Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo: 4183; President & CEO: HASHIMOTO Osamu) today announced that it will increase its production capacity for polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) to meet demand for mono-material food packaging, which is on the rise amid the growing need for sustainability. Specifically, the Shimizu Factory of Mitsui Chemicals MC, Ltd. (President: KOJIMA Junichi) – a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals – will expand its PUD production facilities as laid out below. The move is expected to approximately double domestic production capacity.
Overview of the capacity increase
| Product | TAKELAC™ PUD |
|---|---|
| Location | Shimizu Factory, Mitsui Chemicals MC, Ltd. |
| Production capacity after expansion | Approximately double current production capacity |
| Schedule | Start of construction: February 2024 End of construction: April 2025 Operational launch: June 2025 (tentative) |
Overview of Mitsui Chemicals MC, Ltd.
| Company name | Mitsui Chemicals MC, Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Capital | 300 million yen (100% owned by Mitsui Chemicals) |
| Business | Production of polyurethane resins |
TAKELAC™ PUDs are water-based resins that offer excellent heat resistance, high-temperature gas barrier performance and fastness to rubbing. As environmentally friendly products, they are used extensively in the paint and coating materials, adhesives, binders, resin modifiers, sizing agent and textile processing sectors. Recent years have seen the rising need for sustainability drive growing demand for TAKELAC™ PUDs – especially in Europe – as barrier coating materials for use in recyclable mono-material food packaging. And with demand for mono-material packaging expected to continue rising, Mitsui Chemicals is looking to respond by proactively bolstering its supply network.
Source: Mitsui
