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    FISITA World Mobility Conference 2025: Key themes and concerns for the automotive industry
    One thing is abundantly clear after the FISITA World Mobility Conference (WMC) last week. Megatrends impact everything. No longer can chassis development, braking, safety validation and so forth stand alone without impact from the broader drive towards electrification, the AI revolution or SDVs, to name a few.  The event’s sessions gave the impression that electrification is already baked into the industry, particularly in Europe where the debate on (regulation-pushed) direction is ...
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    Beyond horsepower: Compute becomes the new competitive edge for OEMs
    Automotive compute power is becoming a defining metric of vehicle capability — not just for autonomy, but across cockpit systems, connectivity and life-cycle software deployment. As vehicles transition toward centralized electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures and software-defined platforms, silicon performance is now a core determinant of what a vehicle can do — and how long it will remain competitive in the field. Two metrics have emerged as industry standards for measuring this compu...
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    Mitsui launches Polska-Mit Steel in Poland to boost electrical steel production
    In a press release dated Aug. 15, Mitsui & Co. Ltd. announced the establishment of a new company, Polska-Mit Steel sp. z o.o. (PMS), in Skarbimierz, Poland, to address the growing global demand for electrical steel sheets. These sheets are crucial for manufacturing motor cores in various types of electric vehicles and transformer cores for power plants and substations. Slated to begin its operations in April 2026, PMS will operate a new processing facility aimed at bolstering the supply o...
    News
    Mitsui Chemicals and ARRK debut advanced materials in Toyota Hyper-F Concept
    Mitsui Chemicals and its subsidiary ARRK Corp. have announced their materials' incorporation into a high-performance concept car based on the Toyota Fortuner. This collaboration involves TAFNEX CF PP, a unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene resin sheet developed by Mitsui Chemicals, and direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components co-developed by Mitsui Chemicals and ARRK. These materials are utilized in the Toyota Hyper-F Concept, which was designed by TCD Asia Co. Ltd., ...
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    Denso, partners join Japanese project to increase recycled content in vehicles
    DENSO and a select few Japanese companies have been selected by an industry-government-academia collaborative project to expand the recycled content in automobiles, according to a press release dated April 9. The project, titled "Demonstration of Manufacturing-and-Recycling Integrated Process for Horizontal Cycle Enabled by Automated Sophisticated Dismantling of ELVs," aims to develop a new method for processing end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) that can significantly expand the use of recycled materi...
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    Nippon Paper, Mitsui Chemicals partner to develop biocomposite materials
    Nippon Paper has announced via press release on 8 September that it partnered with Mitsui Chemicals to collaborate on the development of a new biocomposite with a high cellulose powder content. Both companies intend to accelerate time to market for use in automotive parts among other industries. Significance: The collaboration, which aims to sell a new biocomposite with high levels of supply and quality stability, will see the partners tap into their respective material supply chains and make...
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    Mitsui to set up new 120,000-ton high-performance elastomer plant in Singapore
    Japanese chemical manufacturer Mitsui Chemicals announced via press release on 30 August that it plans to set up a new plant in Singapore for manufacturing of its proprietary TAFMER™ high-performance elastomer. According to the press release, set up of the new 120,000-ton plant will bolster the capacity of its subsidiary (Mitsui Elastomers Singapore Pte Ltd) in the region that currently operates a 225,000-ton capacity plant producing the same material. Construction of the new plant is ex...
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    Mitsui Chemicals, Teijin partner to develop biomass-derived bisphenol A and polycarbonate resins
    Materials company Teijin has announced via press release on 9 August that it partnered with Mitsui Chemicals to develop biomass-derived bisphenol A (BPA) and polycarbonate (PC) resins aimed at supporting efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout product lifecycles. According to press release, Mitsui Chemicals received International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS certification for BPA raw material used in PC resins in May 20...
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    Mitsui Chemicals develops sustainable thermoplastic vulcanizate for automotive interior applications
    Mitsui Chemicals Group (MCI Group) has developed an environment-friendly grade of Milastomer thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) that is created using recycled polyolefins as the principal component, it said in a press release on 21 June.   According to the press release, TPV expands MCI Group’s material science capabilities by leveraging quality control and other expertise that has been established through compound manufacturing. By utilizing these resources, Mitsui Chemicals swapped...
    News
    Origin Materials to develop carbon-negative automotive products with Mitsui
    US materials company Origin Materials announced via press release on 10 January that it had formed a strategic partnership with Japanese trading and investment company Mitsui & Co to industrialize and sell advanced carbon negative material-based products. According to the press release, the strategic partnership will involve: Developing new carbon-negative products for the automotive, chemicals, electronics, packaging, textiles, construction, and personal care industries using ...
