MCPP starts production at new thermoplastics unit

02 August 2007 10:35  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--Mitsubishi Chemical Performance Polymers (MCPP), has started commercial production at its new 4,600 tonnes/year unit producing thermoplastic elastomers for automobiles, the company said on Thursday.

 

The plant in South Carolina can now produce a total of 9,200 tonnes/year of thermoplastic elastomers, together with the existing first production line.

 

MCPP which is a wholly-owned US subsidiary of Mitsubishi Chemical, has started production of thermoplastic olefin elastomer product called Thermorun, TPO for use in airbag covers in 2002 at the first unit.

 

With the expansion, MCPP has become a firm with the highest production capacity of Thermorun, TPO in the US among other Japanese manufacturers.

 

The latest move to increase the capacity was in response to the growing demand for the product in the US.

 

The newly-built unit will produce thermoplastic styrene elastomer known as Rabalon, TPS. 

 

With the upgrade of the US facility, Mitsubishi Chemical has established almost the same supply structure for the thermoplastic elastomers for automobiles in the US as in Japan.

 

The company was considering further investments for similar plants, but it did not give any more details.

 

Mitsubishi Chemical planned to start production of Thermorun, TPO at its 100% subsidiary in Dusseldorf, Germany in July 2008 by outsourcing.

 

The German company would also begin producing Rabalon, TPS by outsourcing in 2009.

 

Mitsubishi Chemical has considered the automotive business as one of its strategic targeted areas, and was also reinforcing polypropylene compound and engineering plastics businesses by building plants in Guangdong province, China.

By: Tomomi Yokomura
+65 6780 4359

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