An apple Kureha company representatives recently to Japan, said U.S. office phone apple lithium battery tight supplies, it is mainly used in the iPod. Japan’s chemical manufacturers are facing similar supply difficulties.
Kureha company owns 70% of global lithium battery key polymer. It set up factories in Japan rock, March 11 factories shut since the earthquake. The factory is the key Kureha only the polymer production.
Kureha CEO Iwasaki said Takao, Japan’s natural disasters will speed up production to overseas transfer plan. He said: “for companies such as Kureha, this is the only way to survive.”
Japan’s earthquake let many an unknown technocrat, but in global hugely influential enterprise, such as Kureha surfaced. These enterprises in the high-end product components and raw material in the lead, global market unique balance.
In recent years, by cost cutting pressure and yen fluctuations, the Japanese manufacturing enterprise began to offshoring. Economists are also concerned after earthquakes and tsunamis the influence of supply chain, it makes the power grid and impaired, this may affect offshoring trend.
Kureha provide polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is the glue of lithium-ion batteries. After the earthquake, the company has been closed factories rock is not sure when it can reopen. The factory has no were destroyed, but Onahama port damage to serious, but key materials vinyl chloride and zhao salt can’t arrived factory.
Kureha CEO Takao Iwasaki has 63, he said: “the post-disaster we received many telephone and ask how many of our inventory, when can we expect its delivery. Just before the disaster, we have always considered part of the United States and China moved production capacity, and now we can accelerate plans.”
At present Kureha in the United States, China and Vietnam have factories, but not a factory production PVDF. The company still can’t make financial losses for close factory evaluation. Some of these products are two months of inventory, but continuous in swallowing goods.
Takao Iwasaki stressed that the company will continue to develop technology research and development in Japan, but he also said “we spent 30-40 years development, this is our wealth. These technology should stay in Japan, Japan should be mother factory.”
On the day of the earthquake, Kureha directors meeting in rock. That night some executives driving back to Tokyo, spent at least 12 hours. Takao Iwasaki in factories until Sunday, to ensure the safety of staff and factory. 800 employees without serious injury, no missing.
Now, Takao Iwasaki biggest challenge is monitoring the situation, blessed island nuclear power plants from the rock only 40 kilometers nuclear plant. Takao Iwasaki persuade employees in place, he said: “we can’t run. We must believe that the government’s information, to support local communities. We must be brave.”