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    Mitsui Chemicals launches production of polypropylene plastic PP compounds in the Netherlands
    Japanese Mitsui Chemicals Group has launched the production of polypropylene plastic (PP) compounds at Mitsui Prime Advanced Composites Europe B.V. (ACE) in the Netherlands, according to a company press release on 11 June. The Dutch plant has been under construction since January 2019 and employs nearly 100 people. The ACE production site has production capacity of 30,000 tons per year. Significance: ACE marks the Mitsui Chemicals Group’s first PP compounding site in Europe. ACE, establishe...
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    Mitsui Chemicals builds new plant in Netherlands to produce innovative plastic material for automotive industry
    Japan-based Mitsui Chemicals has started construction of a new plant at Chemelot, the Netherlands, to produce innovative plastic material for the European automotive industry, according to a press release on Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency website. The company held a ground-breaking ceremony on 18 January. The plant is expected to start production in mid-2020 and create some 100 jobs. In addition to the new plant, Mitsui plans to establish a research center at Brightlands Chemelot Campus. ...
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    Mitsui Chemicals to establish new plant in US to produce long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene
    Japan-based Mitsui Chemicals will set up a new facility to produce long-glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene (LGFPP) at a plant of its subsidiary Advanced Composites Inc. in Ohio, United States, the company announced in a press release on 18 September. Construction of the new facility is scheduled for completion in September 2019, with operations expected to begin in October. The facility will have an annual capacity of 3,500 tons. Significance: LGFPP is a lightweight composite material with ...
    News
    Mitsui Chemicals expands production of polyethylene in Japan
    Mitsui Chemicals has expanded production of its ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene ‘HI-ZEX MILLION™’ in Japan, according to a company press release on 29 August. The material is used in automotive applications, such as lithium-ion battery separators. The additional facilities in Yamaguchi prefecture in Japan became operational on 7 August. The company said that construction of the expanded facility was completed in July 2018. Significance: The company has expan...
    News
    Mitsui Chemicals to build new plant in Japan to produce specialty synthetic fluid
    Japan-based Mitsui Chemicals plans to build a new plant to produce LUCANT™, a hydrocarbon-based synthetic fluid, at its Ichihara Works facility in Ichihara, Japan to address rising demand for the product globally, according to a company press release on 24 August. LUCANT is used in diverse applications, including automotive drivelines, industrial lubricants and greases. The new plant, upon completion, will be able to produce an estimated 20,000 tons of lubricant per year. The company expects c...
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    Mitsui Chemicals to increase production of high-performance elastomers in Singapore
    Mitsui Chemicals will increase production capacity for Tafmer high-performance elastomers at its wholly owned subsidiary Mitsui Elastomers Singapore Pte Ltd, according to a press release on 24 August. The company will raise the annual capacity of the plant, which is located in Jurong Island, Singapore from 200,000 tons to 225,000 tons. The expansion of the facility is scheduled to be completed by July 2020. Significance: Tafmer is a flexible and lightweight elastomer that is used in a wide ra...
    News
    Mitsui Chemicals, Prime Polymer to establish new polypropylene compounds manufacturing facility in Netherlands
    Mitsui Chemicals and its subsidiary Prime Polymer have announced plans to establish a new polypropylene (PP) compounds manufacturing facility in the Netherlands, according to a press release. The new manufacturing company, Mitsui Prime Advanced Composites Europe BV, is expected to start operations in June 2020. The plant's capacity will be 30,000 tons per year. Mitsui Chemicals will hold 75% stake in new company, while Prime Polymer will own 10%. The remaining 15% will be owned by Mitsui & C...
    News
    Mitsui Chemicals expands production capacity for electrolyte solution in China
    Mitsui Chemicals has expanded the production capacity for electrolyte solution for lithium-ion batteries at its plant in Ningbo, China.  According to a company press release on 8 December, Formosa Mitsui Advanced Chemicals Co. (FMAC), a joint venture (JV) between Mitsui Chemicals and Formosa Plastics commenced operations at the expanded facility last month. The expansion has increased the production capacity of the plant by 3,500 tons per year. Significance: The 50:50 JV between Japan-ba...
    News
    FMAC expands electrolyte production capacity for Li-ion batteries in China
    Formosa Mitsui Advanced Chemicals (FMAC), a joint venture of Mitsui Chemicals and Formosa Plastics Corporation, has expanded the production capacity of electrolyte solution for lithium-ion batteries, Mitsui Chemicals announced in a press release on 7 December.  FMAC increased the capacity by starting commercial operation at new manufacturing facilities at its plant in Ningbo, China. The expansion has added 3,500 tons / year capacity to the plant, taking the overall capacity to 5,000 tons pe...
