Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (MCI; Tokyo; www.mitsuichem.com) and Fuso Chemical Co. (Osaka, Japan; www.fusokk.co.jp) have announced that MCI will transfer its organic acids business to Fuso. The business include production capacity at the Kashima Works facility in Kamisu City, Japan, consisting of 32,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) maleic anhydride and 15,000 m.t./yr fumaric acid.
Fuso is the only domestic manufacturer of malic acid that uses maleic anhydride as its raw material, and has continued to develop its wide range of business in fruit acids, including gluconic acid and citric acid. The business’s sales are estimated at approximately 5 billion yen per year. MCI and Fuso held discussions on the transfer of MCI’s organic acids business and agreed to a business transfer to be completed by October 1, 2014. Synergic effects of this business transfer include for MCI, the effective use of its land and organic acid production facilities at Kashima Works, and for Fuso, a source for maleic anhydride, the raw material of malic acid, by which it will bolster its competitive edge and expand its customer base.
Fuso plans to strategically strengthen its cost competitiveness by constructing a fruit acid production complex which will use its organic acids. It plans to transfer its fruit acid production facilities from its Osaka Factory to Kashima Works while also constructing facilities to produce fruit acids and derivatives using maleic anhydride.