Apr 7 2006
Sumitomo Chemical held the groundbreaking ceremony today for the third-phase expansion of its methyl methacrylate (MMA) facilities in Singapore.
Sumitomo Chemical positions its MMA operations as a key strategic business in its Basic Chemicals Sector. The company manufactures MMA using its direct oxidation process for the efficient production of MMA monomer and its continuous bulk polymerization process for the optimized production of optical grade MMA polymer used for light guide panels in LCD displays. The company has been leveraging the strength of these globally competitive proprietary technologies with a focus on expanding into high-growth Asian markets. In August of 2005, Sumitomo Chemical’s second MMA monomer plant with an annual capacity of 80,000 tons was brought on stream, and the current expansion will add an annual 90,000 tons of MMA monomer and 50,000 tons of MMA polymers when the facilities start operations in the first quarter of 2008. This will bring the total capacity of the company’s Singapore operations to 223,000 tons of MMA monomer and 100,000 tons of MMA polymers annually.
The Sumitomo Chemical Group’s total production capacity, with the addition of the new Singapore capacity to its production facilities in Japan and Korea, will amount to 489,000 tons of MMA monomer and 244,000 tons of MMA polymers annually. As the largest producer of MMA in Asia, where MMA market growth of 7% per year is anticipated, Sumitomo Chemical will continue to expand its business to meet the growing needs of its customers.