    News
    Daimler, Mitsui invest in EV charging solutions company The Mobility House
    Daimler and Mitsui have acquired a minority stake in ‘The Mobility House’, an electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy storage solutions provider, , The Mobility House announced in a press release on 25 October. Financial information about the deal was not disclosed by the companies. “Neutrality is the basis for our long-term partnerships with leading car manufacturers. We are particularly pleased that leading companies such as Daimler and Mitsui & Co. share our vision, and support...
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    Mitsui Chemicals completes capacity expansion at three plants
    Mitsui Chemicals has completed production capacity expansion for polypropylene at three plants located in Ohio (United States), San Francisco de Los Romo (Mexico) and Rajasthan (India), reports Plastics Insight. Significance: The expansion will enable the company to expand the global production capacity from 1 million tons to 1.05 million tons. This includes increase of 30,000 tons in North America, 5,000 tons in Europe and 15,000 tons in Asia (including Japan). The expansion will help the co...
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    Toyota Boshoku, Mitsui Chemicals conclude license agreement on high impact-resistant plastic
    Toyota Boshoku and Mitsui Chemicals have concluded a license agreement signed in November last year on high impact-resistant plastic, according to a joint press release by the two companies yesterday (11 April). As per the agreement, Mitsui Chemicals will seek to expand its modifier business by this high impact-resistant plastic in automotive market as well as industrial and consumer goods market. In the coming years, Mitsui Chemicals plans to disseminate the high impact-resistant plastic by ...
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    Mitsui Chemicals starts production of electrolyte solution at Japanese facilities
    Mitsui Chemicals has commenced production at its electrolyte solutions facilities at Nagoya Works in Japan, the Japanese company said in a press release yesterday (10 April). The plant has an annual production capacity of 5,000 tons. Significance: The plant will address rising domestic demand for lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery-use electrolyte solution, driven by robust demand for hybrid and electric vehicles, particularly in East Asia including China and Japan. The company completed constructio...
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    Mitsui-Formosa JV plans to raise capacity for lithium-ion battery electrolyte at Chinese plant
    Formosa Mitsui Advanced Chemicals, a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between Japan-based Mitsui Chemicals and Taiwan-based Formosa Plastics Corporation, has expanded production capacity for lithium-ion battery electrolyte, from 1,500 tons per year to 5,000 tons per year, at its plant in Ningbo, China, reports news website icis.com. The company plans to commercialize the lithium-ion battery-use electrolyte solution by the end of 2017. Significance: The JV started production of electrolyte in Septembe...
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    Mitsui completes construction of electrolyte solution production facilities in Japan
    Mitsui Chemicals has completed the construction of its electrolyte solution production facilities at Nagoya Works, Japan, the company announced in a press release on 13 November. While one is situated in Tangodori, the other is in Nagoya, Aichi. The plant under Formosa Mitsui Advanced Chemicals (FMAC), a 50:50 joint venture between Mitsui Chemicals and Taiwanese Formosa Plastics Corporation, has a production capacity of 5,000 tons per year and will commence operations in April 2017. Significa...
    News
    Mitsui Chemicals’ JV starts production of electrolyte solution for lithium-ion batteries
    Formosa Mitsui Advanced Chemicals, a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between Mitsui Chemicals and Formosa Plastics Corporation, has started production of electrolyte solution for lithium-ion batteries, Mitsui Chemicals said in a press release on 14 September. The manufacturing facility is located in Ningbo, China. Currently, the manufacturing facility has a capacity of 1,500 tons per year, which the company said can be increased in line with the demand. Significance: The electrolyte production is to...
    News
    EV start-up Atieva plans to launch premium electric sedan in 2018—report
    Atieva plans to put a premium electric sedan on the road in 2018, followed by two luxury crossovers in 2020-2021, the company’s executives told Reuters in an interview. Atieva is reportedly using a Mercedes-Benz Vito commercial van to test the drivetrain that comprises a pair of high-output electric motors, a lithium-ion battery pack, inverters and controllers. Atieva’s software ties all the hardware together to offer a combined output of 900 horsepower. The van accelerates from 0 t...
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    Joint-ventures and partnerships (Issue 9, 2015)
    Company Partner(s) Area of operation Comment  Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Company (JAC) Huating (Hefei) Powertrain Company Batteries Chinese automaker Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Company (JAC) plans to establish an automotive battery production joint venture (JV) with Huating (Hefei) Powertrain Company. According to a report by...
