Mitsui Chemicals Bolsters Production Capacity for HI-ZEX MILLION™ Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene
Proactive push to expand business in mobility sector
2018.08.29
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo: 4183; President & CEO: Tsutomu Tannowa) has expanded production facilities to manufacture HI-ZEX MILLION™ ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in response to growing demand for automotive and industrial batteries. The additional facilities came online on August 7.
This action boosts the company's production capacity for HI-ZEX MILLION™ by about 15% to 8,500 tons per year.
Overview of Additional Production Facilities
| 1. Product | HI-ZEX MILLION™ ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene |
|---|---|
| 2. Location | Iwakuni-Ohtake Works (Waki-cho, Kuga-gun, Yamaguchi-Pref.) |
| 3. Production Capacity | 7,500 tons/year (before expansion) ⇒ 8,500 tons/year (following expansion) |
| 4. Schedule | Construction completed in July 2018. Commercial operations started in August 2018 |
Mitsui Chemicals developed HI-ZEX MILLION™ through application of the company’s proprietary technology in catalysts and processes, giving this ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene an average molecular weight of up to 6 million. Due to the material's excellent chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, impact resistance and self-lubrication, it is used in diverse fields such as lithium-ion battery separators, industrial materials and medical devices.
Furthermore, HI-ZEX MILLION™ retains a consistent shape and provides excellent solubility. With these properties helping to streamline customers' fabrication processes, the product has been certificated Mitsui Chemical's Blue Value™*.
Positioning HI-ZEX MILLION™ as a strategic product in the key business domain of mobility, Mitsui Chemicals will continue to be proactive in further strengthening and expanding this business.
*Blue Value™: To create “a cohesive society in harmony with the environment", Mitsui Chemicals Group makes the contributions of its products and services more visible to share that value with stakeholders. We assess products and services with separate metrics according to their usage and award Blue Value™ certification to those that have high value in making an environmental contribution.