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News Updates February 2010 Rubber prices reach an all-time high Futures in Tokyo gained as much as 3.3% to the highest level since September 2008. In China, the world’s largest rubber consumer, businesses continued to expand while US manufacturing continued to expand and factory bookings increased. Investors are buying the raw material on a speculative run against the back of better economic conditions while rising car sales in China will push the price of the commodity up since it is mainly used in tyres. Prices more than doubled last year, the best performance since at least 1976, according to Bloomberg. Raw materials may return more than financial assets this year for the first time in three years as the global economy rebounds, according to Bloomberg.
Improved roller head unit The production line sets new standards as regards quality due to the use of a cold-feed pin-type extruder that ensures gentle and uniform heating and mixing of the material, which is then processed to calendered sheets. Processors including manufacturers of rubber rollers benefit from a number of improved properties like better surface finish with smoother plates that are nearly 100% free of blisters. The new calendered sheets are available in thicknesses of 0.3 to 10 mm and a maximum width of 1,500 mm. The combination of automated roller gap adjustment and integrated online thickness measurement also ensures dimensional accuracy during production. The production line consists of the QSM 150 pin-type extruder with automated screenchange system; two-roller calender (600 x 2,000 mm) with hydraulic roller adjustment and continuously adjustable drive; laser monitoring of the dimensional accuracy and automated roller gap adjustment; four cooling drums; two semi-automatic centre winders with intermediate rotor unwinding station and process data recording with a roll weight of 30 to 500 kg. December 2009 Cloning to boost Malaysian rubber yield Malaysia, which used to be the world’s top producer of rubber, has slipped rank below Thailand, Indonesia and India – currently the leading producers. With the integration of the technology into the country’s production it is anticipated that it will regain its foothold in the market. The cloning technique can produce 2, 600 kg to 3,000 kg of latex per ha, says Ali Noordin Wahiddub, Deputy Director-General for Development at RISDA. The move can offset the impact of changing crops for cultivation and conversion of land to residential areas on the declining rubber yield. More than RM37.5 million has been allocated for the rubber replanting project in the state of Pahang that will start in 2010. About 20,000 ha nationwide will be utilised for RISDA’s replanting progamme. Rubber drop slows Global rubber production (both NR and SR) appeared to level off at 21.1 million tonnes during the third quarter, at which point the decline in output reached -10.9%. According to IRSG, the last time a fall of this magnitude was recorded was in August 1975. In the short term, following the declines seen in 2009 and assuming a relatively strong recovery in the world economy, global rubber consumption (both NR and SR) is forecast to reach 23.9 million tonnes in 2010, with NR production of 10.4 million tonnes. In the longer term, global rubber consumption is forecast to reach 30.4 million tonnes by 2019, with NR production of 14 million tonnes. Curbing rubber shortage with new technology The growth in the automotive industry and its consumer base has proportionally increased new rubber consumption and generated a waste land for old rubber tyres. Evidences show that the global demand for rubber has exceeded to 22 million tonnes/year and is likely to cause supply shortage and hike in the price of NR, which has already been up by 400% since 2001. The advanced materials and recycling technology, which works by the process of gasification, is quality-tested to bring viable and cost-effective commercial results for thousands of manufacturers as devulcanised rubber can be used for producing new rubber products. High viscosity rubber grade for tyres Buna CB 21 has a Mooney viscosity of 73 MU and features outstanding rebound resilience and particularly low heat build-up, making it ideal for cutting rolling resistance of car tyres. This is a key feature of significance, particularly with respect to the efficiency labelling of tyres that has already been mandated by the European Parliament. The rebound resilience of a rubber – closely linked to heat build-up under stress – is critical for rubber products subjected to dynamic loads. It is an indication of how economically an elastomer uses energy during deformation. High rebound resilience indicates that a rubber transfers a large proportion of the mechanical energy that is introduced, or releases this after loading, without converting it into heat and therefore wasting it. Rubber molecules that are as long as possible and have a uniform length/molecular weight are ideal for high rebound values. This makes a material of this type suitable for achieving a further significant decrease in tyre rolling resistance – essentially the proportion of drive energy converted into heat by rolling as