April 5, 2023 April 24, 2023 April 24, 2023 Major Events and Activities in 2023 Kuraray joins forces with GC and Sumitomo to launch a performance and specialty chemicals plant and develop Thai industries in the EEC GC, along with Mr. Hitoshi Kawahara, CEO of Kuraray, Mr. Yoshiyuki Sakamoto, Senior Managing Executive Officer of Sumitomo Corporation, and Acting Sub-Lieutenant Pirun Hemarak, Deputy Governor of Rayong, joined the inauguration ceremony of Kuraray GC Advanced Materials Company Limited and Kuraray Advanced Chemicals (Thailand) Company Limited at the WHA Eastern Industrial Estate in Map Ta Phut Sub-district, Muang District, Rayong. Kuraray GC Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between three companies with advanced technology and special expertise, namely Kuraray Co., Ltd. GC, and Sumitomo Corporation, which is a leading company from Japan. The joint venture produces and distributes advanced engineering plastic products, Genestar-branded super engineering plastic polyamide 9T (PA9T) and Septon-branded Hydrogenated Styrenic Block Co-polymer (HSBC). The products are in alignment with GC’s business direction of expanding into high-grade petrochemicals to meet the demands of the automotive and Electrical and Electronic (E&E) industries, which are seeing increasing demand and growth rates. GC inaugurates New CCB Bui lding and launches Olefins 2 Modification for Propane Feedstock (OMP) Project GC inaugurated New CCB Bui lding and commenced the commercial operation of the Olefins 2 Modification for Propane Feedstock (OMP) Project. The project was part of GC Group’s Step Change strategy to improve feedstock flexibility and increase the ability to use propane, reduce reliance on the dwindling amount of ethane from the Gule of Thailand, contribute added value to downstream businesses, and enhance GC Group’s competitiveness. GC joins the inauguration of Matrix Polymers Thai Co., Ltd. GC attended the opening ceremony of Matrix Polymers Thai Co., Ltd. a manufacturer of colored compounded powder, which is a raw material for rotomolded products, such as large water tanks, plastic playground equipment, and kayaks. With an output of 10,000 tons per year in Phase 1, the company represented an expansion of Revolve Group Limited’s (RGL) production capacity in Asia, aimed at meeting the growing demand in the Asia Pacific region. MPT is owned 99.998% by RGL, which is a joint venture between GC (49% shareholding) and Martin Coles (51% shareholding). RGL is a leading UK-based company that manufactures and sources feedstock for rotomolded products. Currently, it operates six production facilities in the United Kingdom, Poland, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, and most recently in Thailand, with the goal of becoming a premier global expert in materials for rotomolding through innovation and collaboration across various regions. Competitiveness Enhancing Strategies 20
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