▲ (From left) Mr. Obinata from U.A.T., Ms. Morita from Unitika, and Mr. Matsumiya of Technoplast
Technoplast (Thailand) is engaged in the sale and processing of plastics (resins). The processing resin material highly praised by Sales Manager Yosuke Matsumiya is "UNILATE™," a product from Unitika, a company known for developing and selling high-performance resins in Japan. We interviewed Hideki Obinata, Director of Unitika Advance Thailand (U.A.T"), a Unitika subsidiary in Thailand responsible for Unilate sales, and Emi Morita, who handles Unilate sales at Unitika's Resin Division at the head office, to discuss the appeal of this special material.
As a processing resin material, "Unilate" is well-suited to Thailand's climate!
▲ Unilate available in various thicknesses for different applications
"Although Unilate has a track record of over 30 years since its launch in Japan, it remains relatively unknown in Thailand, with only a few Japanese-affiliated companies using it," says Mr. Obinata. Unitika and Technoplast's headquarters in Japan have been partners in manufacturing for more than 20 years. In Thailand, Unitika is collaborating with Technoplast (Thailand) to promote the use of Unilate.
▲ Examples of processed parts made with Unilate
What is Unilate?
Unilate is a special resin plate material made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET resin) as the primary raw material. It is compounded with glass staple fibers and inorganic fillers, then extruded into sheets and laminated with heat pressing.
Features of Unilate:
- Excellent electrical insulation and dimensional stability even with changes in temperature and humidity.
Low warpage, facilitating easy cutting and punching.
Available in standard PC (insulated), flame-retardant NC (insulated + fire prevention), and conductive CV (static prevention) types.
Mr. Matsumiya highly praises Unilate for its low warpage and its cost-effectiveness compared to other low-warpage materials, such as super engineering plastics. (*See the comparison chart below.) “Flat materials are more prone to warping. While temperature changes and water absorption rates can be calculated and controlled when producing high-precision products, predicting warping remains challenging.” (Mr. Matsumiya)
▲ Compared to PPS (super engineering plastics), cast nylon, and paper phenolic resin, Unilate exhibits less warpage and maintains a more stable shape
▲ Examples of Unilate cutting by Technoplast (Thailand)
What are the benefits of using Unilate for user companies?
(1) Cost-Effective Compared to Expensive Super Engineering Plastics!
Super engineering plastics are costly and often have limited availability in Thailand, making them more expensive when imported.
(2) Ideal Hardness for High-Precision Parts!
Unilate offers the right balance of hardness: not too hard to cause chipping during cutting and not too soft to produce excess burrs.
Unilate combines price competitiveness with excellent functionality, making it a valuable option for resin materials processing in Thailand.
