Plastics and Chemicals In the Plastic and Chemicals segment, despite the impact of slow automobile sales in Japan since fall reflecting the discontinuation of the eco-car subsidies, recovery in demand continued in the resin business on the back of strong growth in automobile production for emerging countries, and increase in domestic sales in home electric appliances due to the heat wave and the eco-point system. In the film business, sales expanded in the industrial materials field in general led by solar cell and packaging applications.
On the whole, the total sales for Plastics and Chemicals rose 15.5% year-on-year to ¥280.5 billion (US$3,441 million). Operating income jumped 162.7% to ¥19.8 billion (US$243 million).
Carbon Fiber Composite Materials In the Carbon Fiber Composite Materials segment, sales and production volumes of Torayca and Torayca prepreg (carbon fiber sheets impregnated with epoxy resin) increased on the back of sustained recovery in demand in aircraft and space, sports, and general industrial applications. Sales of carbon fiber molded products (composites) also expanded primarily in the IT field such as for PC chassis. At the same time, the company focused on improving the selling price that had fallen due to loose supply and demand balance.
Overall sales of the Carbon Fiber Composite Materials segment rose 40.5% on year to ¥49.5 billion (US$608 million) while posting an operating profit of ¥2.0 billion (US$24 million), an improvement of ¥3.7 billion compared with the same period of the previous fiscal year.