Asahi Kasei and Asahi Kasei Advance have decided to establish Asahi Kasei Airbag Fabric Vietnam Co., Ltd. (AFV) in Thai Binh Province, Vietnam, together with Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd. (Teijin Frontier), for the manufacture of fabric for airbags.Shareholders are Asahi Kasei Corporation (74%), Asahi Kasei Advanced (20%) and Teijin Frontier Limited (6%).The plant will produce airbag fabrics with a production capacity of 20 million m2/year.Operations are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2024.
Featuring exceptional strength, heat resistance, durability, and light weight, Asahi Kasei’s Leona nylon 66 filament has been adopted in various industrial applications, most notably as airbag yarn and tire cord for the automobile industry.
Vehicle airbags are a major application, and continuing growth is forecasted as vehicle production rises in Asia, safety requirements become higher, and the number of airbags per vehicle increases. Furthermore, customers’ needs for airbags are expected to diversify as markets trend toward CASE (connected, autonomous, shared/service, electric) and sustainability.
As a manufacturer of material for airbags, the Asahi Kasei Group has been manufacturing and selling Leona™ 66 filament, operating a joint venture with Teijin Frontier manufacturing fabric for airbags in China, and manufacturing and selling sewn fabric.
By manufacturing airbag fabric in Vietnam, AFV will enhance the Asahi Kasei Group’s ability to meet growing demand and quickly respond to the diversifying needs of customers through integrated production encompassing feedstock, yarn, fabric, and sewing, while providing added value and strengthening the overall airbag material supply chain.