Thursday, September 20, 2012

No. 3: Kao starts to sell a plant-derived bioresin (September 20, 2012)

Business trend:
Kao will start to sell a plant-derived bioresin it developed in alliance with NEC. They improved the additive agent used for the production of bioresins and increased the yield ratio in forming bioresin into parts and components. Normally, employing a plant-derived bioresin doubles the production cost of parts and components as compared with employing an oil-derived resin, but Kao’s newly developed bioresin will increase the production cost only by several tens of percents.

The new bioresin is made of polylactic acid with additives. The two companies successfully shortened the time required to make it cool down and harden after it is inpoured into a mold by improving the additive agents and modifying the compounding ratio. Accordingly, it is now used for the production of thin parts and components. At the same time, it can reduce Staphylococcus aureus and Bacterium coli that cause food intoxication by more than by 99%. As the oil-derived resin does not have this antibacterial function, it can be applied to products for public facilities and medical institutions. As the leader of Japan’s toiletry market, Kao is very active in environmental conservation.

 
Kao’s booth in the EcoProducts Expo in 2011