a result of inevitable deformation – compared to products filled with silica. Latex conference next year Latex and Synthetic Polymers Dispersions 2010 will provide a forum to discuss all the latest market, technology and materials news, addressing perennial problems such as latex allergies and the need to find cost effective alternatives to natural latex, particularly in the face of rising oil prices. The conference will cover a wide range of applications from the use of water-based dispersions and latices as substitutes for solvent-based systems such as adhesives, sealants and coatings to the use of latex for condoms and disposable medical gloves. For information about this conference please visit www.polymerconferences.com or email conferences@ismithers.net November 2009 Tyre companies fare better in the third quarter Goodyear reported 15% lower sales, compared to 2008, but 11% higher than the second quarter. “The strength of our brands and steady stream of new and innovative tyres such as our branded fuel-efficient tyres provided marketplace momentum and led a strong third quarter performance,” said Robert J. Keegan, Chairman. During the third quarter, the company reduced its global work force by 300 positions, adding to approximately 5,500 first half reductions. The company’s full-year target was a reduction of 5,000 positions. Sales for Michelin, the world's second largest tyre maker, dropped 11% in the third quarter, compared to the same period last year. The company said its passenger car tyre sales were EUR2.09 billion, a 4.6% decrease. Truck tyres dropped to EUR1.21 billion, an 18% decrease. Michelin maintains its objective of generating positive free cash flow in the second half of 2009. Japanese Bridgestone, meanwhile, reported net sales of US$20.75 billion and operating income of 12 billion, a decrease of 25% and 90% respectively, compared to the previous fiscal year. Its net loss was US$303.37 million, while its net sales and operating income decreased by 24% and 83% respectively from last year. The company said unit sales of tyres in Japan and the US were down due to the impact of slumping demand brought on by a major decline in sales for passenger cars, light trucks, trucks and busses. The only bright spot was from South Korean Hankook Tire that had 26.4% higher sales and what it says is an “astounding” increase in operating profit of 536.4%. Hankook also attained a global operating profit rate of 19.1%. Said CEO Seung Hwa Suh, “Despite the economic climate, Hankook Tire has continued to stand out with its record high performance.” He also said that Hankook remains positive about growth prospects for the future. The US replacement sales in the third quarter jumped 18% over the second quarter and were 21% ahead of the same period for 2008. The most significant boost in sales has come in the ultra-high performance tyre segment. Expansion of rubber reclamation The DevulCO2 project to devulcanise rubber, which was completed last year, involves a continuous de-vulcanisation system for waste tyres combining supercritical carbon dioxide with chemical devulcanisation agents in an autoclave. Now, a new ReMould project has been set up to move the technology beyond tyres, to include other scrap rubber products, such as EPDM automotive weatherstrip. The project, which will expand into large scale production, will be used to manufacture a range of goods and also extend the technology into the production of extruded profiles. The ReMould consortium includes the original DevulCO2 project members, Smithers Rapra, PJH Partnership, Martins Rubber Company, BD Technical Polymer, J Allcock & Sons and Charles Lawrence International, plus Kingpin Tyres and the London Metropolitan University. Meanwhile, PMC Rubber Track Recycling has started a new crumbing business in Strathclyde, Scotland, which will reclaim tracks fitted to diggers and earth-moving equipment. The company has designed a machine, which will be patented, that removes the steel links from the tracks before shredding the rubber. Apart from the UK, PMC says it will sell the steel and rubber to South Korea, Dubai and China. According to PMC, no other company in the world offers a similar service and it has secured contracts with track supply companies Osprey Industrial and SPS (Southern Plant Spares). It says that approximately 70,000 rubber tracks are sent to landfills every year in the UK, amounting to more than 10,000 tonnes of steel and rubber. In related news, tyre shredding company Swiers and Grainger in York has now invested £62,845 in recycling equipment to widen the range of tyres it can handle, enabling it handle an extra 6,284 tonnes of rubber waste over the next three years. The company's existing shredder had the capacity to shred 360 tyres/hour but tyres had to be cut manually to feed it and the shredder could not be loaded fast enough to achieve its maximum capacity. The new investment includes a pre-shredder to automate tyre cutting, which means the main shredder can run to capacity, tripling productivity. The shredded rubber produced is used as flooring for riding arenas. October 2009 Dunlop Aircraft Tyres to record its centenary Said Chairman Ian Edmondson, "We are looking for people to help