JAPAN DISASTER: Denka to raise op rates at SM unit

22 March 2011 06:29  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Japan’s Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Denka) is in the process of raising the operating rate at its 240,000 tonne/year styrene monomer (SM) unit in Chiba, a company source said on Tuesday.

The unit has been operating at 75% following the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, but will likely see rates raised to 100% this week.

However, the company’s joint-venture plant, Chiba SM, remains shut as feedstock issues for the unit remain unresolved. The 290,000 tonne/year SM plant is a joint-venture between Denka and Sumitomo Chemicals.

Denka’s downstream polystyrene (PS) unit, Toyo Styrene, is currently operating at around 80-90%. The 330,000 tonne/year resins plant was undamaged by the quake and would likely achieve higher rates at above 90% in the near term.

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By: Clive Ong
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