Nippon Shokubai starts Indonesia acrylic acid plant

Japanese petrochemical producer Nippon Shokubai has started commercial operations of an acrylic acid production facility in Banten, Indonesia, in response to growing demand for acrylic acid and super-absorbent polymers.

The company started the 100,000 t/yr plant in April, it announced on 24 May.

Nippon Shokubai said that its total output capacity of acrylic acid in Indonesia rose to 240,000 t/yr with the launch of the new production facility. It also lifted the company's global production capacity to 980,000 t/yr, with 540,000 t/yr within Japan and 440,000 t/yr overseas.

Nippon Shokubai expects demand for feedstock acrylic acid and super-absorbent polymers, which are mainly used to manufacture paper diapers, to expand on the back of an increase in the population of infants and the elderly.

Nippon Shokubai expects its sales of acrylic acid for super-absorbent polymers, vehicles and electric parts to recover in the April 2023-March 2024 fiscal year, after shrinking demand pressured sales in 2022-23.

By Nanami Oki