01.01.07
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Sales: $130 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Motoyuki Ezaki, general manager, life and energy materials division
Plants
Yokkaichi and Iwakuni
Processes
Spunbonded, needlepunched, meltblown, thermal bonded
Brand Names
Tafnel, Syntex
Major Markets
Coverstock, geotextiles, oil absorbing materials, air filters, wipes, agricultural materials, household materials
Mitsui Chemicals can produce 25,000 tons of polypropylene spunbonded nonwovens on four production lines. Among these, one can make 3000 tons; one can make 3500 tons, one can make 12,500 tons and one can make 6000 tons per year of spunbond materials. Additionally, a fifth line can make 9000 tons of SMS materials. Of this capacity, 18,500 tons of spunbond and all 9000 tons of SMS material are targeting the diaper market.
Additionally, MHM, Mitsui Chemicals’ wholly-owned subsidiary in Thailand, has been making 14,000 tons of SMMS per year since 2003 and a second line, capable of producing 16,000 tons of SMMS, is scheduled to start operation in January 2008. Most of this capacity is exported to Japan, but diaper manufacturers in Southeast Asia and China are also customers.
Mitsui Chemicals is the top maker of polypropylene spunbond and spunmelt nonwovens for the Japanese diaper market with a reported marketshare of 41%. The sales of imported SMMS from MHM has increased considerably due to the low cost of this material compared to products made in Japan. Contrary to original expectations of production expansion into China, the company said it will not build a site there but will instead focus expansion initiatives on its MHM site to serve the Asian market.
Sales: $130 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Motoyuki Ezaki, general manager, life and energy materials division
Plants
Yokkaichi and Iwakuni
Processes
Spunbonded, needlepunched, meltblown, thermal bonded
Brand Names
Tafnel, Syntex
Major Markets
Coverstock, geotextiles, oil absorbing materials, air filters, wipes, agricultural materials, household materials
Mitsui Chemicals can produce 25,000 tons of polypropylene spunbonded nonwovens on four production lines. Among these, one can make 3000 tons; one can make 3500 tons, one can make 12,500 tons and one can make 6000 tons per year of spunbond materials. Additionally, a fifth line can make 9000 tons of SMS materials. Of this capacity, 18,500 tons of spunbond and all 9000 tons of SMS material are targeting the diaper market.
Additionally, MHM, Mitsui Chemicals’ wholly-owned subsidiary in Thailand, has been making 14,000 tons of SMMS per year since 2003 and a second line, capable of producing 16,000 tons of SMMS, is scheduled to start operation in January 2008. Most of this capacity is exported to Japan, but diaper manufacturers in Southeast Asia and China are also customers.
Mitsui Chemicals is the top maker of polypropylene spunbond and spunmelt nonwovens for the Japanese diaper market with a reported marketshare of 41%. The sales of imported SMMS from MHM has increased considerably due to the low cost of this material compared to products made in Japan. Contrary to original expectations of production expansion into China, the company said it will not build a site there but will instead focus expansion initiatives on its MHM site to serve the Asian market.