Plant shutdowns in Japan in 2011

12-Nov-10

Japan Polypropylene Corp. plans to permanently shut two PP plants - The Kashima plant with capacity of 90,000 tpa will be shutdown in May 2011, and the 79,000 tpa Goi plant will be shutdown in June 2011. Of the company's many plants across Japan with a nameplate capacity of 1.08 mln tpa, most have been running at reduced operating rates of around 80% since the past few months. Japan's Mitsubishi Chemical Corp plans to conduct planned maintenance at its three naphtha crackers in 2011, as per Reuters, probably between May and July. Kashima 1, with capacity to produce 375,000 tpa of ethylene, Kashima 2, with capacity to produce 453, 000 tpa of ethylene and Mizushima with capacity to produce 450, 000 tpa of ethylene will be shut sometime in May-July. Maruzen Petrochemical Co Ltd plans to skip scheduled maintenance on its sole naphtha cracker in 2011, with capacity to produce 480,000 tpa of ethylene as per Reuters. The company's Keiyo Ethylene unit also plans to skip maintenance at its cracker with capacity to produce 690,000 tpa of ethylene. Keiyo Ethylene Co is 55% owned by Maruzen Petrochemical and 22.5% owned by each Mitsui Chemicals Inc and Sumitomo Chemical Co. For the first time since 2007, Sumitomo Chemical Co plans to carry out maintenance work at its sole 380,000 tpa naphtha cracker in September 2011, for about 40-45 days.