Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES with President Mr. Yasuhiko Katoh) recently obtained an EPC Contract (for detail design, material procurement and construction in a package) for building a new Polyvinyl Alcohol Resin Production Facility in La Porte, Texas, USA for Kuraray America Inc., which is subsidiary of Kuraray Co., Ltd. in addition to the early stage design contract was concluded earlier in September last year.

The construction plan of Polyvinyl Alcohol resin production facility is a part of Kuraray group’s global strategy regarding its acetic acid/polyvinyl alcohol business, which is essential for Kuraray group to take advantage of cost efficiency to be derived from shale gas . in North America. Production capacity of this polyvinyl alcohol resin production facility is 40,000 tons per year and the facility is expected to complete in the end of September 2014. Polyvinyl Alcohol resin, has been widely used as raw material for vinylon fiber, film, textile processing agent, adhesive etc. Furthermore, it is used recently for raw material of windshield interlayer of car, processing agent for information paper such as paper for ink jet and for other printing materials, as new use.

Trend of investment for petro-chemical plant in North America inspired by the recent development of shale gas is drawing attention worldwide.

MES has various experience of petro-chemical plant project in North America since’80s and is committed to promote sales activities in this area aggressively.