News
Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. was established on July 1, as a hub to oversee the Kuraray Group's activities in the Asia Pacific region. The company will conduct a wide range of operations such as the production and sale of polyvinyl alcohol resin (product name: KURARAY POVAL, hereinafter referred to as "PVA resin"), and the sale of a polyvinyl butyral resin and film (hereinafter referred to as "PVB resin/film") and related chemicals in the Asia Pacific region.
Originally, PVA resin was produced by POVAL ASIA PTE LTD. (a fifty-fifty joint venture between Kuraray and Kuraray subsidiary Kuraray Singapore Pte., Ltd.) and sold by Kuraray Specialities Asia Pte., Ltd. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kuraray Singapore Pte., Ltd.).
The establishment of Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. marks the creation of an operational hub (wholly owned by Kuraray) for the Kuraray Group that combines production and sales in the Asia Pacific region, creating an organization for strengthening the global expansion of the Group's PVA resin business.
"The new company will be our regional headquarter of whole Kuraray group in these emerging and most growing markets," said Yasuaki Wakui, Chairman and Representative Director of Kuraray Co., Ltd., at the Opening Ceremony held in Shangri-La Hotel Singapore on July 1. "Making most of geopolitical significance of Singapore, the company will be able to provide better and more efficient service for the other Kuraray Group's products."
The PVA-related business is at the very core of the Kuraray Group's core business, and the Group is expanding its business locations in Europe and the Unites States both as a pioneer and the world's leading corporate group with regard to PVA. The group has established hubs for its PVA resin and its PVB resin/film operations in Europe through acquisitions.
With the establishment of Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., the Group aims to move from the approach centered on conventional general purpose PVA resin products, and promote increased added value able to cater for the advanced needs of users. The move also expands the Group's horizons beyond PVA resin to include new businesses for PVB resin/film and related products. Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. will aim to serve as an operational hub for Kuraray-related products by further promoting the development of rapidly growing markets in Asia and Oceania, including China and India.
Overview of Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
| Company name | Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Capital | US$27,775,000 (Kuraray 100%) |
| President | Shinzo Takemura |
| Address | 10 Sakra Avenue Singapore 627887 (Head Office) 331 North Bridge Road, #18-02 Odeon Towers, Singapore 188720 (Sales Office) |
| Businesses | Production of PVA resin Sale of PVA resin and other Kuraray Group products in the Asia Pacific Region |
| Production facilities | PVA resin production facilities: 40,000 tons/year |
| Employees | 77 |
The History of the Kuraray Group's Core Business – the PVA Resin Business
| 1926 June | Kurashiki Kenshoku Co. Ltd. (now Kuraray) established |
|---|---|
| 1950 November | Began industrial production of vinylon staple fiber |
| 1958 November | Began sale of PVA resin (product name: Kuraray Poval) |
| 1962 May | Began production of poval film |
| 1996 September | Established Poval Asia Pte. Ltd. Investors: NIPPON GOHSEI Singapore Pte Ltd. 50% (wholly-owned subsidiary of Nippon Synthetic Chemical Industry Co. Ltd.) Kuraray Singapore Pte., Ltd. 50% (wholly-owned subsidiary of Kuraray Co. Ltd.) |
| 1997 November | Established Kuraray Specialities Asia Pte., Ltd. |
| 1999 April | Began production of PVA resin at Poval Asia |
| 2001 December | Acquired the PVA resin (product name: MOWIOL) and PVB resin (product name: MOWITAL) operations of European company Clariant AG, and began operations in subsidiary Kuraray Specialities Europe (now Kuraray Europe GmbH) |
| 2004 December | Acquired the PVB film (product name: TROSIFOL) operations of European company HT Troplast AG, and began operations in subsidiary Kuraray Specialities Europe. |
| 2008 January | Made Poval Asia Pte. Ltd. a wholly-owned subsidiary |
| 2008 July 1 | Established Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. |
