Gunze Limited announced that Gunze has decided to invest in the expansion of its Konan plant with a target completion date of March 2025 to support the growth of its engineering plastics business. This investment is in response to growing demand in the medical device and semiconductor markets. The Konan Plant began operations in 1990 as the core plant for the engineering plastics business.

Since then, the plant has expanded its business by developing and supplying tubes, belts and other components for the office automation market and various industries, utilizing its proprietary processing technologies for fluoropolymers and polyimide resins. The new building will have exterior with high thermal insulation, high-efficiency lighting & air conditioning and photovoltaic power generation to reduce CO2 emissions, and will achieve an environmental performance rating of B+ or higher under the Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) certification. Gunze promotes company-wide activities to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities, strives for environmentally friendly management, and contributes to the development of the local community by revitalizing the economy and creating new employment opportunities in the local Aichi Prefecture.

Overview of the expansion of the Konan plant: Location: 1, Toritsuke, Murakuno-cho, Konan, Aichi, Japan. Total investment: Approx. JPY 5.7 billion.

Structure: Steel frame, 2 stories. Building area: 4,396 square meters. Total floor area: 8,121 square meters.

Main products: Products utilizing the functionality of engineering plastics in the medical device and semiconductor markets. Construction schedule: Start of construction in February 2024, start of operation in May 2025.