TOKYO—Mitsui Chemicals Inc. has started up a new production line for its Milastomer thermoplastic olefinic elastomers. In doing so, the firm adds capacity of 5,000 metric tons per year.
The expansion at the facility operated by Chiba-based subsidiary Sun Alloys Co. Ltd. is in response to an upswing in demand for thermoplastic olefinic elastomers, Mitsui said..
The launch of operations at the facility Oct. 1 will increase Sun Alloys' annual domestic production capacity to 25,000 tons. The figure, Mitsui said, covers "capacity for cross-linked elastomers and Milastomer (TPV) only."
Milastomer as "a light-weight, soft resin with low density and excellent moldability." Demand, it said, has grown significantly for uses in automotive materials, gaskets and civil engineering joint fillers, building materials, and grips.
The company also anticipates continued expansion in demand around the world in line with wider uses in automotive interiors, weather strips, steering bellows and as air bag covers.
"The purpose of augmenting Milastomer production is to actively cater to growing demand such as this," said Mitsui. The business, it added, is "a core business in the mobility domain and we will continue to bolster growth and expansion."