Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; President: Yasuaki Wakui) has announced that its subsidiary, Kuraray Plastics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka; President: Katsuhiko Kishi), has used a special heat-blocking film supplied by Achilles Corporation (Headquarters: Tokyo; President: Shizuya Yamanaka) to develop a tent and awning material with superior heat-blocking properties. The new material, dubbed VANCOOL, was developed through a lamination process and will go on sale nationwide on April 20.
VANCOOL has a special four-layer structure that includes a heat-blocking layer that contains minute, ceramic balloons and white pigment, which allows it to efficiently reflect radiant heat from sunlight and other sources. It also has a colored PVC layer for decorative purposes. This material efficiently blocks the near-infrared rays that are the cause of radiant heat,greatly reducing the amount of penetrating heat and keeping the protected area cooler than conventional materials can.
In July 2004 Kuraray conducted tests of this material in sunlight, comparing it to a conventional awning material. Tent-like awnings of each were stretched over pipe frames, and temperatures inside and outside were measured at intervals.
The tests were conducted at the height of summer, with temperatures outdoors exceeding 35℃. Temperatures under the conventional awning consistently exceeded 40℃, while temperatures inside the VANCOOL-clad awning remained up to 7℃ cooler.
Measured temperatures on July 7, 2004 | Measured temperatures on July 8, 2004 | ||||||
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09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | ||
Outside temperature (℃) | 35 | 34 | 37 | 33 | 39 | 38 | |
Temperatures inside/under awnings*(℃) | Conventional material | 44 | 43 | 48 | 41 | 49 | 47 |
VANCOOL | 40 | 40 | 43 | 39 | 42 | 42 | |
Difference | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 5 |
Kuraray foresees a number of uses for this material. It can contribute to improved working and living environments, reduce the burden on air conditioning equipment, and prevent the formation of heat islands. Specific applications will include decorative store awnings, awnings for home and family use, large tents for events, canvas truck covers, and factory sheds. Initial market offerings will be material for decorative awnings and large tents for events.
VANCOOL has a colored polyvinyl chloride outer layer, a heat-block layer (containing ceramic alloons and white pigment), a polyester base-textile layer, and a polyvinyl chloride inner layer.
(Depending on the application, a stain-resistant surface layer may be added.)
Thickness | 0.6mm |
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Width | 94cm |
Weight | 640g/m² |
Price | ¥9,000/m (¥9,450/m, including tax) |
Distribution route | Manufacturers of tents and awnings |
Sales targets | First year: ¥20 million, After three years: ¥200 million |
Thickness | 0.6mm |
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Width | 93cm and 104cm |
Weight | 630g/m² |
Price | 93cm width: ¥8,000/m (¥8,400/m, including tax) 104cm width: ¥10,000/m (¥10,500/m, including tax) |
Distribution route | Manufacturers of tents, and event promoters |
Sales targets | First year: ¥30 million After three years: ¥300 million |
Headquarters | 22 Daikyo-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo |
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President | Shizuya Yamanaka |
Capital | ¥14,640 million |
Number of employees | 1,931 (As of March 31, 2004) |
Business | With plastic processing as its core technology, manufacturing and sales of functional films, synthetic leathers, shoes, and products related to residential and civil engineering construction, automotive, electronics parts, and welfare. |
Headquarters | 1-12-39 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka (Shin Hankyu Building 9F) |
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President | Katsuhiko Kishi |
Capital | ¥180 million |
Number of employees | 200 |
Business | Manufacturing, processing, and sales of rubber and plastic hoses and molded products, water and sewage pipes, laminated products, and SEPTON compounds and molded materials. |