Chiba Chemicals has successfully restarted its cracker in Chiba, Japan, following a scheduled maintenance shutdown.
A Polymerduniya source in Japan reported that the cracker was brought back on stream last weekend after being offline since mid-June 2025. The source added that operations at the plant have now stabilized, with run rates normalized after the turnaround.
The cracker, located in Chiba, is equipped with an ethylene production capacity of 612,000 mt/year and a propylene capacity of 330,000 mt/year, making it a significant contributor to Japan’s petrochemical output. Market players noted that the resumption of operations is expected to ease some supply concerns in the region, particularly as several other crackers across Northeast Asia are undergoing or planning maintenance in the coming months.
The restart also comes at a time when regional ethylene and propylene markets have been showing signs of tightness due to constrained availability and scheduled plant outages. With Chiba Chemicals’ unit now back in operation, traders and downstream buyers are watching closely to assess how the additional supply may influence short-term price movements and stabilize market sentiment.
