Idemitsu Kosan Cuts Ethylene Production

Tokyo, March 16 (Jiji Press)–Idemitsu Kosan Co. has reduced ethylene output in light of the growing difficulty of procuring naphtha, a raw material for ethylene derived from crude oil, amid Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, it was learned Monday. Idemitsu has lowered the operational rate of its ethylene plants in Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, and Shunan in the western prefecture of Yamaguchi, company officials said. The plants are two of Japan’s 12 domestic ethylene production facilities. Production has also been reduced at four other facilities: one operated by Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture, one jointly run by Mitsubishi Chemical and Asahi Kasei Corp. in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, and two by Mitsui Chemicals Inc. in Ichihara and in Takaichi, Osaka Prefecture. Ethylene is a raw material for plastic, synthetic fiber and synthetic rubber, which are used to make auto parts and plastic bags. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]