Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo) announced plans to bolster the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) production capacity of affiliate Kumho Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (Seoul, South Korea). The production capacity of the site in Yeosu, Jeonnam, South Korea, will be increased by 200,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of MDI, from 410,000 metric tons per year up to 610,000 m.t./yr. Construction at the Yeosu site will commence immediate and is expected to reach completion in September 2023. Full commercial operations are anticipated to commence in January 2024. The total investment in the project will be approximately 40 billion yen.
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals’ Yeosu Plant (Source: Mitsui Chemicals)
MDI is a key raw material for polyurethane, which is used in numerous fields such as auto parts, seating for cars and furniture, insulation foam for homes and fridges, elastic fibers, various adhesives.
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals manufactures and sells high-performance monomeric MDI used for making elastic fibers and synthetic leather, as well as commodity polymeric MDI used for making insulation materials. The upcoming capacity increase is intended to accommodate an expanded growth in demand for high-performance MDI – employed primarily in electric vehicles for the purposes of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) mitigation, as well as the growing demand for insulation materials.
In addition to expanding its production facilities, Kumho Mitsui Chemicals will install recycling facilities that can reuse the by-products created during the manufacturing process as raw materials. This will improve self-sufficiency for raw materials, and reduce wastewater emissions from the plant and greenhouse gas emissions from the overall supply chain.
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals is aiming to become a global leader for MDI. Mitsui Chemicals will pursue expansion of the MDI business, which is projected for continued growth moving forward, and improving the performance of MDI products.