China’s Ecombine unveils ambitious plans to expand 'liquid gold’ plant

Hanover, Germany – Chinese materials technology company Ecombine has unveiled ambitious plans to expand its ‘liquid-phase rubber mixing’ plant in China.

The company commercialised its wet mixing technology as a ‘technology platform’ last year and is currently operating a 70 kilotonne per annum (ktpa) facility in Qingdao.

This year, the supplier is starting construction work on an expansion project to add another 180ktpa of capacity, general manager Prof. Zheng Wang told ERJ.

The company, which is 64% owned by the Chinese machinery major Mesnac, expects to complete the expansion project by 2026.

Immediately after, Wang went on to say, phase III of the project will start with an additional 180ktpa of output.

By 2030, the unit is expected to have the capacity to produce just under 500ktpa of masterbatch, including compounds based on SSBR, BR and other rubbers.

Today, the masterbatch materials are used mainly in the tire industry, with China’s Sailun group being one of the biggest customers.

The tire maker currently uses the ‘liquid gold’ compound in the production of its truck & bus, passenger cars, and off-road tires.

But Sailun, Wang explained, is not the only client, with Ecombine exporting 50-60% of its masterbatches to southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Manufactured by liquid-phase mixing, Ecombine’s Evec-branded rubber material 'can be directly used in final mixing processes and eliminate the need for multi-stage mixing.'

The technology, according to Wang, can, therefore, facilitate the use of smaller mixing rooms or avoiding them altogether at tire plants.

To accommodate various demands, Ecombine has expanded its mixing capabilities from SSBR and BR to cover natural rubber and isoprene rubber.

Furthermore, the company has developed technology to process not only silica but also carbon black into the compound – enabling a wider range of masterbatches.

The liquid phase mixing technology is claimed to simultaneously improve the rolling-resistance, wet-braking, and wear-resistance of tires.

This, Wang explained, is because the wet-mixing process allows enhanced dispersion of fillers while also increasing filler-polymer interaction.

Another significant benefit, claims Ecombine, is that tire makers can achieve a 35% reduction in total energy consumption across the production-chain.