Completion of the pilot plant for water-absorbing resins at Sumitomo Seika

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On May 19, Sumitomo Seika Co., Ltd. announced that the pilot plant for water-absorbing resins had been completed at its Himeji factory. The construction of this facility was announced on November 2, 2023; it is planned to use the experience gained from this pilot plant to expand operations to manufacturing sites both domestically and internationally, thereby strengthening the capabilities of the water-absorbing resin business. It is understood that the newly built pilot plant will be equipped with devices based on the latest technologies, aimed at further improving the efficiency of industrial-scale research. Its design is also scalable, allowing it to be used for developing and testing new technologies such as those for recovering absorbent resins from discarded diapers. Founded in 1944, Sumitomo Seika manufactures chemical products with unique functions; its product range includes superabsorbent resins, polymers for cosmetics, materials for pharmaceutical use, and semiconductor gases. It is worth noting that in November 2023, Sumitomo Seika decided to increase the production capacity of high-performance water-absorbing resins at its subsidiary in Singapore; once this project is completed, the company’s production capacity will reach 520,000 tons per year. Of course, it’s not just Sumitomo Seika that has announced capacity expansions; on October 10, 2024, BASF completed the upgrade of its SAP facility in Freeport, Texas, USA ； In January 2025, Satellite Chemical signed a project for 300,000 tons per year of high-absorbency resins. Superabsorbent resins Superabsorbent resins (abbreviated as SAP) are hydrophilic polymer compounds with a loose network structure and low cross-linking degree; they are also known as superabsorbent materials or absorbent gel materials. These resins have the ability to absorb several hundred times, or even thousands of times, their own weight in water. They absorb water rapidly, retain it well, and it is difficult to remove the water from them even under pressure. They are also insoluble in organic solvents, and possess properties such as high swelling capacity and ammonia absorption. It is mainly applied in industries such as health, agricultural horticulture, soil improvement, and environmental protection. The main global manufacturers of superabsorbent resins include Nippon Catalyst, BASF, Evonik, Sumitomo Seika, Sanyo Chemical, LG Chem, Yixing Danson, Formosa Plastics, etc. Among them, Evonik’s business in this area has been sold to ICIG (International Chemical Investment Group). According to incomplete statistics, the global existing and planned production capacity for SAP exceeds 5 million tons per year. Due to factors such as the increasing aging population and evolving consumer preferences, coupled with external influences such as standardized production processes and ongoing promotion efforts, adult incontinence diapers are set to become a new area of demand for SAP.