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    Toyota, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, SPARX create fund to support advanced technologies
    Toyota plans to invest in a fund recently set up by SPARX Group that will support the development of advanced technologies in fields including artificial intelligence, robotics, and hydrogen, according to a press release. The Mirai Creation Investment Limited Partnership fund is expected to begin operation this month with a total capital of about JPY13.5 billion (USD111 million). Hydrogen projects could be related to production, supply, or application. In addition to Toyota and SPARX, Sumitomo M...
    News
    Toyota, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, SPARX create fund to support hydrogen technologies
    Toyota plans to invest in a fund, set up by SPARX Group recently, that will support development of advanced technologies in the field of artificial intelligence, robotics and hydrogen, among others, according to a press release. The fund, called Mirai Creation Investment Limited Partnership, is expected to begin operation this month with a total capital of approximately JPY13.5 billion (USD111 million). Hydrogen projects could be related either to production or supply or application. Apart from ...
    News
    Mitsui Chemicals opens new plant in China
    On 27 October, Mitsui Chemicals launched a new manufacturing plant, called Mitsui Chemicals Functional Composites (Shanghai) Company Limited (MFS), that will produce elastomeric olefin and adhesive compounds for automotive industry in Shanghai, Eastern China, according to a company press release. The plant, with a capacity of 11,000 tonnes/year, has begun producing Milastomre and Admer. MFS was established in October 2012 with a capital of CNY70 million (USD11 million). Significance: Strateg...
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    Mahindra Auto Steel opens automotive steel processing facility in India
    Mahindra Auto Steel has opened an automotive steel processing facility in Chakan, near Pune, Maharashtra (India), the company said in a press release sent to IHS Automotive. The facility is a three- party joint-venture of Mahindra Intertrade, the parent company of Mahindra Auto Steel, with China Steel Global Trading Corporation and Mitsui & Co. While Mahindra Intertrade has controlling stake of 51% in the joint facility, China Steel Global Trading and Mitsui own 24.5% each. The JV partners m...
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    Amtek Auto to buy Asahi Tec’s iron casting, forging, machining business
    Amtek Auto will acquire iron casting, forging and machining businesses of Japan-based Asahi Tec Corporation, owned by private-equity company Unison Capital, says a Asahi press release. The companies to be acquired companies include Asahi Tec Metals Co.Ltd., Techno-Metal Co.,Ltd., Asahi Tec Metals (Thailand) Co.,Ltd, Hefei Asahi Tec Metals Industries Trading Co., Ltd. and Dongling Asahi Tec Metals Industries Co., Ltd. According to The Economic Times (ET), Amtek will fund the buyout via a comb...
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    South Korea-based SKC to partner with Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals to expand polyurethane business
    Mitsui Chemicals and SKC have agreed to consolidate their polyurethane materials businesses through forming a joint-venture company, according to a press release by Mitsui Chemicals. The JV, in which both partners will have equal stake (50% each), will be established by 1 April 2015, subject to completion of necessary procedures such as the obtaining of relevant approvals. The JV will have assets worth USD1.1 billion and sales of USD1.5 billion in 2015. Significance: Polyurethane is widely u...
    News
    Bayer opens new foam chemical plant in Germany
    Bayer, a Germany-based supplier of plastic materials, has established a new plant in its home country, the company announced in a press release yesterday (9 December). Located in Dormagen, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the plant produces toluene diisocyanate (TDI). Bayer has invested EUR250 million (USD307.1 million, 9 December 2014) for setting up the new plant, whose construction began in 2012. The company has created 20 new jobs to support production at the plant. The new plant ...
    News
    Bayer joint-venture opens new plastic components plant in Germany
    Hi-Bis,  a joint venture between Bayer MaterialScience, Mitsui and Honshu Chemical Industry, has opened a new plastic components plant in east Germany, says a company press release. The plant will produce a key component for the material Apec. Bayer has a 10% stake in Hi-Bis; Mitsui & Co and its Honshu Chemical Industry subsidiary hold 35% and 55% stake in the joint-venture, respectively. Hi-Bis has invested EUR50 million (USD62.3 million) in the plant, doubling the production capacity ...
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    Nippon Sheet Glass (NSG) sells land in Hyogo prefecture in Japan for USD44.9 million
    Nippon Sheet Glass (NSG) has agreed to sell its land in Itami city in Hyogo Prefecture to Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing Co, for JPY4.9 billion (USD44.9 million), says a company press release. The company also signed a lease back agreement with the new owner for the use of the land. NSG currently uses the land as research centre premise. The transaction is expected to complete by the end of this month. Significance: NSG is one of the major suppliers of glass and glazing products for a...
