Mitsui Chemicals to sell maleic anhydride and fumaric acid business to Fuso

Mitsui Chemicals Inc has agreed to transfer its organic acids business to Fuso Chemical Co Ltd. The business, which generates annual sales of approximately Yen 5 billion, has a production site at Kashima Works, Kamisu City, to manufacture 32,000 tonnes of maleic anhydride and 15,000 tonnes of fumaric acid.
 
In February 2014, Mitsui Chemicals had announced the closing of its Kashima Works and termination of all plants (TDI, special isocyanate group, an organic acid) by late December 2016 in line with its strategy to restructure its urethane business.
 
Fuso is the only domestic manufacturer of malic acid which 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.
 
Mitsui Chemicals 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. Following termination of MCI’s TDI plant, Fuso will continue to manufacture and stably supply customers with organic acids.
 
Synergic effects of this business transfer include for Mitsui Chemicals, 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.