Synthos to Start Butadiene Rubber Production at German Plant

Oświęcim, Poland-Polish rubber manufacturer Synthos is planning to restart the production of butadiene rubber at its facility in Schkopau, Germany as of March 2023, the company has announced.

The 30-kilotonne-per-annum (ktpa) facility, which was bought as part of Trinseo SA’s rubber assets in December 2021, has been idled since the summer of 2020.

In an announcement 30 Jan, Synthos said it will resume production at the site to supports its customers with “high-quality NiBR produced in Europe.”

In a statement to ERJ, the rubber raw material manufacturer added that the decision was made due to “strong market demand for BR, especially from existing customers.”

Recommissioning activities at the site, said the Polish manufacturer, started in the first half of 2022.

The move, said Synthos, is in “direct response to challenging market conditions for sbr rubber products and to meet unmet demand, particularly in the tire industry."

Once fully operational, the facility will bring Synthos’s total annual capacity for butadiene rubber to 150ktpa.

Synthos sells its butadiene rubber under the brand Synteca.

The company produces neodymium polybutadiene rubber at its production site in Kralupy, Czech Republic.

As previously reported by ERJ, Synthos is aiming to expand its butadiene rubber production capacity by 50% in response to market demand.

Butadiene rubber is used in a wide range of applications, including high-performance tires, golf balls and conveyor belts.

Due to its low glass transition temperature, low dispersity level and linear structure, the rubber is particularly suitable for tread compounds for the development of 'green tires'.