In the high-tech and industrial materials kitchen, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. is a master chef. The company's organic and inorganic chemicals unit -- which represents about half of the company's sales -- makes polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and more than 4,000 types of silicone, while its electronics materials unit makes semiconductor silicon, epoxy molding compounds, and rare earth magnets. Shin-Etsu also produces synthetic quartz used for fiber-optic communications and in LCD panels. Shin-Etsu operates in the US as Shintech; it makes just about 30% of its sales at home in Japan. The rest of Asia, including China, also accounts for about 30%. The firm is benefiting from strong demand for PVC in the Asia-Pacific market.