Mitsubishi Chemical plans to shut down some facilities at its Hiroshima factory

Recently, Mitsubishi Chemical Group announced its decision to terminate its acetone cyanide (ACH) method methyl methacrylate (MMA) production facility located in Hiroshima. The company will also simultaneously cease production of acrylonitrile and acrylonitrile derivatives in Hiroshima, including chelating agents, acetonitrile, and ammonium sulfate. This means that Mitsubishi Chemical will withdraw from its chelating agent and acetonitrile business. The company will cease production of these products in Hiroshima in July 2024.

It is reported that the ACH process MMA factory in Hiroshima has a production capacity of 107000 tons/year, and its acrylonitrile unit has a production capacity of 90000 tons/year. Mitsubishi Chemical's 90000 ton/year acrylonitrile plant operating in Okayama will continue to operate. Mitsubishi Chemical stated that it will continue to use the C4 process to produce MMA in Japan, with an annual production capacity of 110000 tons at its Hiroshima factory. At the same time, the company will also maintain the production of sodium glycine in Okayama and acrylamide in the Kanto region.

Mitsubishi Chemical previously stated that it has decided to enhance its MMA and acrylonitrile business competitiveness through operational means. Mitsubishi Chemical produces MMA globally using the ACH process, C4 process, and the company's proprietary Alpha technology. The company is the world's largest MMA manufacturer with a total production capacity of nearly 1.5 million tons per year, including joint ventures, distributed in China, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and the United States.