with memories, information or contacts and photographs that we can include – either about the firm itself or its place historically within the larger Dunlop/BTR organisation. Indeed it is the personal memories that will bring this book to life and, as so many people have either worked for Dunlop themselves or have had a friend or family at the company, we are sure that there are lots of stories out there ready to be told." For more information email century@dunlopatl.co.uk Elastic rubber grade for tyres Buna CB 21, with a Mooney viscosity of 73 MU, features improved rebound resilience and low heat build-up, making it useful for cutting the rolling resistance of car tyres. This is a key feature, particularly with respect to the efficiency labelling of tyres that has already been mandated by the European Parliament. The rebound resilience of a rubber – closely linked to heat build-up under stress – is critical for rubber products subjected to dynamic loads. It is an indication of how economically an elastomer uses energy during deformation. High rebound resilience indicates that a rubber transfers a large proportion of the mechanical energy that is introduced, or releases this after loading, without converting it into heat and therefore wasting it. Rubber molecules that are as long as possible and have a uniform length/molecular weight are ideal for high rebound values. This makes a material of this type suitable for achieving a further significant decrease in tire rolling resistance – essentially the proportion of drive energy converted into heat by rolling as a result of inevitable deformation – compared to products filled with silica. Though the new elastomer is initially being produced for the worldwide market at the company’s Dormagen site in Germany, other facilities such as those at Port Jérôme, France, and Orange, US, may also manufacture it in the future. Second leg of speciality chemical plant The pyrogenic silica plant, together with a siloxane plant, is a key facility of an integrated silicone manufacturing site developed by both companies at Jiangsu Yangtze River Chemical Industrial Park in Zhangjiagang to produce materials used extensively in industries, including construction, beauty and personal care, power and automotive. Covering an area of 1 million sq m, the site is China’s largest facility of this kind and said to be among the world’s largest and most advanced integrated production complexes for silicones. The overall nameplate capacity for both siloxane and pyrogenic silica, including the second phase silica plant, is expected to be 210,000 tonnes/year. Pyrogenic silica is a nano-structured speciality chemical. It can be used as an active filler in silicone elastomers, a viscosity-adjusting agent in coatings, printing inks, adhesives, unsaturated polyester resins and plastisols or as a flow aid, for example in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food-processing industries. Both companies also own manufacturing plants for finished silicone products at the Zhangjiagang site.
Curing by light While silicone elastomers (HCR) are typically vulcanised with peroxide catalyst cured by heat exposure, this new UV-sensitive, platinum catalysed curing system also allows curing at room temperature. Part geometries commonly produced by extrusion processing can be cured within significantly reduced times compared to conventional silicone elastomers. Over the past decade, the demand for silicone elastomers has grown steadily as the market shifted to the use of silicone as a replacement for other organic materials, largely due to the stringent biocompatibility, food contact and higher heat requirements imposed upon these materials. In particular, addition cure materials are increasingly being used in medical or food contact and water applications, due to a lack of peroxide residues, as well as FDA and BfR conformity. UV cure technology can help provide energy savings and increased extrusion speed while maintaining the physical properties of silicone elastomers. The UV exposure time for the cure can be as short as 0.5 seconds, depending on the speed of the line and UV intensity. As the cure is initiated through UV radiation, the speed of cure is independent of the diameter and the cross-section of the extruded tube or profile. This allows high-speed extrusion without the risk of under-curing. Since the cure of the new UV silicone elastomers occurs at room temperature, this new technology also opens the potential for co-extrusion of silicones with temperature sensitive materials such as polyolefins and thermoplastic elastomers, which is not possible with traditional thermal cure silicone elastomers. September 2009
