Japan's Nov 2008 caustic soda production falls 12.8% year on year

05 January 2009 11:44  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--Japan’s production of caustic soda in November 2008 fell 12.8% to 338,983 tonnes compared with the same month the previous year, the Japan Soda Industry Association (JSIA) said on Monday.

Tosoh Corp, the country’s largest caustic soda supplier, was forced to cut its operating rates of the product by 15-20% in October and November due to poor chlorine demand.

On the other hand, Japan’s exports of caustic soda in November increased 64.3% to 50,308 tonnes from the same time a year before, JSIA said.

Meanwhile, the production of liquefied chlorine in November decreased 10.6% to 41,629 tonnes year on year, according to the association.

The country produced 39,385 tonnes of soda ash in November, up 7.1% from November 2007, while exports increased 110.4% to 242 tonnes, the association added.

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By: Tomomi Yokomura
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