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Mitsui Chemicals has completed construction of a new plant that will produce LUCANT, a series of hydrocarbon-based synthetic oil, at Ichihara Works in Japan’s Chiba prefecture.

Commercial operation of the new plant is tentatively scheduled to begin in April 2021, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

Investments and plant capacity were not disclosed. Mitsui Chemicals has an existing LUCANT plant in Iwakune-Ohtake Works.

The new plant in Ichihara will allow the Japanese producer to “comfortably keep up with the strong global demand for the product”.

LUCANT synthetic fluid has been approved for use by major automakers and lubricant manufacturers, it said.

“Amid an era of heightening needs for eco-friendly products, LUCANT is expected to meet with rising global demand as a product able to help achieve improved fuel efficiency and longer operating life,” the company said.

Mitsui Chemicals has a strategic partnership with The Lubrizol Corporation’s Additives Segment, which acts as a major producer of lubricant additive packages.

“Going forward, both Mitsui Chemicals and Lubrizol intend to further expand and grow the LUCANT business in the lubricant market,” it added.

On its own, Mitsui Chemicals “intends to tackle market development and application development for the expanded use of LUCANT as a functional liquid polymer, including applications as a modifier for elastomers and engineering plastics”.