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    Boryszew Group, Mitsui to jointly develop lightweight automotive parts
    Poland-based plastics car component producer Boryszew has signed a letter of intent with Japan-based Mitsui to develop lightweight parts for cars, reports Plastics News. The two companies may also look at greater international cooperation options, including the polish supplier investing in Mitsui’s auto business. Both the companies will undertake research and development to produce components made with lightweight materials developed by Mitsui. “Specifically, the parties declared their c...
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    Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products boosts production capacity of aluminum forged suspension parts by 50%
    Kobe Steel, Ltd.'s U.S. joint venture, Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products, LLC (or KAAP), has increased its production capacity of aluminum forged products for automotive suspension systems by 50 percent. Based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA, KAAP began construction of a $66-million expansion of its manufacturing facility in spring 2013. Construction was completed earlier this month and the new facility has gone into mass production. KAAP's production capacity of 280,000 pieces per month has inc...
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    Magna produces fully recyclable liftgate for 2014 Nissan Rouge
    Magna Exteriors’ Decostar division has produced an all-thermoplastic recyclable liftgate for the 2014 Nissan Rouge crossover, reports plasticstoday.com. Magna is manufacturing the liftgate assembly at its Carrollton, Georgia (United States) plant, from where the product is delivered to Nissan’s assembly plant located at Tennessee (United States). Weighing 24 kg, the new liftgate assembly is 30% lighter than the stamped steel system used in the 2013 Rouge. Significance: According to Magna...
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    Daihatsu confirms supply to Chinese automakers
    Daihatsu will begin to supply automotive components to Chinese automakers. Company president Masanori Mitsui stated yesterday in an interview with Kyodo News that the company is planning to begin supply of transmission technology to Chinese automakers, but he declined to name any specific OEMs. Significance: Daihatsu aims to sell its automatic transmissions to automakers in China. Although the international news has not reported which OEM the Japanese company will supply for, the local Chine...
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    Auto parts companies invest USD485 million in India's Sanand town in 2013 – report
    Many foreign auto parts manufacturers invested in India's Sanand town, located in the state of Gujarat, in 2013, reports Indian Express newspaper. “Ever since Tata Nano set up base near Ahmedabad [also located in Gujarat], there has been a constant interest from corporates, especially auto-component manufacturers, to set up base at Sanand. Even today, we get 10-12 applications every month,” said a senior Gujarat government official, who overlooks the industrial development at state’s Motow...
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    Tube Investments’ net profit up 8% y/y to USD52 million in FY 2013/14
    Indian automotive components supplier Tube Investments has announced its financial results for the fiscal year (FY) and fourth quarter ended 31 March 2014. According to a company press release, TII’s net profit jumped 7.6% y/y to INR3.1 billion (USD52 million, 31 March 2014) in in FY 2013/14. The company’s consolidated revenue increased 14% year on year (y/y) to INR88.3 billion (USD1.5 billion). Shanthi Gears Limited (SGL), TII’s subsidiary in the gears business, registered revenue gro...
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    Nissan opens USD1.1 billion Brazilian plant
    Nissan has officially opened a BRL2.6 billion (USD1.1billion) assembly plant in Resende, Brazil. Nissan says the plant will have a production capacity of 200,000 vehicles and engines per year and that it is one of the largest investments by any manufacturer in Brazil. The factory will employ 1,500 people, which is expected to grow to 2,000. The complex performs "all facets of automotive production", according to a company statement, including sheet-metal stamping and a road course for testing ve...
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    Mitsui & Co buys one-third stake in US auto assembler
    Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co has bought a one-third stake in Android Industries, the largest contract auto assembly company in the United States, reports financial daily The Nikkei. Mitsui spent more than JPY3 billion (USD29 million) to purchase 33.4% of outstanding shares in Android from a US investment fund. While Mitsui has become Android's largest shareholder, the fund's stake has fallen to less than 30% following the transaction. Android, which is an independent contract manufactur...
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    Mahindra Auto Steel breaks ground on USD24-mil. steel service centre in Maharashtra
    Mahindra Auto Steel has broken ground on a steel service centre near Pune, Maharashtra (India), reports the Economic Times. The company, a joint venture (JV) between Mahindra Intertrade, China Steel Global Trading Corporation, and Mitsui & Company (Asia Pacific) Pte, plans to invest INR1.5 billion (USD24.4 million) in the centre, which will have an annual processing capacity of 130,000 tonnes. The centre is expected to become functional by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2014/15. Mahindra ...
