Torey Japan Begins Full-Scale Expansion of 'Advanced Industry Core Materials' Facility in Gumi... "Over $100 Million Investment"

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Core Material Production Plant

Japan's Toray Industries is set to invest over $100 million to expand production facilities for aramid fibers, a super fiber, and polyester films, essential materials for autonomous driving and artificial intelligence (AI) implementation.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Yoo Beop-min, Director of Investment Policy, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Toray's future advanced industry core materials production plant held on the 23rd in Gumi, Gyeongbuk.

Toray, the world's number one company in the carbon fiber sector, has continuously expanded investments in key materials essential for securing South Korea's advanced industrial competitiveness, such as high-performance engineering plastics, secondary battery separators, and high-performance carbon fibers, since establishing a textile manufacturing plant in Korea in 1963. The cumulative investment over the past 60 years amounts to approximately 5 trillion won, the largest scale among Japanese manufacturing companies. It has created about 4,000 local jobs.

In April, during Minister Anduk-geun's visit to Japan, Toray announced its investment plan for aramid fibers. In May, Toray signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Gyeongbuk Province, and Gumi City, including a plan to invest a total of 500 billion won in the advanced materials sector by 2025. Through the groundbreaking ceremony, Toray will officially begin expanding production facilities for aramid fibers and polyester films with an investment exceeding $100 million.

The aramid fibers targeted by this investment are super fibers with ultra-high strength (five times that of steel) and ultra-high heat resistance (500 degrees Celsius). They are advanced materials used in electric vehicle drive motors and heat-resistant protective clothing. Polyester films are core materials for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) applied in electric vehicles, AI devices, and autonomous driving components. Establishing a production base is expected to strengthen the domestic supply chain and contribute to export expansion.

In his congratulatory speech, Director Yoo said, "We plan to fully support the successful implementation of Toray's investment in close cooperation with Gyeongbuk Province and Gumi City," adding, "We will create a stable and attractive investment environment so that global advanced companies, including Toray, can expand their investments in Korea."