Trans-polyisoprene rubber project a 'first' for China

Shandong, China - TPI New Material plans to set up a 30kT/year trans-polyisoprene (TPI) rubber plant in 2015 at the Jiangshan Township Industrial Park in Qingdao, Shandong province. Construction of the plant is expected to take less than a year.

This would be the second phase of the company's 100kT/year project with 1 billion Yuan total investment. 

The first phase project with 30kT/year capacity in the same park went into operation in September 2013, which the company claims to be the first TPI rubber facility with over 10kT/year capacity in the world.

"We haven't set the exact time for the second phase yet. It depends on how things goes with the first phase's output," said Zhao Zhichao, general manager of TPI New Material. "But we do expect the whole 100kT/year project to be completed by 2020."

According to the company's website, TBR tires made with TPI rubber have 20% higher abrasion resistance and 300% higher fatigue durability.

For semi-steel radial tires, each tonne of TPI rubber used can save 70 tonne fuel oil and reduce vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by 200 tonne.