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