The board of directors of Japan’s KH Neochem Co. decided on Dec. 27 to invest ¥9.5 billion at its manufacturing plant in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, to increase its capacity to make raw materials for refrigeration lubricants. The company cited growing demand from emerging countries and the shift to more environmentally friendly refrigerants.

Already in the midst of building its second factory, Richful Lube Additive Co. last week unveiled plans to expand its existing chemical manufacturing facility, part of its strategy to transition from lubricant additive components to the supply of additive packages. The company, which is based in Xinxiang, China, said it aims to take advantage of a trend among China industry to replace foreign materials with domestic alternatives.

Japan’s finished lubricant demand dropped by more than 10% in November, compared to the same month last year, but was up a bit from October, according to a government report. Lubricant imports were lower and exports slightly higher for the month.