News

Kuraray has announced its decision to increase the prices of hydrogenated styrenic thermoplastic elastomers SEPTON and HYBRAR, which are Company trademarks, as well as "TU polymer." The details of the price revisions are given below.

Background of Price Revision (Trends in Raw Materials Prices)

Butadiene monomer and isoprene monomer, the key raw materials for our elastomer products, are secondary products from the production of basic petrochemical materials such as ethylene and propylene.

On the supply side, factors that include a change in the production composition of secondary products due to the shift from naphtha to natural gas as the raw material used for producing ethylene and a regional imbalance in the supply and demand of butadiene and isoprene have led to a global supply shortage. Moreover, prices for key materials are continuing to increase because of an upswing in demand for petrochemicals in Asia.

Given that independent efforts alone have been unable to absorb rising production costs due to upward trends in raw material and fuel prices, Kuraray has decided to implement the price revisions detailed below in order to maintain a steady supply.

Details of Price Revision

1. Scope of revision: Hydrogenated styrene thermoplastic elastomers
SEPTON, HYBRAR, "TU polymer"
Area: Japan
2. Price increase JPY 25/kg
3. Effective date Shipments from July 1, 2010