Kuraray raising elastomer prices

Tokyo – Kuraray’s elastomers business unit is raising prices for a range of elastomer materials for the third time this year, effective 15 Oct.

The increase of $0.22/kg covers all of Kuraray’s Septon, Hybrar and TU-Polymer elastomers, the company announced 4 Oct.

This is the third time Kuraray is raising elastomer prices this year, having increased the materials’ pricing by $0.22/kg earlier in July and 0.33/kg in mid-April.

Kuraray said the increasing feedstock prices, utility and logistics and maintenance 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 and sporting goods.

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