Kuraray raising elastomer prices globally

Tokyo – Kuraray’s elastomers business unit is raising prices for a range of elastomer materials for the fourth time in less than a year.

Effective 1 Feb, the price hike of $0.33/kg covers all of Kuraray’s Septon, Hybrar and TU-Polymer elastomers, the company announced 27 Jan.

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

Under these circumstances and in order to improve profitability and maintain a stable supply, Kurary said it had decided to implement the price revision.

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.’