Lanxess starts up new plant in Singapore

Crain News Service report

SINGAPORE (Sept. 1, 2015) — Lanxess A.G. officially inaugurated its new neodymium butadiene rubber (Nd-BR) plant in Singapore on Aug. 27 to better serve the tire industry and other customers.

The new facility, next to the company's existing butyl rubber plant on Jurong Island, cost about $224.4 million and has a production capacity of 140,000 tons a year, according to a Lanxess press release. The firm added that, capacity will be ramped up gradually at the plant, which employs about 100.

“Together with our adjacent butyl rubber plant, the opening of this new butadiene rubber plant reinforces the strategic role of Singapore as our hub for synthetic rubber production for the Asian markets,” CEO Matthias Zachert said at the opening ceremony.

The Singapore plant is Lanxess' first Nd-BR site in Asia, in addition to its other nine production facilities in North America, South America and Europe.

“We are now well positioned to serve the tire industry and other customer industries worldwide,” said Jorge Nogueira, head of Lanxess' Tire and Specialty Rubber business unit.

Lanxess said Nd-BR makes it possible to produce tires that offer low rolling resistance and a high level of durability and safety.

This report appeared on the website of European Rubber Journal, a United Kingdom-based sister publication of Tire Business.