Mitsubishi Chem to shut aromatics in May-July '09

26 November 2008 09:21  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Japanese aromatics producer Mitsubishi Chemical will stop benzene and paraxylene (PX) production in May-July 2009 for planned maintenance, said a company source on Wednesday.

The company plans to take offline its two benzene and one PX units for 30 to 45 days during this period, with no exact dates decided yet, he said.

In Kashima, the company produces 412,000 tonnes/year of benzene from a cracker. The second cracker in Mizushima produces 210,000 tonnes/year of benzene and 100,000 tonnes/year of PX.

The company also produces unspecified volumes of toluene in Mizushima, which the source declined to reveal.

The company was operating its aromatics units at reduced rates due to poor economics and the prevailing bearish situation in both markets, he added.

Production had been reduced since August-September, with no confirmed plans to ramp up production, the source said.

The total benzene produced at Kashima and Mizushima is for captive use at its downstream styrene monomer (SM) and cyclohexane units.

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By: Mahua Chakravarty
+65 6780 4359

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