Sumitomo Chemical Co. (Tokyo, Japan) has decided to build additional production lines for its liquid crystal polymer (LCP) SUMIKASUPER, which is a super-engineering plastic, at its Ehime Works (Niihama city, Ehime, Japan). In the Sumitomo Chemical Group, LCP is produced at Sumitomo Chemical’s Ehime Works and the Harima Works of the Company’s subsidiary Taoka Chemical Co., Ltd. (Harima, Kako-gun, Hyogo, Japan). This expansion will increase the Group’s production capacity by approximately 30%. The new production lines are scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2023.
LCP, which possesses excellent thermal resistance, flowability and dimensional stability, has been used for a broad range of applications, including electronic components for PCs and smartphones. Sumitomo Chemical has steadily expanded its LCP business and built its capacity to ensure a stable supply of the product by building on its strengths, which include research and development capabilities for offering polymer materials that meet customer needs, integrated production and sales operations that cover the product line ranging from resin to compounds, and thorough technical support for customers around the globe.
Demand for LCP is continuing to grow strongly as the rollout of 5G data communications systems is progressing at scale, while electric vehicles are becoming more popular on the back of accelerated efforts to mitigate environmental impact. To immediately address a recent tightening of the global supply-demand conditions, Sumitomo Chemical has decided to construct new facilities to increase its production capacity for LCP. The Company will consider further capacity expansion as the LCP market is expected to grow rapidly supported by higher-speed, larger-volume data communications and advances in the field of mobility.
Sumitomo Chemical positions contributing to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) innovation as one of the material issues to be addressed as management priorities. The Company will continue striving to contribute to the development of a smart society, as represented by Society 5.0, and to advances in the area of mobility by ensuring a stable and agile product supply, while also offering innovative new products that meet advanced quality and technological needs.