Mitsui Chemicals to expand EPDM capacity

06-Oct-05

Rising global demand for EPDM and thermoplastic olefinic elastomer (a downstream product of EPDM) has prompted Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (MCI) is to construct a large, state of the art plant to manufacture ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM). This new plant will produce EPDM using metallocene catalyst technology. Currently, there are two production trains at MCI's EPDM plant at its Ichihara Works, each of which is capable of producing 20,000 to 25,000 metric tpa of EPDM. The planned new facility will be able to produce 75,000 metric tpa of EPDM, the highest capacity in the world for a single train. After the launch of the new production train, MCI will provide a stable supply of high-quality EPDM as the largest supplier in Asia. The rise in demand for EPDM can be attributed to its outstanding properties, including resistance to weather and ozone as well as heat and cold, outstanding electrical characteristics and chemical resistance. Rapid expansion in demand is expected, driven by growth exceeding 10% pa in automobile output, particularly in the Asian region. Thermoplastic olefinic elastomer, which contains EPDM as a main material, is finding application in automobile interior materials and construction materials.