Tokyo, Japan—Tosoh Corporation announced today that it has developed new technology to produce Chemical Manganese Oxide and that Tosoh and Tosoh Group company Tosoh Hyuga Corporation, of Hyuga, Miyazaki Prefecture, have decided to build a chemical manganese oxide plant on Tosoh Hyuga’s premises. The plant will boast Tosoh’s newly developed production technology and a 5,000-metric-ton annual production capacity. Construction will begin in April 2012 and is expected to conclude in March 2013.
The construction of the new plant calls for a capital investment of about ¥3.0 to ¥4.0 billion. As such, the project has been selected by the Japanese government to receive financial assistance under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s domestic development scheme.
When completed, the new plant will furnish the Tosoh Group with a total annual manganese oxide production capacity of 64,000 metric tons. Tosoh is already considering the next phase of capacity expansion to help it meet growing demand for manganese oxide globally and to remain the world’s leading manufacturer.
So far, Japan-based Tosoh Hyuga and, in Greece, Tosoh Hellas A.I.C. have produced electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) that has been mainly used to manufacture cathodes for high-end alkaline dry batteries. The launch of electric cars and their expanding production numbers, however, is anticipated to heighten demand for EMD for use in lithium-ion secondary batteries cathodes of the lithium manganese oxide (LMO) and tertiary compound type.
The new technology allows the production of more uniform and higher purity particles with very few contaminants as compared to EMD. The chemical process allows control of the particle formation and its size, eliminating the need for electrolytic baths and pulverizers. Such uniform and pure particles befit the needs of the lithium ion secondary batteries cathode for electric vehicles, where safety and high current discharge are required.
Tosoh Corporation has licensed its new production technology to Tosoh Hyuga. The subsidiary will use the technology to produce chemical manganese oxide that, alongside EMD, will be sold by the Advanced Materials Division to cathode manufacturers.
In addition to EMD and chemical manganese oxide, Tosoh’s Advanced Materials Division offers zirconia, synthetic zeolites, quartz and fabricated quartzware, and sputtering targets. The division plans to achieve further expansion of its business scope and to strengthen its earnings capability based on these product lines.
| Company: | Tosoh Hyuga Corporation |
| Established: | July 1995 |
| Capital: | ¥1.5 billion |
| Ownership: | Wholly owned subsidiary of Tosoh Corporation |
TOSOH CORPORATION
WHO WE ARE
Tosoh Corporation is a Japanese chemical company established in 1935 and listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is the parent of the Tosoh Group, which comprises 133 companies worldwide and a multiethnic workforce of over 11,000 people and generated net sales of ¥684.4 billion (US$8.2 billion at the year-end rate of ¥83.15 to the US dollar) in fiscal 2011, ended March 31, 2011.
WHAT WE DO
Tosoh is one of the largest chlor-alkali manufacturers in Asia. The Company supplies the plastic resins and an array of the basic chemicals that support modern life. Tosoh's petrochemical operations supply ethylene, polymers, and polyethylene, while its advanced materials business serves the global semiconductor, display, and solar industries. Tosoh has also pioneered sophisticated bioscience systems that are used for the rapid diagnosis of life-threatening diseases, such as diabetes and certain cancers, and to prevent epidemics by identifying pathogenic microbes. In addition, Tosoh develops products and provides services to purify water and to monitor the environment as part of a commitment to a sustainable future.
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