Specialist plastics producer Mitsubishi Chemical looks to double production at Saltend Chemicals Park

The Japanese-owned operator, formerly Nippon Gohsei, plans to increase production of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, a plastic with high gas barrier properties, used primarily by the food industry as a packaging material for preserving flavour and freshness, from 18,000 to 36,000 tonnes a year.

The £166m investment will support 160 jobs, the company states in its planning application to East Riding Council.

The plant at Saltend is one of only three in the world making Soarnol, with the others in Japan and the USA.

Soarnol, which is manufactured in cylindrical pellet form, is mainly composed of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, has no toxic gases when burned and its combustion heat is only half that of polyethylene. It is also used for a wide variety of other applications, including plastic fuel tanks, agricultural film and underfloor heating.

Manufacturing of the product began in 2004 after the company was attracted to the area due to its geographical position and the raw materials that could be sourced from BP

The plans state: “The proposal represents a long-term solution to facilitate the continued growth of a successful business at Saltend, which provides wide-ranging benefits to the local economy in the East Riding and delivers innovative and advanced chemical solutions nationally and internationally.”

It adds that the new facility will vary in height up to a maximum of 40 metres and the development will include new pipelines and pipe bridges, new working platforms and access walkways, mechanical plant and equipment and a new production building