Mitsubishi Chemical in Strategic Partnerships for Marketing Zeolite Membranes for ...

Mitsubishi Chemical — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 14:00:00 +0900

TOKYO, Feb. 28, 2018 /Kyodo JBN/ --
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
Mitsubishi Chemical in Strategic Partnerships for Marketing Zeolite Membranes for Bioethanol Production
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (“MCC”) hereby announces strategic partnerships for marketing its zeolite membranes, ZEBREX (TM), for bioethanol production. The strategic partnerships consist of ICM, Inc. (”ICM”) for North America and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (“Mitsui”) for Asia-Pacific and Europe. The partnerships will accelerate MCC’s business development in the bioethanol market further on a global scale.

With the United States and Brazil leading the global market, the use of bioethanol derived from biomass feedstocks such as corn, sugar cane and cassava has been wide-spreading due to its carbon neutrality and potential to reduce greenhouse gas emission. Further, what has been called the “second-generation bioethanol,” bioethanol from non-edible feedstocks is evolving in the United States and India.

Bioethanol is required to be dehydrated to a certain extent for use as fuel. With the continuously growing market globally, bioethanol producers will significantly take advantage of ZEBREX (TM). ZEBREX (TM) being a state-of-art, continuous dehydration technology of zeolite membranes, bioethanol producers will save 20% to 30% of energy consumption compared with a traditional batch PSA process (*), which requires periodical regenerations. ZEBREX (TM), through either replacement of the PSA process or integration to an existing bioethanol plant, allows bioethanol producers to reduce carbon footprints and operation costs while increasing production through improvement in efficiency and operational stability.

Known for its engineering expertise in the fuel ethanol market, ICM’s technology is used in more than half of ethanol plants in the United States, where the largest bioethanol production is taking place. The combination of MCC’s ZEBREX (TM) dehydration technology and ICM’s process integration ability will speed the penetration of ZEBREX (TM) into the North American market.

Mitsui has a strong marketing and business network with bioethanol producers in Asia-Pacific and Europe. Its strength is not limited to bioethanol but also lies in the sugar and food markets. MCC will promote ZEBREX (TM) with Mitsui to bioethanol producers who can take advantage of the technology. As a result of this partnership, one of the largest bioethanol producers in Europe, Pannonia Ethanol Zrt based in Hungary, has committed to install the world’s largest ZEBREX (TM) system. Pannonia also employs ICM technology: this ZEBREX (TM) integration will be one of the best showcases to represent successful partnerships revolving around ZEBREX (TM) in the global perspective.

MCC contributes to continuous promotion of efficient energy production and use by expanding its zeolite membrane business that these partnerships will accelerate.

(*) PSA (pressure swing adsorption) is a technology with traditional type A zeolite pellets. Due to inefficiency of the PSA dehydration process, ethanol/water 50% mixture requires to be regenerated in the distillation column, which results in an energy-intensive process.

About ICM, Inc.
Established in 1995 and headquartered in Colwich, Kansas, ICM, with a regional office in Brazil, provides innovative technologies, solutions and services to sustain agriculture and to advance renewable energy, including ethanol and feed technologies that will increase the supply of world protein. By providing proprietary process technologies to over 100 facilities globally with a combined production capacity of approximately 8.8 billion gallons of annual ethanol production and 25 million tons of annual distillers grains, ICM has become a world leader in bio-refining technologies.
For more information, please visit http://icminc.com/

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation website: https://www.m-chemical.co.jp/en/index.html

Mitsubishi Chemical to Exhibit at Expo Milano 2015's "Salone del Giappone"

Mitsubishi Chemical — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 14:00:44 +0900

TOKYO, June 22 /Kyodo JBN/ --
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation
Mitsubishi Chemical to Exhibit at Expo Milano 2015's "Salone del Giappone"
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation (MCHC) announced on June 19 that the company is co-sponsoring the Japan Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015, underway in Milan, Italy, under the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life." MCHC will also exhibit at the "Salone del Giappone," one of Expo programs intended to strategically communicate wisdom and technologies related to Japanese excellence in food and agriculture, with the participation of Japanese government agencies and corporate sponsors. The MCHC Group will showcase its initiatives on food, water, and healthcare at the exhibition.

Products and services offered by the chemical industry are essential to solving the global agenda of issues related to food, water, and the environment. MCHC, striving to realize its own unique concept of KAITEKI (sustainability that promises comfort for people, society, and the Earth, transcending time and generations), develops a broad array of businesses in three domains -- "performance products," "healthcare," and "industrial materials." At the Salone del Giappone, MCHC will exhibit a range of products and technologies such as a plant-growing system, technology to concentrate Japanese sake, and water purification technology. Visitors will be able to experience sake tasting and compare different types of water.

Expo Milano 2015 is the world's first fair in history to have food as its main theme. A total of 148 countries and international institutes have announced plans to participate (as of June 2015), and some 20 million visitors are expected. In consideration of the Expo's focus, the Japan Pavilion chose the theme of "Harmonious Diversity," and will present Japan's agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries, along with various programs related to Japanese cuisine and food culture.

Through the Japan Pavilion and Salone del Giappone, MCHC hopes to foster deeper understanding of Japan's food culture, craftsmanship, and technology.

Salone del Giappone

Organizer: Japan Salone Executive Committee
Period: June 25 - July 13, 2015
*MCHC will exhibit 4 days, from June 29 to July 2.
Venue: Palazzo delle Stelline Congress Centre
           Corso Magenta, 61-20123 Milano, Italy
MCHC exhibits: Fully artificial light-type plant-growing system, Plant Plant (TM)
                       Technology to concentrate beverages and food using Zeolite membrane, KonKer (TM)
                       (Please refer to the sheet on the above URL for details of exhibited products)

About Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation
President: Hitoshi Ochi
Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

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Mitsubishi Chemical in Strategic Partnerships for Marketing Zeolite Membranes for ...

Mitsubishi Chemical to Exhibit at Expo Milano 2015's "Salone del Giappone"