(Diplomatic copy)
July 25, 2011
Toray Tonen Specialty Separator Godo Kaisha
Toray Tonen Specialty Separator to construct new separator capacity in Korea
Toray Tonen Specialty Separator, a joint venture of Toray Industries and TonenGeneral Sekiyu, will commence construction of additional facility to produce battery separator film plant in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Republic of Korea.
When completed, the new facility will increase production capacity at Gumi by approximately 40 million square meters of film per year, more than doubling the current installed capacity. The current facility began operations there shortly after the joint venture was formed in January of 2010.
According to its board approved plan, Toray Tonen Specialty Separator will start-up the new production in the second half of 2012 to help meet the rapid growth in advanced battery manufacturing in South Korea and throughout Asia. This will free up capacity at its existing plant in Nasu, Japan to focus on continuing strong domestic market growth.
Toray Tonen Specialty Separator builds on over twenty years of experience of its parent companies in providing lightweight but high-safety-margin separator films for use in the personal electronics market, and continues investment for expanding capacity in the rapidly-growing market for lithium-ion batteries in hybrid-electric and electric vehicles.