Momentive starts silane production in India

Niskayuna, New York – Momentive Performance Materials has started production of silanes for tire application at its facility in Chennai, India.

In a 7 Oct statement, the company said the local manufacturing of its NXT P97 silane would strengthen supply reliability and support customers in India, the IMEA region and Asia-Pacific.

The silane is designed for silica-reinforced tire tread compounds and contains 79% renewable carbon.

According to Momentive, it helps optimise rolling resistance, wear performance and processing through improved filler dispersion and polymer-filler interaction.

The material may also contribute to lower CO2 and particulate emissions during tire use.

“India is one of the world's most dynamic tire manufacturing markets, and the production of NXT P97 silane in Chennai reflects our commitment to supporting its continued growth,” said Chris Pappas, global marketing leader for tire silanes at Momentive.

The Chennai site is supported by Momentive’s R&D centre in Bangalore, which provides expertise in silane chemistry, formulation development, product optimisation, regulatory compliance and application support.

With manufacturing, R&D, laboratory capabilities, and commercial support in India,  Momentive said it was "uniquely positioned" to help customers optimise formulations, and bring "next-generation tire solutions to market.”