Japanese firm increases capacity to cater to growing demand for auto lubes
Tokyo-listed Sanyo Chemical Industries has announced intentions to build new equipment at its Jiangsu plant as demand for high quality lubricants additives continues to grow. The upgrade will chiefly focus on producing ACLUBE, a popular additives product that it claims can reduce viscosity variations in lubricants by around 5-10%.
ACLUBE includes a range of additives that mitigate viscosity changes in varying temperatures and ensure oil runs smoothly below freezing.
The new facilities should come online in July next year and will be capable of producing up to 5,000 tons of finished product. Once up and running, the site will boost Sanyo’s total annual production by 8.5% to 64,000 tons, from its current 59,000 ton output.
Interest in viscosity index improvers - on of the key additives in Sanyo's lube range - is rising as the auto industry looks to reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel consumption, especially in China where governmental pressure on industry to reduce pollution is intensifying.
Sanyo began producing ACLUBE in 2011 in Japan and Pennsylvania.