Kuraray raising prices of elastomer materials

Tokyo – Kuraray’s elastomers business unit is raising prices for a range of materials in all regions, effective 1 April.

The increase of $0.50/kg covers all of Kuraray’s Septon, Hybrar and TU-Polymer elastomers, the company announced 15 March.

Kuraray said the increasing feedstock prices, utility and logistics costs had “reached to the level beyond unilaterally absorbable by self-saving efforts.”

This time, it said, it is necessary to recover a portion of these increases to ensure ongoing supply and new innovations..

Septon is described as a recyclable TPE with ‘high elasticity, high strength, weather resistance, low-temperature properties, chemical resistance, heat aging resistance, and electrical insulation properties.’

The material can be used in various applications including automotive parts, medical parts, toys and sporting goods.

Hybrar is listed as ‘a unique triblock co-polymer with polystyrene end blocks and a vinyl bonded rich polydiene mid-block.’

We will report further on this in the March/April issue of European Rubber Journal.