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    Mitsui Chemicals expands polypropylene production in US, Mexico
    Japan's Mitsui Chemicals and its subsidiary, polyolefin supplier Prime Polymer, have announced expansion plans to meet the growing demands of the automotive sector. According to a press release, the company plans to add 21,000 tonnes per year of polypropylene (PP) compound production at its US subsidiary Advanced Composites and a 13,000-tonnes per year expansion at their Mexican subsidiary Advanced Composites Mexicana S.A. de C.V. The company aims to conclude the expansion by the fourth quarter ...
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    Investments (Issue 7, 2013)
    Company Region Area of operation Comment Alcoa U.S. Aluminium sheet production Alcoa is expanding the automotive aluminium sheet capacity of its existing plant in Tennessee (US) to meet growing demand from automakers. The company will invest around USD275m to convert some of the plant’s existing can production lines to high-strength a...
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    Mitsui Kinzoku Catalysts America Inc invests $19.5 million in Frankfort, Kentucky, USA manufacturing plant
    Mitsui Kinzoku Catalysts America Inc., a subsidiary of Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co. Ltd., will invest $19.5 million to establish a manufacturing operation in Frankfort, Kentucky, with plans to create 50 new, full-time jobs. The manufacturer plans to lease an existing building in Frankfort to manufacture catalytic converters for automobiles and motorcycles. The company hopes to begin operations by July 2015. To encourage the investment and job creation in Frankfort, the Kentucky Economic...
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    Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products invests $66 Million to expand its Bowling Green Kentucky, USA manufacturing facility
    Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products in Bowling Green, Kentucky, began construction on the company’s second expansion in recent months. Kobe Aluminum plans to invest $66 million to add an 87,000-square-foot building, resulting in 100 full-time jobs. The addition makes room for new furnaces, casting machines, forging presses and advanced presses used to meet increasing demand for high- quality precision aluminum components for the automobile industry. Last November, Gov. Steve Beshear and com...
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    M&T Olivine completes lithium iron phosphate plant construction in Japan
    M&T Olivine, a joint-venture (JV) between Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES) and Toda Kogyo (Toda), has completed the construction of its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) plant at Chiba Works of MES in Ichihira city, Chiba Prefecture (Japan). According to the company’s press release, the plant is expected to start operations this month with an estimated annual production of 2,100 tonnes of LFP.  MES and Toda had jointly set up M&T Olivine in June 2011. MES owns 51% of the JV ...
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    Gestamp’s sales up 16.6% y/y to USD7.4bn in FY2012; to upgrade Russian plants
    Gestamp has reported sales of EUR5.6bn (USD7.4bn, 31 December 2012) for the financial year ended 31 December 2012, an increase of 16.6% over EUR4.8bn (USD6.2m, 31 December 2011)  recorded in the previous financial year, according to the company website. In a separate development, the company has received a loan of EUR150m (USD197.8m) from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to upgrade its plants in Russia, Poland, Hungary and Turkey, according to SKRIN Newswire. ...
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    The Japanese Automotive Industry and its Supply Chain
    The Japanese automotive industry grew from producing fewer than 70,000 vehicles in 1955 to a peak of 13.5 million vehicles in 1990. The industry has spawned leading global carmakers, which in turn has created leading automotive suppliers. Today, Japan boasts 13 truck, car and bus makers and the Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA) has over 9,000 member companies. In fact, Japan is estimated to have the world’s largest automotive parts industry, with revenues of JPY19.9 trillion (US$...
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    Mitsui Chemicals to expand polypropylene compounding capacity in US
    Mitsui Chemical has announced plans to expand its production capacity for polypropylene compounding in the US to meet growing demand from the automotive materials sector, the company said in a press release. The company will increase its annual polypropylene compounding capacity by 14,000 tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2013 at its two production facilities in the US, operated by its affiliate Advanced Composites Inc (ACP). These facilities of ACP are located in Sidney, Ohio and Nashville, Tenne...
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    Mitsui Chemicals, Formosa to jointly develop electrolyte solution for lithium-ion batteries
    Taiwan-based Formosa Plastics has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Japanese company Mitsui Chemicals for production and distribution of electrolyte solution used in lithium-ion batteries in China, says Mitsui’s press release. The JV, owned equally by both partners, will be established in March 2013 and is expected to commence production in May 2014. Total investment in setting up the JV facility in the industrial complex of Formosa Plastics Ningbo is estimated at USD20m. Under the fi...
