Kuraray recently broke ground on its greenfield Kuraray Poval (polyvinyl alcohol) plant in La Porte, Texas. This new plant will reportedly add to Kuraray’s portfolio of manufacturing in the U.S., including ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVAL) and co-block thermoplastic elastomers (SEPTON). Kuraray’s Poval plant will have a production capacity of over 40,000 tons in its first phase.

Energy is a significant cost of production. As energy costs rise, it becomes more difficult to pass on the increases to customers in the price of products and services. Regardless of current energy costs and trends, however, an energy-efficient process is more competitive.

Pure monomer resins (PMRs) are produced from pure aromatic monomer streams, especially styrene and alkyl styrene derivatives.