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History of Xarec Product Line

For many years, syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS), a semi-crystalline version of polystyrene, was only a laboratory curiosity since there was no economical means to produce it on a commercial scale. In the later half of the 1980’s, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., after an extensive R&D campaign, developed and patented an efficient manufacturing process culminating in the construction of a commercial scale production facility in Chiba, Japan (5,000MT).

Soon after the introduction of Xarec SPS, the Dow Chemical Co., a world leader in the production of atactic polystyrene, became interested in marketing a product line based on SPS and established an exclusive license from Idemitsu for North America and subsequently introduced the Questra SPS product line.

Meanwhile, Idemitsu focused exclusively on the development of SPS applications in Asia and Europe, establishing the value of Xarec SPS with many customers in applications ranging from electrical & electronic components to household appliances, industrial components and bathroom shower surrounds.

During the past two decades customers from around the world have come to recognize the unique and valuable characteristics of SPS, namely: heat & chemical resistance, exceptional dimensional stability combined with an ease of manufacturing that offers customers the chance to reduce production cycle times. Customers with applications ranging from complex connector housings in both automotive and electronic devices to printer components to appliance & electrical parts have come to rely on the value that SPS brings to both their product performance and manufacturing environment.

In late 2004, the Dow Chemical Co. announced their withdrawal of the Questra product line having been unsuccessful in generating sales sufficient to match their production capacity of 35,000MT. Idemitsu quickly announced their ‘adoption’ of all Questra formulations and launched a modernization campaign at their SPS facility, since it had been idled shortly after consenting to a supply arrangement with Dow Chemical when they opened their facility in 2000.