100-year old SR still in the spotlight “Even after a 100 years, the potential of synthetic rubber is far from exhausted,” said Axel Heitmann, Chairman of Lanxess, at the day-long forum that had 14 speakers. He went on to say that no one could have predicted that the product would still be so successful a hundred years later. “We are building on the versatility and outstanding chemical properties of this material because we know that the future of synthetic rubber has only just begun.” The material remains important to Lanxess’s portfolio, accounting for over 50% of its turnover. “We expect a 3% increase in global sales this year. Strong growth is expected in butyl rubber because 85% of its output is directed towards global production of tyres,” said Heitmann, adding that increased momentum for the material is being seen in China, India, South America and Southeast Asia. Heitmann said that, given the current economic situation, demand for SR was picking up “at low levels”. But he added, “We do not know if the demand is sustainable and it will take a long time before the prices get back to the 2007/08 levels.” The company is also continuously expanding its product range, which at the last count was a hundred, and has committed an additional 10% spending on R&D, despite the global downturn and cost cutting measures. The importance of R&D at Lanxess was emphasised by Heitmann who spoke about the new technology innovation the company is working on, with a few partners, to be implemented at its Singapore butyl rubber plant, which will now start up in 2014 after having been delayed. “We cannot disclose details now, but you will all be surprised!” At the forum, Lanxess also highlighted a new HNBR (hydrogenated nitrile rubber) grade that is said to be “as liquid as oil” and is expected to open up a new area of use in gaskets. The other new innovation, Nanoprene nanoadditive, was recently commercialised with Japanese company Toyo Tire being its first taker. When added to tyre production, it has no detrimental impact on rolling resistance and wet grip but reduces abrasion, which extends the lifespan of the tyre. Amongst the speakers at the forum was Georg Weiberg of Daimler Trucks who said that reducing fuel consumption and achieving maximum vehicle reliability were the most important challenges for the automotive industry of the future. Daimler's objective was to cut fuel consumption by 20% by the year 2020 by lowering the weight of the vehicles, improving the rolling resistance of tyres and developing special wheel trims. Another speaker Didier Miraton, Managing Partner of the Michelin Group, said, ”We must look even further ahead and begin to dream if we want to prepare ourselves for the future.” He said that the company recognised that fuel saving tyres would be important for mobility in the future and have therefore been working on this for 15 years. Meanwhile, Horst Wildemann, Professor at the Technical University in Munich, suggested that development teams should be bold enough to explore new avenues having already spent 100 years with this flexible material. “We still have a growth potential of 5-9% in Europe for synthetic rubber,” he said. Fritz Katzensteiner, Managing Director of the WDK – the Association of the German rubber industry – said there are still wide-ranging possibilities for expansion above all in the automotive industry but also in medical technology and sports. He said the main challenges were the development of new, environmentally friendlier substitutes for rubber production, the breaking down of international trade barriers and man's changing mobility. China fights back US penalties The decision by the US government to impose added duties on tyres that come from China resulted in strong complaints from Chinese tyre companies. The Chinese government is accusing the US of promoting protectionism and is said to be mulling over the lodging of a formal complaint to the World Trade Organisaion. Meanwhile, in the US, penalties on products from China are welcomed by the United Steelworkers union, people who are important to the President's healthcare plan push. The union says that imports of Chinese tyres in recent years led to the closure of five US tyre plants and the loss of thousands of jobs. The union represents about 15,000 hourly workers who make tyres in the US for Goodyear, Bridgestone and Michelin. Imported Chinese tyres to the US totalled less than 15 million in 2004 but rose to more than 46 million in 2008. But not everyone welcomes the additional tariffs especially Cooper Tire & Rubber, which is a major importer of Chinese tyres, Toyo Tire Holdings of America (a subsidiary of the Japanese company), tyre importers and the farming community that is afraid of a Chinese boycott of American agriculture products. Rubber consumption at its lowest The year-on-year consumption growth at the same point was -12.3% and this compares to a growth rate of -3.5% reached in March 2002, at the height of the last global economic downturn. The global synthetic rubber (SR) production declined by 13.7%, in year-on-year terms in June 2009, while global natural rubber (NR) production fell by 3.7%. The more pronounced decline in global consumption compared to global production has moved the NR market into modest surplus. Global NR consumption is projected to fall by 5.5% in the 2009 calendar year, while SR demand is forecast to decline by 7.3%; meanwhile, global NR production is projected to fall by 4.8% in 2009. Using a more pessimistic global economic growth scenario, with 2009 and 2010 growth rates set at 0.4%, below those forecast by the IMF, which form the base scenario, results in 0.9-1.9% lower rubber consumption over the period. Under a more optimistic scenario, in which global growth in 2010 