Powering Progress Through Conservation. How Kuraray America’s Sites Are Taking Action to Reduce Energy Use.
At Kuraray America, energy conservation is woven into the fabric of our operations, driven by our commitment to being good neighbors, responsible stewards, and innovative manufacturers. We believe meaningful progress happens through deliberate action. National Energy Conservation Day reminds us that the path to a more sustainable future is built by the decisions our teams make every day, in every facility, across every shift.
Our commitment to sustainability is inseparable from our commitment to safety. As a company focused on people and the planet, we understand that safe, stable operations and responsible resource management are interdependent. This philosophy drives our Medium-Term Management Plan “PASSION 2026”, which challenges every Kuraray facility to identify energy saving investment opportunities, achieve measurable reductions in utility use and waste production while upholding the production quality our customers rely on.
Across our U.S. manufacturing network, teams are finding ways to conserve energy at every level: from the motors powering our equipment to the bulbs that light up our facilities to the control systems that keep our processes running smoothly. Here are some of the actions we’ve taken and those underway to bring our plan to life
Washington Works: Smarter Controls, Smarter Efficiency
Sometimes, the simplest question reveals the biggest opportunity: Is this energy use actually necessary right now?
At our Washington Works facility in West Virginia, Plant Manager Jason Ware and his team have adopted a continuous improvement philosophy that's delivering real results. A mid-September brainstorming session brought together representatives from across the organization to identify quick energy-saving opportunities. One of the early improvements involved upgrading the DCS automation to turns agitators off at the end of the batch, and restarts them only when processing resumes. This upgrade has been deployed for 11 vessels at the site.
The team has also systematically replaced oversized motors with properly sized alternatives. In the most dramatic case, a 40-horsepower motor was replaced with a 3-horsepower unit, a reduction of over 90 percent. This initiative started after a 2018 expansion project showed that newer, smaller equipment could perform just as well. About 75 percent of legacy equipment has been upgraded, with full completion expected by 2027.
"We're consistently looking for ways to reduce our electricity use and create a more sustainable environment," Jason explained. "We want to be a good neighbor."
EVAL: Enhancing Recovery and Energy Management
At our EVAL facility, Chase Stewart, Health, Safety, Environmental, and Security Specialist, helps manage sustainability initiatives.
The most significant energy saving initiative at our EVAL facility is the ethylene recovery project, implemented following the 2024 turnaround. This project enables the site to capture a substantial amount of otherwise 'waste product' from waste gas streams and redirect it back into the manufacturing process. As a result, it improves the process efficiency while also reducing CO2 emissions. Moreover, precise steam management is essential for improving steam intensity control in our facility, and the installation of high precision equipment in the flare system will enable more accurate steam control, optimizing energy consumption while supporting our sustainability objectives.
Source: Photograph by Chase Stewart, 12/12/2025.
The improvements at our EVAL site also include lighting and electrical systems. The facility is nearing full LED conversion across administration areas, control rooms, technical research spaces, and the processing units, with more than 1,000 fixtures already upgraded to support lower energy use and reduced maintenance. In addition, the team is evaluating increased utilization of an existing capacitor bank in the motor control center (MCC). This initiative can help reduce the electrical load of the system by increasing equipment efficiency
Bayport: Innovation in Insulation and Efficiency
At our Bayport facility, Raymond Myska, Plant Manager, Brayden Fisher - Assistant Manager of Maintenance, and Matthew Cox, Mechanical Engineer, bring decades of combined industry experience. Their approach balances proven practices with a willingness to try new things.
One exciting example is the ongoing upgrade from rock wool to aerogel insulation. Aerogel insulates better (i.e. higher R-value) in a single layer than traditional insulation materials with greater installed thickness. Aerogel’s hydroscopic nature compared to standard insulation can also lead to an increase in R-value, since reduced water uptake preserves its insulating performance and helps in the defense against corrosion under insulation (CUI).
│"This material has a lot of good history of performance," Matthew explained. "It's a pretty well-known product.”
Source: Shen, Jun and Zhang, Xiaoxue (2021). Recent progress & applications of aerogels in China. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology. 106.10.1007/s10971-021-05639-2.
Bayport continues to strengthen its site lighting through targeted upgrades. The team replaces light fixtures with LED technology as existing lights fail and adds LED lighting in areas where additional visibility is needed. The site has upgraded the solar-powered lighting used specifically for the entry sign. The solar panel supporting that sign has been in place for more than a decade and continues to operate reliably.
│ "If you present an idea, people are definitely willing to listen," Braden noted. "We always work as a team here."
SEPTON: Drying Technology Drives Energy Conservation
At our SEPTON site, energy conservation has advanced through a series of practical, operations-focused improvements.
The SEPTON team recently transitioned to a higher efficiency alumina drying material, a process improvement that has delivered near immediate results. The new material provides stronger drying performance, requires fewer regenerations, and has a longer service life, resulting in reduced energy use and overall, less waste generation. This one-time upgrade is already contributing to improved efficiency across the board.
Source: Photograph by Chase Stewart, 12/12/2025.
Other energy conservation efforts at our SEPTON site have focused on lighting and HVAC performance. The site is nearing full LED conversion, with approximately 500-750 fixtures upgraded across the administration building, maintenance shop, warehouse, and production areas. The team is also currently reviewing HVAC system performance to ensure units are operating efficiently. This evaluation, alongside the transition to modern LED fixtures, supports energy conservation across the site.
VECTRAN: Small Team, Big Impact
The high-performance fibers of VECTRAN™ support some of the most demanding applications, from aerospace materials to medical devices. At our 40,000-square-foot facility, Business Manager Michael Iwanski leads a specialized team of 15 that brings that same precision to energy conservation.
In January 2025, the facility completed installation of a new, more efficient climate control system using modern technology that inherently decreases energy consumption. As of September, the team had replaced 25 fluorescent fixtures with LED alternatives, reducing energy consumption and ongoing maintenance needs.
For a facility that produces materials where safety and performance are critical, the approach to conservation reflects the same values: careful execution, measurable improvements, and a commitment to doing things right.
Looking Ahead: Conservation as a Continuous Journey
Energy conservation at Kuraray America isn't just a one-time effort with a clear endpoint. It's an ongoing commitment woven into our daily operations. Our Medium-Term Management Plan Passion 2026 goals set a framework, but real progress happens through the curiosity and dedication of teams across our facilities who continually ask: "What else can we do?"
From automated systems in West Virginia to material recovery in Texas, each site contributes to a broader story of responsible manufacturing. The benefits go beyond environmental stewardship; reducing energy use enhances cost competitiveness, equipment reliability, and workplace safety.
As we near our 100th anniversary in 2026, we remember that sustainable operations aren't just about the next quarter or even the next decade. They're about laying a foundation for the next century of innovation. Our dedication to conservation reflects a core part of who we are: a company that genuinely values its responsibility to people and the planet.
The work continues, one brainstorming session, one upgrade, one thoughtful decision at a time.