Kaneka Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.kaneka.co.jp) has announced plans to increase its production capacities of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) expanded particle foams (product names: Eperan and Eperan-PP) in Europe at its Kaneka Belgium plant, located in Westerlo.
The production expansion of Kaneka Belgium N.V. for expanded polyolefin foams will involve an investment of about 15 million euro. Full operation of the new production facility is scheduled for early 2019. With this new investment in Europe, aligned with the investment in Thailand and the existing plant sites in Japan, China, and Malaysia, Kaneka Corp. will further strengthen its global supply structure.
Kaneka’s particle foams are widely used in applications for automotive parts, packaging, construction, HVAC, and many others. Moreover, the products are 100% recyclable, making them highly valued on international markets.
“Over the next few years, we expect that Eperan particle foams will continue to penetrate new markets and as such its demand will accelerate, both in Europe and in other parts of the world. By expanding the production capacities we respond to this increase in demand and strengthen our global supply position as a major manufacturer,” explains Pierre Van Ravestyn, Executive Officer EMEA & Manager Global Business Development of Foam & Residential Techs Solutions. “As our foam technology continues to evolve, we foresee a bright future for it and remain committed to offering our customers innovative solutions that will enable them to develop lighter, safer and more competitive materials,” underlines Van Ravestyn.