Zeon rejects reports of general-purpose rubber restructuring

Tokyo – Zeon Corp has responded to press reports suggesting that the company is planning to carry out “structural reforms” within its synthetic rubber business targeting some general-purpose rubber production.

“There is no such fact,” said Zeon in a Japanese-language 24 March statement, saying it is currently “proceeding with various studies” for a new medium-term management plant.

At this stage, Zeon pointed out, “there are no indications [that there will be a restructuring].” 

The statement came in response to a 24-March report by Japan-based Chemical Daily which claimed that Zeon was intending to shift production focus from general-purpose rubber to speciality rubbers, such as hydrogenated nitrile rubber.