Mitsubishi Chemical will permanently shut its methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Beaumont, Texas because the plant’s technical issues incurred capital investment which exceeded profit that it could generate. The company said it would cease operations in the 135,000 tons/year plant entirely by February 28, 2021, so it could optimise and enhance the competitiveness of its MMA business. After the closure, Mitsubishi’s global MMA and related products capacity will decline to around 1.7 million tons/year.
The producer’s MMA sales fell during the April-September period due to weak demand, especially from the auto industry. The decline, however, was less than expected thanks to rising demand for acrylic boards which are used to prevent COVID-19 infections. Data from the Japan petrochemical industry association showed the country’s MMA production fell 9.7% year-on-year to 296,600 tons in the first nine months of the year.
