Sibur ramping up trial production at Voronezh TPE unit

Voronezh, Russia – Sibur is expanding the production of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) at its compounding site in Voronezh, southwestern Russia, the company has announced.

Sibur launched the 50-kilotonne-per-annum (ktpa) expansion project in 2018 to manufacture polystyrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymers, said a company statement 21 April. 

According to Sibur, the construction phase of the plant was completed in January and the company is currently ramping up trial production at the unit.

So far, the facility has produced 3ktpa of TPE and is “proceeding with the homologation of new product grades,” the company statement added.

To become fully operational later this year, the unit will produce five new SBS grades for applications in the footwear, automotive and packaging industries as well as road construction. 

Moscow-based Sibur commissioned the Voronezh chemical complex in May 2013 and expects production output to reach 135ktpa once the new plant is fully on-stream.  

The company said it has employed “cutting-edge technologies”, including a “German air purification” unit, at the compounding plant to meet environmental standards. 

“With our additional production capacity [for TPEs], we will be able to meet the demand in both the Russian and foreign markets,” said Pavel Lyakhovich, member of the management board and managing director at Sibur.