Kumho Mitsui Chemicals: Expansion of MDI capacities in South Korea

The joint venture Kumho Mitsui Chemicals plans to further expand the production of methylene diphenyl diisocyanates at its site in Yeosu on the south coast of Korea.

As reported by the Japanese joint venture partner Mitsui Chemicals at the end of December, new capacities for 100,000 tons of MDI per year are to be established there. This would increase the total capacity of Kumho Mitsui Chemicals for MDI production in Yeosu to 710,000 tons per year. Construction work is scheduled to begin in February, and the completion of the new facilities is planned for May 2027. No information has been provided regarding the investment volume associated with the expansion project.

Advert

MDI is a key raw material for the production of polyurethanes. By expanding capacity in Yeosu, Kumho Mitsui Chemicals is responding to the rising global demand for high performance materials based on MDI or PUR in the automotive and construction industries. According to the latest release, the company aims for a leading global market position in this segment.

As recently as 2024, Kumho Mitsui Chemicals increased its MDI capacities in Yeosu by 200,000 tons per year. At that time, a plant for recycling byproducts and waste generated during MDI production was also commissioned, which will reach full capacity utilization after the current expansion project is finished.

Kumho Mitsui Chemicals is an equal joint venture between the Korean petrochemical group Kumho Petrochemical and Mitsui Chemicals and is headquartered in the South Korean capital of Seoul. The company produces monomeric MDI, polymeric MDI, and modified MDI materials.

More information: www.kmci.co.kr, www.mitsuichemicals.com

Kumho Mitsui Chemicals, Seoul + Yeosu, Korea