Arlanxeo opens new HNBR plant in China

The Hague, The Netherlands – Dutch synthetic rubber major Arlanxeo has opened its new hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) production plant in Changzhou, in eastern China, the company has announced.

Located alongside Arlanxeo’s EPDM plant and technology centre in Changzhou, the new facility has a capacity to produce 2.5 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of Therban-branded HNBR in the first phase.

The first phase was commissioned in October last year, said the Aramco-owned company in a 4 Feb statement.

Once fully operational, the unit has a nameplate capacity to produce 5ktpa of HNBR, targeting applications in automotive components, oil & gas, industrial equipment, aerospace as well as new battery technologies.

The new plant supports expanding Arlanxeo’s HNBR production footprint and will target customers across China and the Asia-Pacific region.

The output, said the company, will help meet the growing demand for advanced rubber materials in strategic sectors, such as new energy, new mobility, and other industrial applications.

“China is important in supporting Aramco’s downstream growth,” said Dr Faisal Al Faqeer, Arlanxeo shareholders’ committee chairman and Aramco SVP of ‘in-kingdom liquids to chemicals development’.

The Arlanxeo plant, Al Faqeer noted, is part of Aramco’s downstream expansion strategy which he said includes portfolio diversification and integration.

Also commenting, Arlanxeo CEO Stephan van Santbrink said the new facility marked the company’s “long-term commitment to China.”

“By delivering locally produced, high-quality rubber products, we will continue to collaborate with our customers and accelerate application innovation,” he added.

The plant, according to Arlanxeo, features improved finishing technology that enhances production efficiency and product consistency.

This includes an “advanced thermal oxidation system” that helps optimise energy use and reduce carbon emissions in key process steps by around 80% compared to conventional finishing processes, said the company.

Under the “closed-loop” design for energy recovery and emission reduction, the facility operates without routine process wastewater discharge, aiming to lower the plant’s GHG emissions.

In addition to the Changzhou plant, now serving as the hub for China and Asia, Arlanxeo also operates HNBR plants in Orange, Texas as well as Leverkusen, Germany.