Synthetic rubber supplier Arlanxeo, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Therban hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) plant in Changzhou, China. With a nameplate annual production capacity of 5,000 tonnes, the first phase of construction will allow for the production of 2,500 tonnes/year of rubber. The plant is expected to begin operations in the third quarter of 2025.
Located next to Arlanxeo’s Changzhou EPDM plant, the new Therban plant will leverage synergies from the firm’s existing facilities and R&D capabilities.
Arlanxeo produces and markets HNBR grades under the Therban brand, which is renowned for its resilience to extreme temperatures, chemicals, and abrasion, and is widely used in demanding applications in automotive systems, oil exploration, mechanical engineering, aerospace, and batteries for new mobility solutions.
“We are very grateful for the support we received from the local authorities throughout the planning phase of this project. The new Therban plant strengthens Arlanxeo’s ability to meet the growing global demand for advanced synthetic rubber products in emerging applications in new energy, new mobility, and other rapidly expanding sectors, and we are excited to break ground today and move forward to the construction phase of this world-class production facility,” said Hong Sun, Managing Director, Arlanxeo China.
Stephan van Santbrink, CEO, Arlanxeo, said, “Arlanxeo’s new Therban plant will serve our valued customers in China and globally. The demand for advanced synthetic rubber products continues to grow, and we are committed to supporting our customers with a reliable supply.”
Arlanxeo develops, produces and markets high-performance rubbers with a presence at more than 11 production sites in 8 countries and five innovation centres around the world.
Following the establishment of Arlanxeo in April 2016, it officially commenced operations in China in August 2016. Headquartered in Changzhou, Arlanxeo has a staff of around 400 employees in China, with production facilities in Changzhou and Nantong, in addition to a sales and administration office in Shanghai. It is also a partner of a joint venture with TSRC Corporation located in Nantong.