South Korea’s DL Chemical, a unit of the petrochemical-to-construction conglomerate DL Group, has announced the completion and commencement of commercial operations at what it says is the world’s largest polyisoprene latex plant on Jurong Island, Singapore. It is also Singapore’s first polyisoprene latex plant, and marks a significant milestone in the company’s strategic expansion into the medical devices market.
The new plant, constructed by its Singapore subsidiary Cariflex Pte Ltd with an investment of 480 billion won, spans 61,000 sq m within the Jurong Island chemical complex. This facility will produce Cariflex polyisoprene latex, for manufacturing surgical gloves.
Cariflex was acquired by DL Chemical in 2020 for US$530 million from US firm Kraton. It is the only company globally that manufactures anionic catalyst-based synthetic rubber and latex, known for its purity and transparency.
DL Chemical’s investment in the new plant is a proactive response to the growing global demand for high-quality medical materials.
Cariflex’s polyisoprene rubber latex is a synthetic, water-based polymer latex, suitable for a wide range of high-value applications such as surgical gloves, condoms and rubber stoppers.
It adds that discussions are already underway to enhance and expand production facilities, ensuring that DL Chemical can meet the increasing market needs.
The strategic location of the new plant on Jurong Island, a significant industrial hub in Singapore, offers numerous advantages, such as infrastructure and proximity to key markets in Asia, making it an ideal location for chemical production.
DL Chemical is the world’s largest maker of polybutene (PB), a raw material for lubricants, adhesives and electrical insulators. DL also produces polyethylene used in packaging film, plastic bags and laminates.