 "Idemitsu Kosan's manufacturing facility")
Idemitsu Kosan Co Ltd and Mitsui Chemicals Inc have announced that Chiba Chemicals Manufacturing LLP (Chiba Chemicals), managed jointly by Idemitsu and Mitsui, will improve ethylene manufacturing facilities to enhance the profitability of the facilities.
The Japanese petrochemical industry must strengthen its international competitiveness in response to the new and additional installation of large-scale petrochemical facilities in the Middle East and China, the rise of ethylene generated from shale gas in North America, and other reasons. Idemitsu and Mitsui established Chiba Chemicals in 2010 for the joint operation of ethylene manufacturing facilities of both companies. With this joint operation, Idemitsu and Mitsui aim to form an ethylene centre with top-level competitiveness in the Asian region.
Chiba Chemicals will increase the propane processing capacity of ethylene manufacturing facilities of its Anegasaki plant (located on the premises of Idemitsu). The purpose of this is to utilise the strength that the facilities are adjacent to an LPG import facility in Idemitsu’s Chiba refinery. This increase will enhance the profitability of the facilities because of diversified materials. The improvement work will be carried out in autumn of 2017. In addition, this project has been adopted for the ‘subsidy for support of business operators for rational use of energy for FY2016’, which supports energy conservation at manufacturing plants, from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Idemitsu and Mitsui will continue to promote structural reforms for further strengthening of their competitiveness.
