< Back one page or click on the timeline to continue your journey.

Overview

The Utsunomiya, Japan, plant was established by DuPont Japan Ltd. in 1983 to manufacture engineering polymers. Since then it has become increasingly central to DuPont’s operations in Japan, the largest market in the Asia Pacific region. The company’s involvement in Japan began in 1960 with a joint venture, Show Denko K.K., to produce neoprene. Subsequent joint ventures manufactured polyethylene, refrigerants, and Opelon® elastomeric fiber, but Utsunomiya was DuPont’s first attempt to break away from the joint venture system that still dominates Far East activities.

Production initially focused on Zytel® nylon and Rynite® thermoplastic polyester resin. In 1984 DuPont also began manufacturing Vespel® polyimide resin parts at the site and three years later started producing the super-high performance sealing material Kalrez® and the fluoroelastomer industrial lubricant Krytox®. Teflon® was also produced there briefly from 1989 to 1992. In 1994 DuPont moved the production of Riston® photoresists from a joint venture plant to Utsunomiya.

Utsunomiya is more than a production center. It is the leading center of research and development for DuPont Kabushiki Kaisha (DuPont K.K.), as DuPont Japan Ltd. was renamed in 1993. A Tyvek® Technical Service Center was built at the site in 1993 followed by an Auto Refinish Training Center the next year. In late 1997 DuPont K.K. completed construction of a Technical Center and Advanced Materials Application Laboratory (AMAL). An Experimental Station was built in 1998 and a semi-works was constructed for the AMAL early the next year. This heavy investment ensures that Utsunomiya will be central to DuPont’s 21st century Asia Pacific operations.

< Back one page or click on the timeline to continue your journey.