Mitsui Chemicals to Expand Alpha-Olefin Copolymer Production Capacity in Singapore

07-11-2007: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. ("MCI"), a leading company of polyolefin elastomers, will establish a new plant to augment production capacity for TAFMERTM. The new plant will be managed by MITSUI ELASTOMERS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. ("MELS"), a subsidiary of MCI, manufacturing and selling TAFMERTM. This augmentation will allow MCI to secure stable supply of the material, in response to rapidly growing demand in Asia.

TAFMERTM, a flexible and light resin modifier, dramatically improves impact resistance for molding materials such as automobile bumpers and sealability for packaging materials, when blended with thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. It is also applied to midsoles of athletic shoes, thanks to its property as an excellent flexible molding material. TAFMERTM is expected to cover wide range of applications such as automotive, industrial and packaging materials.

Aiming to realize the Grand Design, the basic framework for the MCI group's management, MCI established a business portfolio consisting of three business domains (Performance Materials, Advanced Chemicals, Basic Chemicals) with the Long-term Management Target upheld. MCI intends to further accelerate growth and expansion of automotives and industrial materials, a core of the company's Performance Materials Business by augmenting the production capability.