Zeon provides project update on delayed US expansion

Tokyo – Zeon Corp.'s project to expand hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) production at its facility in Pasadena, Texas, is still under construction following lengthy US regulatory approval procedures.

In a 9 Oct statement to ERJ, Zeon said the project in the US "has not yet commenced commercial operation and is still under construction."

"We continue to work closely with the construction contractor and other relevant parties to advance the project," the statement added.

Zeon initially announced plans to expand capacity from 5 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) to 7.5ktpa in December 2022, with completion set for early 2025. (ERJ report)

In its 2025 integrated report, Zeon said the delay was due to “the amount of time needed to complete the approval procedures with the US authorities.”

As a result, it said, “the commencement of construction has been delayed, but we are proceeding with preparations for the ramping up of the extra capacity.”

The project is part of a broader global HNBR capacity expansion programme to support growing demand in oil & gas, automotive and industrial applications.

In its 2026 integrated report, released 28 Sept, Zeon provided an update on its synthetic rubber portfolio restructuring, which includes withdrawing from low-profitability products such as ESBR and NBR latex. (ERJ report)

In general-purpose rubber, Zeon said it intended to promote higher functionality.

This, it said, includes developing and expanding sales of differentiated solution-polymerised styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) products.

Furthermore, the group aims to respond to medium- to long-term growth in demand for speciality rubbers across a range of industrial fields requiring high heat resistance and high strength.

As part of this strategy, Zeon noted the ongoing expansion of HNBR capacity in the US.

Elsewhere, Zeon reiterated its plans to cease operation of one of the two emulsion-polymerised styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR) production lines at the Tokuyama plant during fiscal 2026.

The group also confirmed that it had ceased production of NBR latex at Tokuyama at the end of March 2026, ahead of its original schedule. 

As of 31 March 2026, Zeon said it had total HNBR production capacity of 9.9ktpa, including 5ktpa in the US, 4.4 ktpa at Takaoka and 500 tonnes per annum at Kawasaki.

The company’s NBR capacity totalled 75ktpa, comprising 60ktpa in Japan and 15ktpa in the US.

For acrylic rubber (ACM), Zeon said it had global capacity of 22ktpa, including 8.5ktpa in Japan, 8.5ktpa in the US and 5ktpa in Thailand.

In general-purpose synthetic rubber, Zeon listed annual capacity of 125ktpa of SSBR, comprising 55ktpa at Tokuyama and 70ktpa in Singapore.

It also has 80ktpa of ESBR and 65ktpa of BR, both at Tokuyama, as well as 40ktpa of IR at Mizushima.

The report also listed 92.5ktpa of latex capacity on a dry basis and 10ktpa of other rubber capacity in the US.

For upstream monomers, Zeon said it has total capacity of 337ktpa of butadiene, including 180ktpa at Tokuyama and 157ktpa at Mizushima, alongside 80ktpa of isoprene at Mizushima.