Appli Accident forces Mitsui Chemicals to exit resorcinol business

摘要

Mitsui Chemicals says it has decided not to continue production of resorcinol at its Iwakuni-Ohtake production complex at Waki, Japan; the company exited the business in December 2012. An explosion occurred on 22 April 2012 at the resorcinol plant at Mitsui’s Iwakuni-Ohtake complex. The blast killed 1 Mitsui employee and injured 25 people, including 14 local residents. Operations at all plants within the Iwakuni-Ohtake production complex were suspended on 22 April. All plants at the site except those that produce resorcinol, cymene, and hydroquinone have now restarted operations, Mitsui says. The Iwakuni-Ohtake complex houses Mitsui’s only plant for resorcinol production, and the plant has a production capacity of 7,600 m.t./year of resorcinol. After conducting extensive studies on resuming resorcinol production, the company decided to exit its production in December 2012, Mitsui says. “The company is withdrawing from this business for economic reasons,” Mitsui tells CW. “Remanufacturing cost will be very high, and our sales have decreased because of the accident. There is excess supply in the resorcinol market, and so we feel that our withdrawal from this business will not impact the market.”