Toray Industries has announced a JPY3bn ($32m) investment in Asia to strengthen its vapor deposition capabilities for food packaging films.
As part of the expansion plan, Toray Advanced Film (TAF) will introduce state-of-the-art vapor deposition equipment at Fukushima Plant. The new equipment will produce aluminum-metalized polypropylene (PP) film for packaging applications, and is expected to go onstream in October 2013.
The latest vapor deposition equipment to be introduced at Fukushima Plant has a production capacity of 580 tons per month. Its addition roughly doubles the current packaging aluminum vapor deposition capacity to 1,100 tons per month.
In addition, Penfibre Sdn (PFR) will introduce state-of-the-art vapor deposition equipment in Malaysia, with technical support from TAF. It will start production of metalized polyester (PET) film for packaging in April 2014.
Currently, the PFR's film-forming capacity of PET film is 3,600 tons per month. It will enter into the business of the metallization processing of PET film by investing in the new vapor deposition equipment, which will have a capacity of 375 tons per month.
Meanwhile, Toray noted that Thai Toray Synthetics (TTS) has completed the capacity increase of cast polypropylene (CPP) film for vapor deposition. TTS in Thailand has already been using a vapor deposition facility with a capacity of 400 tons per month. With the addition of new equipment, the total CPP film-forming capacity of the facility has increased to 550 tons per month.
Toray noted that total investment in packaging film production facilities at the three companies is about JPY3bn ($32m).
According to the company, in the ASEAN region, the demand for packaging materials is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3% to 5% as living standards improve
By enhancing global operation function through addition and construction of the new facilities announced this time as well as reinforcing mutual cooperation between TAF, PFR, TTS and other group companies, Toray said that it plans to respond to its customers' diverse requirements, while ensuring stable supply of high value added products.
