Toyobo's efforts toward the auto industry


	An environment-friendly car that runs safely and comfortably in any natural environment and is - Toyobo offers state-of-the-art technology and materials to help automobile manufacturers produce the ideal car.

Toyobo desires cars that not only run fast with comfort but also preserve the global environment through their entire lifecycle from manufacture to disposal. Toyobo’s technology and products make a contribution to environment-friendly car-making.
Below are a few examples:

	Binders for water-based paints containing no organic solvent and anticorrosion paints free of heavy metals prevent air and water contamination at the stage of manufacture!
	Tire cords and tension members using super fiber and diverse types of engineering plastics replacing metals reduce car weight and thus help improve fuel consumption and save energy!
	Ceiling materials, car seats, and carpets made of PET alone facilitate the disposal and recycling of waste at the time of car disposal and save resources!

To both realize a more comfortable, convenient car society and protect the beautiful global environment, Toyobo tirelessly pursue possibilities with advanced technology.



	Toyobo have developed a large variety of products based on the physiology (esthesis) of human beings to create a comfortable living space. Among them is Microclimate within clothing, a new material developed based on the concept of identifying the temperature and humidity in the small space between clothing and the human skin and pursuing comfort. In keeping with this concept, we have introduced diverse comfortable clothing and bedclothes. Toyobo is actively promoting the development of materials and technology in pursuit of comfort even within cabin space through its accumulated experience.

	Cars are required not only to run, the basic function, but also to keep passengers tireless, the environment clean and ensure safety. Toyobo, by making full use of simulation technology, is committed to the design of optimum materials for parts, such as seat materials, antibacterial materials, safety device materials, and fire retardant materials, and providing a wide variety of functional materials required for cars.

	In all processes from manufacture to disposal, as well as the development of materials and technology focusing on the reduction of burdens on the environment during driving, Toyobo is very active in the preservation of the global environment, including resource and energy saving and measures against emissions and noise. These activities are closely monitored by the Global Environment Safety Committee and other committees organized within the company.



	Toyobo is among the leading general textile manufactures producing a wide variety of textiles. The textiles Toyobo produces include polyester, nylon, acryl (EXLAN), which are the three major synthetic fibers, natural fiber cotton, wool, polyurethane fiber (ESPA), heat- and chemical-resistant high-function fiber (PROCON), ultra strong polyethylene fiber (DYNEEMA), ultra strong and high heat-resistant PBO fiber (ZYLON), and many other unique fiber materials. Making full use of the advantages of these diverse materials, we provide materials and products for automobiles, including tire cords, interiors, seat belts, air filters, and airbags, which meet customers’ needs in a wide range of fields. Fashion and interior products created from the technology accumulated over a century of history and tradition, and high-grade, high-performance interior materials for automobiles based on combined technology taking advantage of the flexibility of materials are highly evaluated inside and outside the industry. We have developed high-strength polyester tire cords, flame-resistant polyester (HEIM) that contribute to the improvement of car safety, a material for integral molding (HES), which helps save labor in processes, and other highly functional fiber materials, and devote ourselves to research and development in order to constantly meet customers' needs.

	We are further seeking for new applications through the combination of our long-accumulated polymer technology that has developed unique brands, including PET, nylon, PPS, polyester elastomer, polyurethane elastomer, and polyolefin elastomer, and other innovative ideas. Among our achievements are PET resin (VYLOPET) with distinguished impact resistance, high rigidity, and surface appearance, mineral-reinforced nylon resin offering both high functionality and design flexibility, highly functional polyester elastomer (PELPRENE) combining the performance of both rubber and engineering plastics, and polyolefin elastomer (SARLINK). We also conduct research and development of new polymers, such as aromatic nylon and copolymer elastomer with new performance, which embody customers’ needs. Copolymer polyester resin (VYLON) with a wide range of applications as binders, adhesives, and paints has been used in the auto industry for adhesives for damping steel sheets and hot melt adhesives for carpets, and we are still searching for new applications for ideal cars. You can also find Toyobo’s and our group companies’ technology in the fields of films, printing materials, and synthetic paper.

	Based on the technology established in the fields of fiber and polymer, Toyobo provides innovative materials and applied products for air and water purification. The activated carbon fiber that Toyobo was the first to put to practical use, K-Filter TM, which has excellent characteristics, is used in units for collecting organic solvents, such as trichloroethylene, solvent / exhaust gas treatment units capable of economically treating the large quantity of exhaust gas discharged from painting booths, and makes a great contribution to the protection of the global environment. It is also used for car cabin air purification filters, ozone removing filters, and deodorizing filters, helping provide a comfortable space. The dust removing filter ELITOLON, characterized by low pressure loss, high collection efficiency, and long service life, is an electrostatic filter conceived from advanced nonwoven fabric technology and charging technology, and used for a wide variety of filters for air purifiers and air conditioners. HOLLOSEP, a hollow fiber reverse osmosis membrane, is a translucent membrane developed and commercialized by fiber and polymer technology acquired over years of experience, which assists seawater desalination, water purification processing, and gas separation. We at Toyobo are thus focusing our efforts on the protection of the global environment, energy saving, and the creation of a more comfortable environment through water and air purification making the most of separation-related technology.

	The Toyobo group is among a very small number of groups that provide short and long fiber nonwoven fabrics, and produce and develop highly functional nonwoven fabrics from individual fabrics or their combinations. We produce and develop short fiber nonwoven fabrics with diverse functions by individually using or mixing the three major synthetic fibers, natural fiber, and inorganic fiber and adopting needle punching, resin bonding, thermal bonding, spun lace, and many other methods. For long fiber nonwoven fabrics, we are committed to the production and development of tougher, less directional, unique spunbonded nonwoven fabrics from polyester. We apply the various nonwoven fabric technologies described thus far to offer products for automobiles, such as floor mats, tuft carpet ground fabrics, engine filters, and ceiling materials, which fulfill customers' needs. Our activities extend to the development of higher functional nonwoven fabrics using Toyobo's unique fibers represented by fire-resistant polyester (HEIM) and super fibers (DYNEEMA, ZYLON, etc.), and their conjugation for polyvinyl chloride-free materials.