Prime Polymer Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo) and Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. (Tokyo), announced the decision to construct a new polypropylene manufacturing facility as part of its plans for a scrap-and-build-style restructuring of its production system. The new plant is slated to produce 200,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of polypropylene using licensed process technology from Mitsui Chemicals (the HYPOL process). Construction will begin in August 2021, with operations starting up in November 2024. The plant will be located at Prime Polymer’s Ichihara Works in Chiba, Japan.
The planned site for construction of the new PP plant at Prime Polymer’s Ichihara Works (Source: Mitsui Chemicals)
The new manufacturing facility to be constructed will enable the production of high-performance polypropylene, something that has been unattainable with the facility used to date, and allow Prime Polymer to meet the growing needs for lightweighting and thinning in automotive materials. And through its offering of recycling-conducive materials here, Prime Polymer is looking to help drive material recycling.
Moving forward, Prime Polymer plans to suspend its existing manufacturing facility with a view to production capacity that is in line with supply–demand balance. In restructuring its production system here, Prime Polymer anticipates the effect of approximately 70,000 tons in reduced greenhouse gas emissions annually against 2013 figures. Further, Prime Polymer will be ramping up its circular economy-related efforts through the likes of providing of biomass raw material-based materials.
By establishing its new facility and promoting the supply of high-performance polypropylene with high environmental applicability, Prime Polymer will once again be contributing to the value creation of its customers through the mantle of “Your Prime Solution Partner.” And in doing so, Prime Polymer will work together with its customers toward achieving a society that is both recycling-oriented and convenient.