Materials maker Teknor Apex Co. has added a warehouse and distribution center in Japan for PVC compounds sold into the automotive market.
The warehouse in Kyoto will stock Apex-brand flexible PVC and Flexalloy-brand PVC elastomers, officials with Teknor Apex in Pawtucket, R.I., said in a news release. Those materials are used in exterior and interior components, sealing systems, mechanical cables, and under-hood applications. The compounds have been specified by automotive OEMs worldwide.
Teknor Apex also has appointed Nishinihon Shoko Co. Ltd. of Osaka as its sales agent for auto industry firms in Japan. Nishinihon Shoko is led by President and CEO Kozo Okamoto. The manager of automotive accounts will be Hirofumi Okamoto, with Kazuo Yamada providing technical support.
"We already supply PVC compounds to Japanese OEMs in other regions of the world, and now we have strengthened our capability to serve OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in Japan directly," Teknor Apex vinyl automotive manager Steve McCormack said in the release.
"This is critical for meeting the just-in-time requirements of our customers in Japan," he added.
Teknor Apex ranks as one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers. The firm operates 13 plants worldwide in the U.S., Belgium, Germany, China and Singapore and has annual sales of more than $1 billion.