"MEISTER" Coated Fertilizer Production
Capacity Expansion to 42,500 T/Y in Japan

Chisso Corporation (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President: Shunichi Okada) has decided to expand the production capacity of its "MEISTER" controlled-release type coated urea in order to respond to the large sales growth of the fertilizer. Chisso will expand the production facility at the Tobata Plant by 7,500 T/Y, targeting the start of operations by December of 2005. With this 20% expansion, Chisso will have a production capacity of 42,500T/Y of the coated fertilizer, the nation's largest capacity.

"MEISTER" is a spherical white fertilizer with a diameter of 2 to 4 mm, prepared by coating granular urea with a polymer composition of natural products, resins and additives. As the release rate of the fertilizer ingredients is accurately controlled by the special coating technology, one-shot application is possible for the entire fertilization to the plants, adjusting the rate of release to match the plant growth throughout the growing period until harvest.

Therefore the benefits of the use of this fertilizer are the saving of farm labor, a high efficiency use that equates to low fertilizer consumption and a reduction of their environmental burden.

A wide variety of MEISTER grades with different release rates are produced that meet the fertilization requirements of many kinds of plants. Representative products are of a linear release type (8 grades), where the release starts immediately after fertilization (release period: 20 to 270 days); sigmoidal timed release type (9 grades), where the release starts after set periods from fertilization (suppression period: 20 to 100 days, release period: 20 to 100 days); "Naebako Makase" (4 grades); and Dd-MEISTER (4 grades), which incorporates a nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (Dd). (Note that the release period is measured at 25 degrees C)

"Naebako Makase" is sold only by Chisso Asahi Fertilizer Co., Ltd. (a joint venture between Chisso Corporation and Asahi Kasei Corporation, Head Office: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, President: Hiroshi Takeda). "Naebako Makase" provides the entire required fertilization to the paddy rice seedling boxes. The rice fields need no additional fertilization until harvest, contributing to the saving of farm labor. The ability to apply a minimum amount of fertilizer to just fit the crop's fertilization needs is welcomed by farmers as an ultimate labor-saving, material-saving and environmental-preservation fertilizer. "Naebako Makase" has thus far been applied mainly in Tohoku (north-eastern) districts of Japan. However, the demand and applications are expanding to all parts of Japan as a result of the expanded range of available grades that allow fine-tuning of the fertilizer's application.

In order to provide customers with very convenient and environmentally friendly products, Chisso will continue to reinforce and expand its businesses by applying our leading-edge technologies.