Japan’s Idemitsu plans exit from acrylic acid business

Market: Petrochemicals
11/04/22

Japanese refiner Idemitsu is planning a complete withdrawal from acrylic acid and butyl acrylate (BA) production by March 2023, because of increasing international competition.

The refiner's petrochemical complex in central prefecture Aichi has a production capacity of 50,000 t/yr of acrylic acid, which is made from propylene. Idemitsu outsources its BA production. It has decided to exit the business on the back of increasing supplies within Asia.

Japan's petrochemical industry has aimed to optimise their businesses by shifting toward high-performance products in response to global competition. Domestic joint venture Prime Polymer plans to shut its 110,000 t/yr polypropylene (PP) unit at its Anegasaki plant by 2023, while building a new 200,000 t/yr PP plant that can produce high-performance PP materials in Ichihara by late 2024.

By Nanami Oki

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Japan’s Idemitsu plans exit from acrylic acid business

Related news posts

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