(PlasticsToday) -- Mitsui
Chemicals, Inc. and its affiliated Prime Polymer Co. (both Tokyo) are to boost
capacity for polypropylene compounds in Thailand to meet growing demands of the
automotive materials sector in the region. An 18,000 tonnes/year expansion will
take capacity from 122,000 tonnes/year to 140,000 tonnes/year. The new capacity
should be on stream by the third quarter of 2012. A fully automated high-rise
storage facility will also be constructed to accelerate delivery and improve its
accuracy.
|
 |
Although flooding in Thailand in 2011 temporarily affected the auto
industry, with total production likely to be down 10% compared with the
1,645,000 vehicles manufactured in 2010, the country is expected to regain
momentum as the ASEAN production and export hub for automobiles.
The current compound production augmentation will also cater to surges in
demand for polypropylene automotive grades in Indonesia and neighboring
countries.
|
The Mitsui Chemicals Group is targeting further global expansion of
polypropylene compounds for automotive applications as a fundamental strategy of
the 2011 Mid-Term Business Plan. This will encompass expansion of polypropylene
compound production in seven major world markets (Japan, the United States,
Mexico, Europe, Thailand, China, and India)
mrcplast.com
| |