The rubber plantation services company Corrie MacColl announced that its new Sudcam plant at its plantations in Cameroon has begun operations.
Initially producing concentrated latex and steadily expanding into CV and L grades, the factory will be supplying the European and North American dipping industry (gloves, condoms, balloons), as well as specialty product makers (automotive, household and industrial applications).
The factory’s annual production capacity is 37,500 MT of concentrated latex and TSR CV/L Grades. Production started on the 15th January 2021, with this year’s annual capacity forecasted at 1,600MT of 100% traceable high quality centrifuge latex.
With this capacity, Corrie MacColl is positioned to supply the Western Hemisphere with specialty grades of natural latex, being the only producer of concentrated latex in Africa.
Its two factories in Cameroon have a combined latex capacity of 53,000 MT fulfilled by 31,000 ha. of rubber trees planted in the Hevecam and Sudcam estates. Production of latex is poised to increase from 10,000mT in 2021 to 60,000mT from 2030 onwards, as our trees mature and come into production.
According to Jimmy Francis, CEO, Sudcam plantation, the raw material from the Sudcam plantation feeds the modern factory, offering customers 100% traceable natural rubber and latex, produced to individual customer requirements. The field material provides a 72% latex v.s cup lump split, feeding six new German-manufactured GEA centrifuges. Additionally, the implementation of the Heveapro and Latexpro standards will be secured, with the 1,000 audit-point certifications ensuring the highest standards of quality, worker safety and environmental sustainability.
At the plantation level, sustainability is highly prioritised with initiatives governed by the Cameroon Sustainability Council.
Applying the technical expertise of the Group’s Ohio-based Momentum Technologies Laboratories, a natural rubber, and latex laboratory will be located on-site.
The partnership between state-of-the-art laboratory and modern factory will form the ideal site to host R&D-focused activities such as development of specialty products, in addition to formulation testing, enhancing and formulation design, and providing raw material testing.