Toyo Ink SC Holdings Co., Ltd., the parent company of the Tokyo-based specialty materials manufacturer Toyo Ink Group, announced plans to double the laminating adhesives production capacity from the current level at its Malaysia-based subsidiary Toyochem Specialty Chemical Sdn. Bhd. By strengthening its global supply chain, the Toyo Ink Group plans to expand sales of high-functionality and environmentally friendly solutions, such as solvent-free adhesives, the demand for which is expected to grow worldwide. Expansion work is now under way at the Malaysian site with full operation slated to begin in the third quarter of 2023. Once in operation, Toyochem Specialty Chemical is expected to serve as the mother factory of laminating adhesives within the Asian region, especially high-performance products, which is an area of core competency for the group.

At present, the demand for laminating adhesives, which are mainly used to coat multilayered films in flexible packaging structures, is expanding within the retort food pouches and pharmaceutical packaging sectors, primarily in Asia. This includes applications such as PTP (press through package) sheets, a common form of blister packing for drug tablets. Rising populations in countries across Asia are expected to further propel the growth of the retort pouch sector by about 10% over the next five years.