Kuraray Co., Ltd. has announced plans to expand its production capacity for hollow fiber membranes used in water treatment and activated carbon for energy storage, ramping up its business expansion into the semiconductor and AI data center markets. This strategic push is driven by surging global demand for wastewater recycling and power grid stabilization resulting from rapid digitalization, alongside increasingly stringent environmental regulations such as PFAS controls.

Latest Water Treatment and Activated Carbon Advances Unveiled at Media Briefing

On September 14, 2026, Kuraray Co., Ltd. hosted a media business briefing titled “Kuraray Products Contributing to Semiconductor and AI Data Center Fields” at Tokiwabashi Tower in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Key executives, including Nobuhiko Takai, Head of the Functional Materials Company, Kimiyasu Imai, General Manager of the Aqua Business Promotion Department, and Ryohei Hayashida, Deputy General Manager of the Environmental Solutions Division, presented the company’s product roadmap aimed at resolving critical social issues in advanced industries. Accelerated by rapid global digitalization, the construction of new semiconductor fabs and the scale-up of AI data centers are gathering momentum worldwide. This trend has brought two urgent global challenges to the fore: securing vast amounts of water and recycling industrial wastewater in semiconductor manufacturing, and stabilizing power supplies to support the proliferation of power-hungry AI data centers. Leveraging its proprietary advanced material design technologies, Kuraray unveiled a clear strategy to capture new market opportunities across two core domains—hollow fiber membranes for water treatment and activated carbon for electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs)—driving sustained corporate growth.

AQUAVIXUS Hollow Fiber Membrane Innovation: Driving Wastewater Recycling Breakthroughs

Semiconductor fabrication plants consume immense volumes of ultrapure water, creating an urgent need for advanced wastewater recovery and recycling to conserve water resources and reduce environmental impact. However, conventional wastewater treatment technologies struggle with highly turbid, heavily contaminated effluent, suffering from membrane fouling and reduced filtration speeds. Kuraray’s AQUAVIXUS® hollow fiber membranes overcome these hurdles by integrating a novel pore structure with proprietary module design technology, achieving filtration speeds approximately five times faster than the company’s conventional products. Furthermore, AQUAVIXUS can directly concentrate and treat highly concentrated wastewater—previously considered difficult to process—up to ten times the concentration level. AQUAVIXUS employs a cross-flow filtration method, circulating raw water parallel to the membrane surface, which minimizes fouling on the membrane surface and enables continuous, energy-efficient operation. The figure below illustrates the superior filtration performance and module design of AQUAVIXUS.

Thanks to these exceptional separation capabilities, the technology is also expanding into high-value resource recovery, enabling the reclamation and reuse of valuable materials such as silicon (Si), gallium (Ga), and tungsten (W).

Growth Opportunities Driven by Data Center Power Stabilization and PFAS Regulations

Kuraraycoal YP Grade Activated Carbon: Bolstering Power Stability for EDLCs

The rapid expansion of AI data centers has led to a surge in electricity consumption across server farms, making robust backup power solutions essential to withstand lightning strikes and instantaneous voltage drops (sags) in the power grid. As a result, global demand is skyrocketing for electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), which can discharge large amounts of power instantaneously and offer an exceptionally long service life. Kuraray’s high-performance activated carbon, Kuraraycoal® YP grade, is a premier electrode material widely recognized across the industry. By precisely controlling high-density, uniform micropore structures through advanced material design, Kuraray achieves both dramatic increases in capacitance and reductions in internal resistance. This technology supports uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems and grid stabilization units from the ground up, effectively managing rapid power load fluctuations in AI-driven data centers. Through its dual-track approach featuring water treatment membranes and energy storage activated carbon, Kuraray is strengthening its portfolio of solutions to enhance the sustainability of digital infrastructure.

Tightening Global PFAS Regulations and Synergies with Calgon Carbon

In the environmental solutions sector, remediating water contamination caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has become a paramount global issue. Following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of final drinking water standards for PFAS in April 2024, North American water utilities have initiated widespread installations and large-scale upgrades of water purification systems using granular activated carbon (GAC). Kuraray acquired Calgon Carbon Corporation—the world’s largest activated carbon manufacturer—for approximately 123.5 billion yen in 2018, establishing a formidable global production and sales network. Calgon Carbon’s high-quality activated carbon manufacturing technology, paired with its extensive reactivated carbon service network across North America and Europe, provides a decisive competitive advantage in the PFAS removal market. The diagram below provides an overview of Kuraray’s global operations and growth strategy.

In February 2026, the company announced a 12,300-ton annual expansion of reactivated carbon capacity at its Columbus, Ohio plant, solidifying its position to capture expanding demand created by environmental regulations.

Medium- to Long-Term Growth Outlook Powered by Capital Investment and Global Expansion

Capacity Expansion Roadmaps and Business Growth Projections Heading Toward 2029

To meet accelerating demand from semiconductor plants and AI data centers, Kuraray is aggressively advancing capital expenditure and capacity expansion plans. Current production facilities for water treatment products, centered around AQUAVIXUS hollow fiber membranes, are projected to reach maximum capacity by 2028. Consequently, Kuraray announced plans to significantly expand its hollow fiber membrane manufacturing capacity, targeting commercial operation starting in 2029. According to company projections, sales revenue from water treatment product lines, including AQUAVIXUS, is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21% from FY2025 to FY2031. Alongside expanding market adoption among existing clients in major semiconductor hubs such as Taiwan and China, Kuraray is accelerating new customer acquisition in North America and Europe, steadily building a robust global supply infrastructure.

Addressing Environmental Challenges and Long-Term Corporate Value Enhancement

Since its founding, Kuraray has operated under the core philosophy of “directly addressing social and environmental issues,” building a record of growth through original chemical business lines such as EVAL™ (EVOH resins) and KURARAY POVAL™ films. Its Environmental Solutions business—anchored by water treatment and activated carbon—is successfully establishing itself as the company’s “third pillar” of earnings. Nevertheless, key operational challenges remain, including effective inventory management and safety assurance in activated carbon regeneration processes, as well as mitigating raw material price volatility across global supply chains. Timely market deployment of advanced, environmentally compatible product suites, combined with enhanced traceability and governance frameworks, will serve as the cornerstone for driving medium- to long-term corporate value. Against the backdrop of global digitalization and environmental regulation, Kuraray’s strategic initiatives continue to command strong industry attention.

References

• [Kuraray Holds Media Business Briefing: “Kuraray Products Contributing to Semiconductor and AI Data Center Fields” | Kuraray Co., Ltd.] https://www.kuraray.com/jp-ja/news/2026/0914/
• [Kuraray Hosts Management Briefing Focused on Growth Opportunities in the Activated Carbon Business | Kuraray Co., Ltd.] https://www.kuraray.com/jp-ja/news/2024/0626/

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