Mitsui Prime Advanced Compounds Europe, a joint venture between Mitsui Chemicals (75%), Mitsui & Co. (15%) and Prime Polymer Co. (10%), has commissioned its first polypropylene (PP) compounding plant in Europe.
Located within Chemelot Industrial Park in the Netherlands, Advanced Compounds Europe marks Mitsui Chemicals Group’s first polypropylene (PP) compounding site in Europe. The facility is designed to produce 30,000 tons per year of PP compounds.
By launching Advanced Compounds Europe, Mitsui Chemicals Group is getting together an integrated European system for research, production and sales. This will allow the group to provide effective lightweighting solutions to automakers and auto parts manufacturers with European bases while also responding to global demand growth.
Mitsui Chemicals will have access to 50,000 tons per year of PP compounds in Europe, including outsourced production capacity.
At present, the Mitsui Chemicals Group operates production sites in eight regions around the world. In Asia, the company’s combined capacity in Japan, Thailand, China & India is at 630,000 tons per year of PP compounds. While in Americas, the company’s combined capacity in U.S., Mexico & Brazil is at 440,000 tons per year of PP compounds. Adding the new plant in the Netherlands, Mitsui Chemicals total capacity for PP compounds stands at 1.2 million tons per year.
The company also has research sites in six regions (Japan, U.S., Europe, Thailand, China, and India).
Mitsui Chemicals says that while forecasts point to reduced automotive production volume around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the global needs for automotive lightweighting will continue to rise on the back of more stringent environmental regulations.
The company expects that there will be a continuous demand for PP compounds for use in bumpers, instrument panels and other auto parts.