Japan Polypropylene’s PP facilities at Kashima, Kawasaki, badly affected

17-Mar-11

Japan Polypropylene’s production site at Kashima has been badly affected by the tsunami triggered by the 11 March earthquake with major infrastructural reconstruction required, as per ICIS. However, the polypropylene (PP) plant itself may not be as seriously damaged, though the basic infrastructure at the site that has been badly damaged will require time to restore. The PP facilities at Kashima have a combined capacity of 346,000 tpa. It’s PP facilities at Goi with a total capacity of 323,000 tpa were shut after a neighbouring refinery operated by Cosmo Oil caught fire in the aftermath of the earthquake. The extent of the damage at the Goi was unclear because access to the site was still restricted. Japan Polypropylene’s polypropylene (PP) plants at Kawasaki with a combined capacity of 227,000 tpa remain shut. The plants are slightly damaged as a result of the earthquake but should be ready to resume production shortly. However, its PP plants will only be able to start up when its propylene feedstock and power supplies are restored. Propylene supply to the PP plants was disrupted when its feedstock supplier JX Nippon Oil and Energy shut its cracker in the aftermath of the earthquake. Power supply to the PP plants at Kawasaki was cut after the earthquake. The PP plants buy electricity from Tokyo Electric Power.