Long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (LGFPP)
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (MCI; Tokyo; www.mitsuichem.com) has decided to set up a new production facility for long glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene (LGFPP) at the Ohio plant of its U.S. subsidiary Advanced Composites, Inc. (President: Keiji Shite). The new plant is expected to have a capacity of 3,500 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of LGFPP. Completion of the new site is slated for September 2019, with commercial operations commencing in October 2019.
LGFPP is a composite material made by melting and mixing polypropylene (PP) resin with long glass fibers. The lightweight material offers an attractive appearance, with long glass fibers providing a good balance between hardness and impact resistance. The material is already being adopted in areas such as the unpainted insides of rear car doors.