March/2013

-Meeting the Rapid Increase in Demand in the ASEAN Region-

ELASTOMIX Co., Ltd., (Emix) has decided to enhance production of carbon masterbatch (CMB) in Thailand.

In June 2013, Emix will add a new line with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tons at ELASTOMIX (Thailand) Co., Ltd., its joint venture in Rayong Province, Thailand, thereby significantly boosting its total production capacity per year to 39,000 tons.
This effort will enable Emix to meet an increase in demand from Japanese-affiliated car parts manufacturers—its major customers—in Thailand and other parts of the ASEAN region, where automobile production is continuing to grow.

ELASTOMIX (Thailand) provides CMB mainly to manufacturers of automobile components in Thailand and neighboring countries. To meet an increase in demand, in 2011, Emix replaced the company's BANBURY No. 9 mixer with the then latest model (with a capacity of 9,000 tons per year).At the end of 2012, Emix also replaced its BANBURY No. 11 mixer with the then latest model (with a capacity of 15,000 tons per year). Through these efforts to improve production efficiency, Emix has worked to strengthen the company's provision system.
Since automobile production is expected to continue to grow in Thailand, Emix has decided to install a further BANBURY No. 11 mixer.This installation will give ELASTOMIX (Thailand) the largest production capacity within the ELASTOMIX Group, firmly establishing the company's position as the leading rubber compound manufacturer in the ASEAN region.

Additionally, as Emix announced on February, Emix has decided to develop a joint venture in Indonesia, to establish a CMB production base that will become the second largest in the ASEAN region. Through the combination of these efforts and the augmentation of production capacity in Thailand, Emix is strengthening its production system outside Japan, thereby actively advancing its global business development.