TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (TOKYO:4183) (President & CEO: Tsutomu Tannowa) announced the augmentation of manufacturing facilities for breathable films at its wholly-owned Mitsui Hygiene Materials (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (President: Hiroshi Ishii, “MHM”), a manufacturer and distributor of non-wovens and breathable films for use in premium diapers, to cope with growing demands throughout East and Southeast Asia.
The augmentation will bolster growth and expansion of healthcare materials, along with our mobility and food & packaging businesses as growth pillars. One of the major products in our healthcare domain is hygienic materials. In line with relocation and overseas expansion of premium diaper manufacturers, we aim to expand our business in performance-driven hygienic materials by enhancing our supply capabilities throughout East and Southeast Asia.
Inbound and export (mainly China) demand for Japan-made premium baby diapers has expanded rapidly. In addition, premium disposal diapers needs in Southeast Asia have grown significantly and the market boom is expected to continue.
Our Group’s breathable film is been widely recognized by East and Southeastern manufacturers for its excellent performance and good printability, both important requirements for premium diapers, and as a result has shown healthy sales growth.
We will continue to respond to growing demands for performance driven breathable films by bolstering our production facilities to improve quality and cost competitiveness as the leading provider in East and Southeast Asia while strengthening and expanding our business.
|
Outline of MHM and facility expansion |
||
| 1. Product: |
ESPOIRTM (breathable film for use in premium diapers) |
|
| 2. Company name: | Mitsui Hygiene Materials (Thailand) Co., Ltd. | |
| 3. Location: | Eastern Seaboard Industrial Area, Rayong Province, Thailand | |
| 4. Business: | Manufacturing and sales of non-wovens and breathable films | |
| 5. Establishment: | August 2001 | |
| 6. Capital: | 1,310 million bahts (Mitsui Chemicals 100%) | |
| 7. Capacity expansion: | 4,200 tons/annual (current capacity 6,700 tons/annual; total after augmentation 10,900 tons/annual） | |
| 8. Schedule: | Construction starts: November 2015 | |
|
Completion date: November 2016 |
||
| Commercial operation: January 2017 | ||
About Mitsui Chemicals (Tokyo: 4183, ISIN: JP3888300005)
Mitsui Chemicals’ roots can be traced back to 1912 when it began producing raw material for chemical fertilizers from coal gas byproducts, the first company in Japan to do so. This undertaking significantly contributed to increasing agricultural productivity, a major social issue at the time. Later, the company evolved its technology from coal chemicals to gas chemicals, and in 1958 it built Japan’s first petrochemical complex and so provided impetus to Japan’s industrial sector. Today, the company boasts many world-class products with sales standing at 1,550 billion yen and with over 135 companies in 27 countries. Its business portfolio includes environment-friendly materials for next-generation mobility, healthcare services to realize health and happiness in an ageing society, packaging that ensures the reliability and safety of food products, agrochemicals that contribute to increased production of food, electronic materials, and environment-friendly materials for the energy sector.
Mitsui Chemicals will continue to contribute to solving social challenges with its state-of-the-art technology and by "Creating New Customer Value through Innovation".
More information can be found at http://www.mitsuichem.com/index.htm
