Mitsui Chemicals, Prime Polymer Co to augment PP compound capacity

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Prime Polymer Co., Ltd. (JV: Mitsui Chemicals 65%, Idemitsu Kosan 35%) announced a plan to increase PP Compounds capacity to 1.05 mln tons in FY2017. This will strengthen the Group’s position in growth markets, at three of its global PP compound hubs – United States, Mexico, and India – in response to growing demand for automotive use polypropylene. The Group currently has 8 global production sites (Japan, USA, Mexico, Europe, Thailand, China, India, and Brazil) and R&D facilities in 5 areas (Japan, USA, Europe, Thailand, and China) for automotive use polypropylene (PP) and has continued to enhance its production system for premium-quality products. While needs to reduce environmental load and regulatory constraints expand, the demand for lighter weight automobile parts which do not require paint processing, such as bumpers and instrument panels, is also expected to grow. In fiscal 2017, the Group will strengthen its production capacity by 5% in North America, Europe, and Asia bringing the production capacity to 1.05million from the current 1 million tons, thereby securing its position as the world’s top class provider of PP compounds for automotive use. The Mitsui Chemicals Group will continue to bolster its manufacturing, sales, and technical service system to supply high-quality products and actively strengthen and expand its PP compound business.