Gunze to Invest 5.7 billion JPY to Expand Konan Plant in Japan for Growth of Engineering Plastics Business

Responds to growing demand from the medical device and semiconductor markets

OSAKA, Japan, October 12, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gunze Limited (Headquarters: Osaka, Japan, President: Toshiyasu Saguchi) [TOKYO: 3002] is pleased to announce that Gunze has decided to invest in the expansion of its Konan plant with a target completion date of March 2025 to support the growth of its engineering plastics business. This investment is in response to growing demand in the medical device and semiconductor markets.
The Konan Plant began operations in 1990 as the core plant for the engineering plastics business. Since then, the plant has expanded its business by developing and supplying tubes, belts and other components for the office automation market and various industries, utilizing its proprietary processing technologies for fluoropolymers and polyimide resins. The new building will have exterior with high thermal insulation, high-efficiency lighting & air conditioning and photovoltaic power generation to reduce CO2 emissions, and will achieve an environmental performance rating of B+ or higher under the Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (*CASBEE) certification.
Gunze promotes company-wide activities to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities, strives for environmentally friendly management, and contributes to the development of the local community by revitalizing the economy and creating new employment opportunities in the local Aichi Prefecture.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231011505630/en/

Gunze Konan plant and image of newly constructed plant (Graphic: Business Wire)

*CASBEE is a method for evaluating and rating the environmental performance of buildings and the built environment. CASBEE was developed by a research committee established in 2001 through the collaboration of academia, industry and national and local governments, which established the Japan Sustainable Building Consortium under the auspice of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan.

(Source: Institute for Built Environment and Carbon Neutral for SDGs)

Overview of the expansion of the Konan plant.
Location	1, Toritsuke, Murakuno-cho, Konan, Aichi, Japan
Total investment	Approx. 5.7 billion JPY
Structure	Steel frame, 2 stories
Building area	4,396 square meters
Total floor area	8,121 square meters
Main products	Products utilizing the functionality of engineering plastics in the medical device and semiconductor markets
Construction schedule	Start of construction in February 2024, start of operation in May 2025

About Gunze and its Engineering Plastics business.
Founded in 1896 in Kyoto, Japan, Gunze is a leading developer and manufacturer of engineering plastics, plastic films, medical devices, apparel, and other products. Gunze employs more than 5,200 people in 10 countries worldwide.
The Engineering Plastics business, established in 1982, has a significant presence in over 20 countries. Its head office and manufacturing facility are located in Aichi, Japan. It manufactures and markets functional components used in photocopiers, printers and other office equipment. These components have also been adopted for industrial manufacturing processes. Our thin-walled PFA tubes for fuser rollers/belts and transfer belts have brought innovation to the office automation market, enabling excellent image printing quality. Designed to meet a wide range of customer needs, our high-quality functional components for industrial applications help maintain the quality of products with stain-resistant properties. Even in behind-the-scenes components, Gunze Engineering Plastics provide a "Comfort solutions for life".
*Engineering Plastics business website: https://www.gunze.co.jp/e/epd/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231011505630/en/

Contacts

Gunze Limited, Corporate Communication Department
Shinji Nonaka
TEL: +81-6-6348-1314
https://www.gunze.co.jp/english/