November 14, 2024
TOKYO – Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Hitoshi Kawahara) hereby announces that as of October 2024, six vinyl acetate-related products at four Group companies across four production bases in Europe and the United States have been certified under ISCC PLUS*1, an internationally recognized certification program for sustainable products. This marks the establishment of a certified supply chain in Europe and the United States starting with vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) produced at the U.S. La Porte Plant of Kuraray America, Inc.
In the United States, certification was acquired for all products from VAM through PVOH resin to water soluble films. In Europe, Kuraray Europe GmbH acquired trader certification and major plants that produce all three types of resin under the Vinyl Acetate Company of Kuraray (PVOH resin, PVB resin, and ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer (EVOH) resin) acquired certification.
With this certification, Kuraray will start selling ISCC PLUS certified vinyl acetate-related products, which are allocated sustainable raw materials using the mass balance method*2. Moving forward, Kuraray will continue advancing efforts to acquire certification for PVB film products and products manufactured at bases in Japan, aiming to achieve ISCC PLUS certification across a wider global supply chain.
| SITE | Location | Output material(s) | SCOPE | Valid from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Porte Plant Kuraray America, Inc. | Houston, Texas | 1. VAM 2. PVOH resin | Brand name: ELVANOL™ | Specialty chemical plant Warehouse | Nov. 2023 |
| La Porte Plant Monosol, LLC | La Porte, Indiana | 3. PVOH film (Water soluble film) | Processing unit, Converter | July 2024 |
| Frankfurt Plant, Kuraray Europe GmbH | Frankfurt, Germany | 4. PVOH resin | Brand name: KURARAY POVAL™ 5. PVB resin | Brand name: MOWITAL™ | Polymerization plant | Oct. 2024 |
| EVAL Europe N.V. | Antwerp, Belgium | 6. EVOH resin | Brand name: EVAL™ | Polymerization plant | May 2022 |
| Kuraray Europe GmbH | Hattersheim, Germany | Trader with storage | Jan. 2024 |
Reference: Company Profile
Kuraray America, Inc.
100% owned subsidiary of Kuraray Holdings U.S.A., Inc.
Headquarters: Houston, Texas, U.S.A., President: Takaharu Kawahara
MonoSol, LLC
100% owned subsidiary of MonoSol Holdings, Inc.
Headquarters: Merrillville, Indiana, U.S.A., President: Christian Herrmanns
Kuraray Europe GmbH
100% owned subsidiary of Kuraray Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: Hattersheim am Main Germany, President: Dr. Matthias Gutweiler
EVAL Europe N.V.
100% owned subsidiary of Kuraray Europe GmbH
Headquarters: Beveren (Melsele), Belgium, President: Berend Bootsma
Kuraray is implementing its medium-term management plan “PASSION 2026” as a five-year plan leading up to the centennial of its founding in 2026. The Company will continue to expand its lineup of products that contribute to the natural and living environments, with the aim of realizing the long-term “Kuraray Vision 2026,” namely, being a “Specialty Chemical Company growing sustainably by incorporating new foundational platforms into its own technologies and contributing to customers, society, and the planet.”
*1 ISCC PLUS:
International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is an internationally recognized certification program for sustainability and carbon emissions. ISCC PLUS is especially designed to ensure that certified items, which are bio-based or recycled raw materials and products marketed in the EU and elsewhere in the world, are properly managed throughout their supply chains in terms of sustainability and CO2 emissions.
*2 Mass-balance approach:
A method for assessing the sustainability of products made using multiple types of raw materials, including biomass and recycled raw materials as well as fossil-based raw materials. In this method, characteristics of sustainable raw materials (e.g., biomass and recycled raw materials) included in finished products are taken into account in a manner that reflects the proportional volume of such raw materials.
About Kuraray
Kuraray is a global specialty chemicals company that launched in 1926 and is now one of the world’s largest suppliers of industrial polymers and synthetic microfibers. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company focuses on collaboration and innovation to develop unique product solutions that bring about change for the benefit of all. Kuraray’s line of industry-leading materials – including chemicals, fibers, resins, and more – serve to enhance quality of life around the globe and lead to a more sustainable future. Learn more about Kuraray at kuraray.com.
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