Japanese petrochemical firm KH Neochem Co., Ltd. announced that it resolved at a meeting of its Board of Directors held on December 25, 2017 to build a ¥7.5 billion (U.S. $67 million) facility in western Japan (2-3 Daikyo-cho, Yokkaichi city, Mie prefecture), to manufacture additives for refrigeration lubricants.

Total amount of investment is estimated at 7.5 billion yen (US $67 million) (machinery, equipment and structures, etc.)

The company said it expects to start construction in May 2018 (planned) with completion of construction in November 2019 and start of production in January 2020.

The company said that in recent years, the demand for its refrigeration lubricant raw materials has been growing, reflecting the expanding air-conditioning market in China and other emerging countries and a shift to refrigerants that focus on the prevention of any damage to the ozone layer and global warming. Demand for eco-friendly refrigeration lubricants is expected to grow further, which will be associated with increasingly stringent international environmental regulations.

The website of Schaumburg, IL-based KH Neochem Americas states that it supplies a broad range of high performance products, including synthetic fatty acids, specialty diols, and functional monomers. All are key components in lubricants, adhesives, coatings, personal care products and other formulations.