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Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) has announced that it is building a new production facility for long glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (LGFPP) at Chinese manufacturing subsidiary Mitsui Advanced Composites Co Ltd. (Zhongshan).

This will become Mitsui Chemicals’ third manufacturing base for LGFPP, joining existing bases in Japan and the U.S. By establishing this new facility, Mitsui Chemicals’ production capacity for LGFPP will increase to 10,500 tons per year, according to the company.

Developed by Prime Polymer Co. Ltd., Mitsui Chemicals’ LGFPP is a composite material made by melting and mixing polypropylene (PP) resin with long glass fibers. The lightweight material is said to offer an attractive appearance and provide a good balance between hardness and impact resistance. The material is already being adopted in areas such as the unpainted insides of rear car doors, the company reports.

According to Mitsui Chemicals, recent strengthening of environmental regulations and a shift toward electric vehicles have led to increasing needs for automotive lightweighting resulting in rising demand for fiber-reinforced resins. The company expects this demand to continue growing for composites able to substitute for metals in parts such as car doors. In addition, Mitsui Chemicals certifies LGFPP as a Blue Value product according to the high environmental contribution value. Mitsui Chemicals aims to achieve further business expansion in mobility, a key sector for the company, by continuing to gauge global growth in demand.