Japanese firm Asahi Kasei Chemicals is constructing a 3,000-tonne/year plant in China for Duranol polycarbonatediol (PCD), an intermediate for high-performance polyurethanes (PUs). The plant will start up in early 2015 and be operated by local affiliate Asahi Kasei Performance Chemicals Corp. PCD is used to make high-performance PUs with characteristics such as heat and water resistance. Demand for PCD is growing throughout the world as the PU market increasingly shifts toward higher-performance.

A highly functional PCD developed by Asahi Kasei Chemicals, Duranol features greater compatibility than ordinary PCD and enables improved softness in PUs than is possible with ordinary PCD. Duranol has the leading share of the Asian PCD market for PUs for synthetic leather in automotive interiors, PU coatings, and UV-curable PUs. Demand for highly functional PCD is forecasted to continue to grow briskly throughout Asia and especially in China as a major centre for manufacturing automobiles and consumer electronics.

Asahi Kasei Chemicals currently produces Duranol at a plant in its Mizushima Works, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. The new plant in China will enable the company to meet demand growth with a stable supply infrastructure in Asia, reinforcing its position as a leading supplier of highly functional materials to manufacturers of high-performance PUs, including Duranate HDI-based polyisocyanate.