Mitsubishi will double Japanese production and build a new plant in China

Growing demand for polycarbonate has prompted Mitsubishi Chemical to increase output and capacity of the polymer in Asia. It will double the capacity of its Kurosaki plant in Kitakyushu to 80,000tpa, at a cost of Y25billion (E174m). It says this is needed to satisfy the demand for the resin in automotive interiors and electrical parts.

Mitsubishi, one of the largest players in the Japanese chemicals industry, also plans to build a new polycarbonate facility in China. Both plants should be up and running by the middle of 2008. The company also has an 85,000tpa polycarbonate plant in South Korea. The Beijing facility will be built in partnership with China Petroleum & Chemical Corp and will produce polycarbonate for the domestic market. However, Mitsubishi will also be looking to export the material to other parts of Asia.