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    Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products Plans $11 Million Expansion At Its Kentucky, USA Facility
    As part of its investment, the company plans to construct a new 39,000-square-foot building and purchase new equipment. There are 11 Kobe Steel subsidiaries in the United States, but the Bowling Green location is the only U.S. facility to forge aluminum suspension products for the automotive industry. The expansion project will manufacture the cast aluminum bars for compressors for air conditioning on vehicles. Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products LLC, a joint venture of Kobe Steel Ltd., Mitsu...
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    Bayer, Hi-Bas start construction of specialty chemical plant in Germany
    Bayer, along with its joint venture partners, is expanding production of bisphenols, a material used for Apec, in Germany. The new plant, being set up with an investment of EUR50m (USD64.5m), will start operations in mid-2014. The project’s operator is Hi-Bis GmbH, a joint venture between the Japanese companies Honshu Chemical Industry (55% stake) and Mitsui & Co (35%), and Bayer (10%). Significance: Bayer expects demand for the Apec material to grow at a much faster pace than the over...
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    M&M to invest USD282.3m to develop new platform with SsangYong
    Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) plans to invest INR15bn (USD282.3m) to develop a new vehicle platform with its South Korean subsidiary SsangYong Motor, reports the Business Standard. "We expect to see three products jointly developed with Ssangyong. There, we are investing close to Korean Won 300 billion which is almost Rs 1,500 crore…This is over next three years and this is only for one product with Ssangyong. There will be more investment for other products," said Pawan Goenka, M&M Pres...
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    Mitsui Chem to resume operations at fire-damaged Iwakuni-Ohtake Plant
    Mitsui Chemicals has tentative plans to resume operations of meta-para-cresol plant at the Iwakuni-Ohtake Works in late September this year, says a press release. The operations at Iwakuni-Ohtake Works were suspended due to an explosion and fire that took place on 22 April. To this end, the company stopped operations at four plants — resorcinol, cymene, hydroquinone, and meta-para-cresol. The rest of the production and utility plants have resumed routine operations. The company provided an ...
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    Mazda sells majority stake in Japanese supplier Toyo Advanced Tech to Itochu
    Jpanese automaker Mazda has sold 70% of its stake in auto supplier Toyo Advanced Technologies to Itochu Corporation, reports Dow Jones International News. The transaction took place for a consideration of JPY21bn (USD267.5m). Mazda sold 6.807 million shares of the Hiroshima-based machine tool and auto components subsidiary. After the transaction, Mazda's equity stake in the company has come down to 30% but the automaker retains voting rights. Significance: Mazda first revealed its intentions ...
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    Tube Investments net income up 92.5% to USD14.7m in Q4 FY2011-12
    Tube Investments of India Limited (TII) has reported a 92.5% growth in net profit to INR770m  (USD14.78m , 31 March 2012) in the fourth quarter ended 31 March 2012, compared with INR400m (USD7.4m, 31 March 2011) in the same period a year ago, according to the company’s press release. Profit after tax for Q4 2012 stood at INR610m (USD11.7m, 31 March 2012) against INR360m (USD6.6m, 31 March 2011), registering a growth of 69.4%. The sales for the quarter were up by 11% to INR8.71bn (USD161.3...
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    Latest Joint Ventures
    Supplier JV Partner Location Comment Renault-Nissan Daimler US 9 January 2012: Daimler and Renault-Nissan alliance have decided to manufacture four-cylinder engines at Nissan's powertrain assembly plant in Decherd, Tennessee (US). The plant will start production of engines for Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti models starting from 2014. The facility is expected to produce 250,000 units a year once full-production is reached. China Automotive Systems (CAS) SAIC-IVECO China 9 January 2012...
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    Mitsui Chemicals to increase polypropylene compound capacity in Thailand
    Mitsui Chemicals and its affiliate company Prime Polymer will increase capacity for polypropylene (PP) compounds in Thailand, reports Plastics Today. The company is increasing the production capacity at Grand Siam Composites, its joint-venture (JV) with Bangkok-based SCG Chemicals, to meet increasing demand from the automotive industry in Thailand. Production capacity will be increased from 122,000 tonne per year to 140,000 tonne per year. The expansion will be complete by the third quarter of 2...
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    Mitsui Engineering and Toda Kogyo to jointly manufacture lithium iron phosphate for batteries
    Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES) and Toda Kogyo (Toda) have announced to jointly establish a plant to manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) at Chiba Works of MES in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture (Japan), says a press release. With a capacity of  2,100 tons/year, the plant will produce LFP used in lithium-ion batteries (LIB). Earlier in June this year, the companies had jointly set up M&T Olivine Co to conduct feasibility study of commercialisation of LFP. MES owns ...
