GLOBAL COMPETITION - TOWARDS CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT ON CATALYSIS IN CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATES PRODUCTION

The outlook for the future growth of Japanese petrochemical business c an be expressed as ''distressful'' especially when considering busines s characteristics and global competition. For Japanese companies, the most critical issue is whether petrochemistry can support industrial p roduction of a wide range of chemical products. Business, production, and technology development must all be executed with exceptionally qua litative strategies and rationalization. Technology development of cat alysis, which is the key technology for petrochemistry, must also be c orrelated with such strategies.