Asahi Glass expansion

Asahi Glass expansion

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. said yesterday its joint venture producing polyvinyl chloride in Indonesia would invest four billion yen (US$40 million) to nearly double its output.

PT Asahimas Subentra Chemical, owned by Asahi Glass and PPG Industries of the United States, is to boost annual output from the current 140,000 tons to some 260,000 tons by 1996, company officials said.

The increase is part of the venture's effort to meet growing demand for water pipe resin, which is expected to expand by 15 percent annually in the country, the officials said.

Asahi, the nation's largest glass manufacturer, also said that the venture was planning to expand production of polyvinyl chloride monomer, a raw material used to make the resin which is used primarily to make water pipes.