recovers to its 2008 level, rubber consumption would be 0.7-2.1% higher than the base scenario. Dow beefs up SR capabilities The new laboratory will be for the compounding, mixing, processing and testing of thermoset elastomers and will complement the existing polymer analysis, material science and physical testing capabilities at the site. Meanwhile, at its Louisiana plant, the company is expanding its output to add around 11,000 tonnes of capacity through process improvements. This is due to be completed in the first quarter of next year. August 2009 Nanoprene to drive the tyre market These microgels, which consist of nanoscale organic particles, can be used to improve the material properties of elastomer and thermoplastic materials. Lanxess’s Technical Rubber Products (TRP) and Rhein Chemie business units worked together closely and have applied for numerous patents. These cover the processing method, the use of nanoparticles in rubber mixtures and the impact on thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. The product will be sold as Nanoprene by TRP while Rhein Chemie sells the additive under the brand name Micromorph. Rhein Chemie worked with Japanese tyre manufacturer Toyo Tire to incorporate the additive in the production of winter tyres, said to boast dry and wet road grip, without the tyre rubber hardening on contact with snow or ice. Different Nanoprene grades can be used to satisfy different requirement profiles for winter/summer tyres and various tyre components (tread, side wall and carcass) in line with their glass transition temperature. The physical properties of rubber give rise to a conflict of objectives – also known as the magic triangle of tyre technology – between certain parameters of the rubber. For example, improving wet grip in the past was only achieved at the cost of higher rolling resistance and, therefore, greater fuel consumption. Using the new nanoparticles as an additive can improve all three properties of the magic triangle – wet grip, rolling resistance and service life of tyres. Lanxess says in tests it conducted, using Nanoprene in summer tyres, for example, improves dry road grip by between 10 and 15%. It also improves the stiffness of the tread blocks, which has a positive impact on the cornering properties under aquaplaning conditions. The abrasion resistance of tyre treads containing Nanoprene is also much higher than those based on standard silica mixtures. In principle, Nanoprene consists of pre-crosslinked rubber particles that are manufactured by the German company using a patented emulsion process. Different conditions can be achieved during the synthesis process, for example in terms of the degree of crosslinking (glass transition temperature) or polarity of the particles, depending on the required application. With particle sizes ranging between 40 and 200 nanometers, Nanoprene has a large specific surface area, which leads to improved distribution and joining of the silica filler to the polymer matrix. After the manufacturing process, the rubber additive is available in the usual delivery forms such as bales, granules, powders, pastes and masterbatches. July 2009 Carbon REACH The consortium includes Evonik Degussa, Cabot, Columbian Chemicals, Timcal Belgium, Sid Richardson Carbon & Energy, Continental Carbon and Cancarb. After validating the completeness of the dossier, ECHA issued the registration number for carbon black to Evonik Degussa, which acted as lead registrant on behalf of the consortium. The submission included both the technical dossier and the chemical safety report. Once the remaining consortium members file their supplementary registration documents, all seven companies will be fully registered ahead of the November 2010 deadline. The consortium invites other interested companies to participate in the joint submission of the Carbon Black Consortium by way of a letter of access. More information is available at: www.cb4reach.eu/. Lanxess delays butyl plant to focus on new technology The 100,000 tonnes/year plant will now start up in 2014 instead of 2011. The company says the delay in the project is due to the lower demand for butyl. Lanxess is also working on a new technology for the production process, which has so far been tested on a pilot plant. Touting it as a more energy-efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly technology, Lanxess plans to invest what it says is a substantial sum in researching it over the next few years. Meanwhile, the company has not totally given up on Singapore and it is looking at moving its butyl rubber headquarters from Switzerland to the Asian country. It is currently negotiating with the Singapore Economic Development Board with a view to managing the global business of the butyl rubber business unit from here in the future. June 2009
Self-healing elastomer May 2009 Barwell goes global and invests in China German company looks to Asia for growth Environmentally friendly tyres in Europe by 2012 Tillotson licenses glove technology to Ansell April 2009 New plant in India inaugurated Rhein Chemie sales drop March 2009 Malaysia to maintain its pricing for NR Tyrexpo Asia sells out in Singapore |
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