans to boost production of its Technora para-aramind fiber by 10 percent in less than two years.
According to a statement released Tuesday, the Osaka-based firm said it will achieve this growth by increasing capacity in its Matsuyama factory. Construction is slated to kick off in June at a cost of 1.5 billion Japanese yen ($13.3 million), and the larger facility will be up and running from October 2017.
The move is part of Teijin’s current medium-term business plan, which singled out the promising growth potential in high-performance fibers.
Technora, commercially available since 1987, is a para-aramid fiber that the company claims is lightweight yet eight times stronger than steel, has low thermal shrinkage and can withstand temperatures of up to 400°C. Produced in Japan and made from copolymers, its applications include protective garments, such as bulletproof and stab-resistant clothing.
“By boosting Technora capacity, the company is putting a higher priority on leveraging high-performance materials in advanced solutions to meet diverse demands in the global market,” the statement continued.
Teijin and the group’s core aramid-fibers subsidiary, Teijin Aramid, will jointly expand the worldwide sales of Technora in response to increasing market demand worldwide.
