Neste, Idemitsu Kosan, CHIMEI Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation have agreed to build a renewable plastics supply chain utilizing bio-based hydrocarbons (Neste RE™) for the production of styrene monomer (i.e. bio-SM), and its mass balanced renewable plastics derivatives including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (i.e. bio-ABS*). The bio-SM production in Japan and the renewable plastics production in Taiwan will mark the first of such production in each country, and they are planned to take place in the first half of 2023.

Neste, the world’s leading producer of renewable and circular feedstock for the polymers and chemicals industry uses, will provide Neste RE to Idemitsu Kosan, the biggest SM manufacturer in Japan. For this collaboration, Neste RE is produced from 100% bio-based raw materials such as waste and residues and its use can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared with conventional fossil feedstock use.

Idemitsu Kosan will then produce bio-SM based on the mass balance method and supply it to CHIMEI, the biggest ABS manufacturer in the world for its renewable plastics production. Mitsubishi Corporation will be coordinating the collaboration between the value chain partners and develop renewable product’s market.

Through developing an even stronger partnership and closer collaboration than conventionally seen in plastics value chains, the companies are introducing new renewable contents into the value chain to enable plastic production where fossil feedstock has been replaced with biomass. With this, the companies are contributing to the plastics industry GHG emission reduction targets and the transition towards a low-carbon emission society.

*) ABS resin is a thermoplastic polymer made from acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene monomer, and given its properties of impact resistance, toughness, and rigidity, it is used across different sectors which include automobile, electronics and toys.