Mitsui Chemicals furthers automotive lightweighting with new facility in China

Tokyo-based chemical company, Mitsui Chemicals, has set up a new production facility for long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (LGFPP) at its Chinese manufacturing subsidiary Mitsui Advanced composites. The plant would be Mitsui Chemicals’ third manufacturing base for LGFPP after Japan and the US. With the set up of this plant, its production capacity for LGFPP will increase to 10,500 tons per year.

Developed by Prime Polymer Co., Mitsui Chemicals’ LGFPP is a composite material made by melting and mixing polypropylene (PP) resin with long glass fibers. The lightweight material offers an attractive appearance, with long glass fibers providing a good balance between hardness and impact resistance. The material is already being adopted in areas such as the unpainted insides of rear car doors.

The recent strengthening of environmental regulations and a shift toward electric vehicles have led to increasing needs for automotive lightweighting.

Mitsui Chemicals claims that the demand is on the rise for fiber-reinforced resins and is expected to grow further for such materials. It further claims that the demand is on the rise for fiber-reinforced resins and is expected to grow further for such materials able to substitute for metal such as car doors and other such parts. (Mitsui Chemicals certifies LGFPP as ‘Blue Value’ product according to the high environmental contribution value)

Mitsui Chemicals aims to achieve further business expansion in mobility, a key sector for the company, by continuing to correctly gauge global growth in demand.