DuPont Invests $95 Million To Expand Production Of Kapton Polyimide Film

Research Triangle Park, NC -- DuPont Electronic Technologies announced plans to expand the production of DuPont Kapton polyimide film with Du Pont–Toray Co., LTD, its joint venture with Toray Industries, Japan. Approximately $95 million will be invested in the new facility, which is expected to increase overall capacity for DuPont Kapton by approximately 25 percent. The facility for this fifth DuPont Kapton polyimide film production line will be constructed next to the current Du Pont–Toray Co., LTD manufacturing plant in Tokai City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Production is expected to begin in mid-2007.

"We have a strong commitment to serve our customers and their rapidly growing use of DuPont Kapton and Oasis film offerings - this will be our third major expansion in the last three years," said J. Stan Erickson, global business director, DuPont Electronic Technologies, High Performance Materials. "DuPont Kapton polyimide film has been a market leader for over 35 years because of its proven reliability under the most demanding conditions in applications from cell phones and personal computers, to the newest technologies in flat panel displays and integrated circuit packaging. We are pleased with this expansion, as DuPont-Toray Co., LTD will continue to develop both the quality and availability of Kapton to benefit our customers."

DuPont Kapton polyimide film is used primarily as a substrate for flexible printed circuits and integrated circuit applications in wireless, digital and computer markets.

Toray-DuPont Co. LTD is a 50-50 joint venture between Toray Industries, Inc., Tokyo, and DuPont KK, Japan, a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont, Wilmington, Del. The entity has produced DuPont Kapton polyimide film for the Asia-Pacific flexible circuit industry since 1985.

SOURCE: DuPont Microcircuit Materials