Mitsui & Co (Australia) is the wholly-owned Australian subsidiary of Mitsui & Co, one of the world's most diversified trading, investment and services enterprises. In Australia, Mitsui manages a diverse portfolio of businesses in industries including chemicals, coal, food, gas, iron ore, oil, power generation, salt, steel products and woodchips. Mitsui has global expertise in direct investment, finance, marketing and logistics, and we often work in partnership with leading Australian and international companies.
IRON ORE: Mitsui has been involved in Australia's iron ore industry since the 1960s. We were among the first companies to establish operations in the Pilbara region in Western Australia, and we currently have investments in a number of iron ore mines. Affiliate company Mitsui Iron Ore Development has a 33 per cent stake in the Robe River joint venture, which is operated by Rio Tinto. We also have a 7 per cent stake in three iron ore joint ventures with BHP Billiton; two of these interests are held by Mitsui Iron Ore Corporation and the third by Mitsui Itochu Iron Ore Pty Ltd.
ENERGY: Mitsui and fellow Japanese company Mitsubishi jointly own Japan Australia LNG (MIMI), which has a one-sixth interest in the Woodside-operated North West Shelf venture. The Vincent and Enfield crude oil projects – located around 45 kilometres off WA's North West Cape – are owned by a joint venture between Mitsui E & P Australia (40 per cent) and Woodside (60 per cent).
FORESTRY: In 2009, Mitsui consolidated its wholly owned forestry investments into Mitsui Bussan Woodchip Oceania Pty Ltd (MWO). It has two bluegum operations in WA's south west - Bunbury Treefarm Project (10,000ha) and Bunbury Fibre Plantations (13,000ha). It exports via Bunbury Fibre Exports a log processing and woodchip exporting business wholly acquired in 2011. This facility handles around 550,000 tonnes of woodchips each year. It exports mainly to Japan; major customers include Hokuetsu Paper and Daio Paper.
SALT: Mitsui owns Shark Bay Resources and Onslow Salt, via Shark Bay Salt Pty Ltd.