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    Nippon Steel-Ternium JV to build automotive sheet plant in Mexico
    Nippon Steel is planning to open a new facility in Mexico along with its JV partner Ternium SA in Nuevo Leon (Mexico), says a release. The plant under the JV Tenigal SRL de CV is scheduled to be operational in 2014 and will have an annual production capacity of 400,000 tons in Mexico.Nippon Steel will receive a syndicated loan of JPY15.6bn (USD200.9m, 2 December 2011) from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and three other Japanese banks for the new plant. Of the total amount, J...
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    Toyota Tsusho sets up special auto steel plant in China
    Japanese supplier group Toyota Tsusho Corporation has begun production at a new special steel fabricating plant in China, reports Sangyo Press. The plant in Taicang in China's Jiangsu province targets annual sales of JPY3bn (USD37.6m) in the next five years. The new plant was established with capital investment of CNY15.7m (USD2.4m). The plant is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho. The plant will serve Japanese automakers in China by providing them with special automotive steel, the repo...
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    Toyota to Produce Land Cruiser in Russia, Fiat to Detail Plans by End of April
    Toyota is to begin manufacturing the Land Cruiser Prado at a site in Russia, reports Itar-TASS World Service. The vehicles will be built in Vladivostok in association with Russian automaker Sollers and Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co., through a joint venture (JV) called OOO Sollers-Bussan. Production is set to begin in early 2012, with the 1,000 vehicles per month assembled set to be sold through its dealer network in the country. In related news, Fiat's chief executive officer (CEO) Ser...
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    Global logistics bigwigs making inroads to Indian automotive market
    Several international players in the automotive logistics market are looking to mark their presence in the Indian market. The names include Höegh Autoliners AS, NYK Line and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS (WWL). The Indian automotive market’s attractiveness for the global logistics players is characterised by the growing domestic and export market. In April 2008-March 2009 period, automotive exports from India grew by 23.6% to 1.53 million units. Exports, focused on small and mini cars, a...
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    Sanyo seeks ¥200bn syndicate loan
    Sanyo Electric Co. plans to take its ever largest syndicated loan of ¥200bn (US$2.09bn, 1June 2009), partly to invest in a hybrid car facility and pay for bond redemption. The loan will be provided by a syndicate of banks which comprises of six domestic banks including units of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group led by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. The company intends to expend the entire loan by spending ¥50bn (US$524.8m) to redeem bonds which matured i...
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    PK USA to set up a plant in Mississippi
    PK USA, a subsidiary of the Japanese companies Press Kogyo Co. Ltd and Mitsui & Co. Ltd., announced plans to set up a manufacturing facility in Senatobia, Mississippi (US). The facility will supply components to Nissans plant in Madison and Toyotas plant in Tupelo (both in Mississippi). The company will start construction of the 200,000 square feet plant, based in Senatobia Industrial Park, in the third quarter of 2008. The plant will create 150 jobs. PK USA, based in Shelbyville, Indiana ...
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    Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to supply China Motor Corp
    Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Automotive Climate Control (Shanghai) has been awarded a contract to supply heating, ventilation and cooling systems to China Motor Corp. in Taiwan. These systems will be for a SUV, which is scheduled to go into production in September 2007. The contract will cover 20,000 vehicles, which are expected to be fitted with the parts.In addition to this contract the company has also won other contracts for electronic fans used in condensers. It is planning to manufacture mo...
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    Kobe Aluminium to increase production in North America
    Kobe Aluminium Automotive Products LLC (KAAP) will invest US$14m to increase production at its aluminum forgings facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky (USA) in response to heavy demand for lightweight automotive suspension systems in North America. The investment will cover a forging press and other related equipments. Production is expected to begin in April 2008. KAAP currently makes 190,000 units in a month. The production is expected to rise to 280,000 units in a month after the newly installe...
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    New South African auto industry strategy could have global impact
    The government has confirmed that it will renew the MIDP, which was due to expire in 2012, in some form, but is expected to introduce a modified program to provide a similar level of support in a different format. Informed sources expect the new program will no longer put such emphasis on exports to a global market with massive overcapacity, but focus more on OEMs procuring components from South African sources. This could radically alter the situation in the local component industry. Several v...
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    Nissan's keiretsu suppliers in Japan
       Name of Company Prefecture/City Parts/Products Ahresty Tokyo Aluminium die-cast parts Aisan Industries (Aisan Kogyo) Kanagawa Fuel pumps, throttle bodies and engine valves Aisin AW Aichi Prefecture Automatic transmissions and car navigation systems Aisin Seiki Tokyo ABS, automatic transmissions and brakes Akebono Brake Saitama Brakes & assembly Alpha Yokohama Key sets and hardware, die-cast parts, western construction hardware, resin forms...
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