Sumitomo Chemical to build S-SBR plant in Singapore

ERJ staff report (DS)

Singapore -- Sumitomo Chemical is to build a new plant in Singapore for the manufacture of its solution styrene-butadiene rubber (S-SBR). The plant will be located in the Merbau area of Jurong Island and have production capacity of 40 thousand tons per year and will start commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2013.

In Asia, particularly in China, India, and Thailand, tyre manufacturers are planning a succession of capacity expansions, and supply capacity for S-SBR is expected to grow in the near term.

Sumitomo Chemical's S-SBR is manufactured using the Company's proprietary manufacturing process technology and it develops high-performance grades with its polymer modification technology -- key to high performance. This S-SBR has won high praise from its customers in the tyre manufacturing industry both in Japan and overseas for being a highly fuel-efficient tyre material with outstanding abrasion resistance. Sumitomo Chemical's new plant in Singapore, in tandem with its existing plant in Japan, will drive the further global expansion of its S-SBR business.

A month ago Asahi Kasei announced a project ot build a 50 kt/year S-SBR plant, also on Jurong Island. That unit is expected to be on stream in June 2013.

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Press release from Sumitomo Chemical

Asahi Kasei's S-SBR plant from ERJ