A representative from Apple Inc. recently called Kureha Corp.’s offices in the U.S. The problem: Apple was facing tight supplies of lithium-ion batteries used in its popular iPods, and they traced the supply bottleneck to the relatively obscure Japanese chemicals maker.

Kureha, which has a 70% share of the global market for a crucial polymer used in lithium-ion batteries, had to shut its factory in Iwaki—near the quake’s epicenter—after the March 11 disaster struck. It is the only place where Kureha makes this particular polymer.

Its chief executive said Japan’s natural disaster would accelerate the company’s plans to move more of its production overseas. “For a company like Kureha, this is the only way of surviving,” said Takao Iwasaki in an interview on Monday.

Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The disaster in Japan—and the resulting disruptions to production—has shone a spotlight on companies that aren’t well-known outside of Japan but globally dominant, such as Kureha. These companies have carved out a niche as high-end producers of advanced components and materials, and therefore have an outsize role in their individual global markets.

It has also put increased attention on the years-long move by Japanese manufacturers to shift work to other nations, both to reduce costs and compensate for the frequent fluctuations of the yen. Economists are watching to see whether the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which have heavily damaged Japan’s power grid and supply chain, will affect the trend.

Kureha’s polymer—made from a resin known as polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF—is used as a binder in lithium-ion batteries. Kureha’s Iwaki factory has been closed since the quake hit, and the company is unsure as to when it will start up again.

The Iwaki factory came out of the quake in decent shape, but Onahama Port nearby is severely damaged, and crucial supplies such as vinyl chloride and salt aren’t reaching the factory yet.

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