Nihon Seiko to Delay Antimony Output Expansion

Nihon Seiko postpones the capital expenditure for part of continuous operation of antimony trioxide at Nakase refinery in Hyogo prefecture, which is planned to start the operation in fiscal 2008 ending March 2009. The firm constructs the research building, which to develop the new product and to improve the existing product, before introducing the last part of the continuous process.

Nihon Seiko has already introduced continuous process for converter and reducing furnace in the refinery. The firm aimed to introduce the last part of the continuous operation to shipment the products in fiscal 2008 while the firm tried to finish the work in fiscal 2008 ahead of original schedule of fiscal 2009. But the demand of antimony trioxide, which is used for flame retardant for plastic material, is weakening from financial crisis. The firm estimates the completion of building for research and development by March 2009.

Nihon Seiko also postpones the introduction of facilities to produce the high purity metallic antimony with 99.999% purity due to slow economy. The firm planned the introduction, expected demand increase for semiconductor.