Nitto Boseki says it will look into expanding output capacity for its fine glass yarn by 1,000 tonnes/month as demand for the product is growing rapidly for use in printed circuit boards (PCB). The wo…
Nitto Boseki says it will look into expanding output capacity for its fine glass yarn by 1,000 tonnes/month as demand for the product is growing rapidly for use in printed circuit boards (PCB). The world“s largest maker of fine glass yarn plans to complete the study by the end of 2004, with expansion likely in Japan, at its joint venture in Taiwan, or by building a new plant in China, where consumption of the product is rising The move is expected to cost the firm JPY 3-5 billion (USD 27.3 – 45.5 million), and involve the construction of a melting furnace. In addition, the Tokyo-based firm intends to double production capacity of woven glass cloth at its plant in Macao, southeastern China, to 4 million square meters. World demand for fine glass yarn measuring seven micrometers or less in diameter stands at 5-7.5 million tonnes/year, with the annual growth rate estimated at 7%. Nitto Boseki has a 40% share of the world market, followed by U.S.-based Advanced Glassfiber Yarns and French-based Vetrotex, a Saint-Gobain group company. The Japanese firm“s domestic share exceeds 70%. The global demand for glass yarn and woven glass cloth is growing sharply for use in PCB substrates of digital home appliances, PCs, mobile phones, and other electronic devices.