Miyazaki, Japan – Asahi Kasei will increase capacity for artificial suede by 4m m2/year by 2021. This will take total capacity at the site to 14m m2/year.
The composite material, Lamous, has a wide variety of uses, including automotive interiors, furniture and apparel. Asahi Kasei said it expects much of the extra capacity will be used in the automotive sector.
This is the second expansion at the site, which is currently growing from 6m m2/year to 10 m m2/year to meet demand.
Lamous has a three layer structure, with a central layer of scrim impregnated with water-based polyurethane resins. This combination produces a material with a soft and flexible texture.
'In Europe, Lamous is dyed by Italian company Miko and marketed under the brand name Dinamica,' said Koushiro Kudou, president of the company's performance products division. '[It is used] mainly as material for automotive interiors. Partly made of recycled polyester, Lamous is processed with water-based polyurethane, making it a rather eco-friendly material.'
