Kauchuk i Rezina, No. 2, 2015, pp.

36–43

Styrene butadiene rubber: production worldwide

V.M. Il’in and A.K. Rezova

OOO GSI-Giprokauchuk, Moscow

Selected from International Polymer Science and Technology, 42, No. 8, 2014, reference KR 15/02/36; transl. serial no. 17428

Translated by P. Curtis

Styrene butadiene rubber (BSK, SBR) was one of the first
synthetic general-purpose rubbers. Owing to its universal
properties, it has hitherto occupied a leading place
among all types of synthetic rubber, and its proportion
in the general consumption of synthetic rubbers lies at
the 36–37% level.
According to a forecast by Grand View Research
(USA), the world SBR market by 2020 will reach $US
23 144 billion (8.2 million t), with rates of growth in
demand of 6.1% per year [1].
Increase in the demand for SBR in the tyre industry,
which covers about 74% of world consumption, has
been stimulated by growth of the SBR market. Forecasts
by analysts of the International Rubber Study Group
(IRSG) and the largest tyre manufacturers point to stable
growth and a high demand for new automobiles and
tyres. China accounts for a large proportion of growth
in demand, and India for a lesser proportion, and in
general outlook a period of great potential for all tyre
producers will extend to 2020 [2].
In recent years, requirements laid down for
automobile tyres have changed. Great importance
is given to the safety of travel, fuel economy, and
ecological safety. One of the rubbers meeting the
necessary requirements is solution-polymerised SBR
with a medium and high content of 1,2-units. s-SBR
gives tyres a unique combination of good wet road
holding and low rolling resistance. It is for this reason
that s-SBR has gradually started to replace classic e-SBR
in tyre manufacture [6].
Actual data on the volumes of production, and even
on capacities, are difficult to obtain because many
plants at which e-SBR and s-SBR are produced are
multipurpose, and, besides these rubbers, depending
on the business conditions, other types of rubber can be
produced. At e-SBR enterprises, butadiene acrylonitrile
rubbers (SKN) and epichlorohydrin rubbers (ECHRs)
can be produced, and at s-SBR enterprises, butadiene
rubber (PB) and styrene butadiene block copolymers
or thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs).

The structure of SBR consumption is given in Figure 1.

At present, two technologies are used for the
production of SBR in industry: emulsion polymerisation
(e-SBR) and solution polymerisation (s-SBR). Each
process makes it possible to produce SBR with different
characteristics and properties (Table 1).
s-SBR has a narrow molecular weight distribution,
less branching in the chain, is lighter in colour, and has
a low content of non-rubber substance by comparison
with e-SBR. s-SBR has better abrasion resistance, better
flexibility and the ability to recover after deformation, and
a lower heat generation than e-SBR; their tensile strength,
elongation at break, and cost are comparable [3–5]. Figure 1. The structure of SBR consumption in 2014

© 2015 Smithers Information Ltd. T/35

 Table 1. The characteristics of SBRs obtained by solution and emulsion polymerisation [3–5]
s-SBR e-SBR
Polymerisation method Solution polymerisation in hydrocarbon solvents Emulsion polymerisation in
aqueous medium

Type of polymerisation reaction Anionic Radical

Catalyst/initiator Different anionic catalysts/initiators, normally Redox system

n-butylithium

Conversion of monomers to 95–99 60–75

polymer (%)

Capacity of reactor line (thousand 30–60 20–30

t/year)

Microstructure of polymer
Styrene content (%) 15–40 23–40

Content of 1,2-units (%) 7–55 15–20 (typical structure: 18 cis-

units, 65 trans-units, 17 1,2-units)

Structure of polymer Block or statistical Statistical

Content of fatty acids (%) ≤0.5 ≤6

Molecular weight Controlled

Molecular weight distribution Narrow, controlled (Mw/Mn ~ 1.0–2.5) Wide (Mw/Mn > 3)
(MWD)

Introduction of functional groups Possible at end of reaction (Si and Sn branching agents Use of third monomer (unsaturated
or terminal functional groups) carboxylic acids)

Length of branched chains Short Long

According to data of the International Institute of
Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP) and manufacturing
companies, the world capacities for SBR production
amount to 7 250 000 t/year. The structure of the capacities
for SBR production by world regions is give in Table 2 [7].
By regions, the SBR capacities are distributed in the
following way (percentage of world capacities): Asia/
Oceania – 55%, Northern America – 15%, Western
Europe – 11%, Eastern and Central Europe – 10%, Latin
America – 7%, Africa – 2%.
The efficiency of e-SBR production capacities
worldwide from the beginning of the 1990s to the present
day has been lower – at a level of 55–65%. This has
been caused by the following:
• a fall in demand for e-SBR in the tyre industry in
connection with the switch to radial tyres, for the
production of which other types of rubber are required;
• competition from s-SBR, the demand for which in the
production of “eco-tyres” (“green tyres”) is forecast
to be at a level of 10% per year up to 2020;
• increasing ecological requirements concerning the
cleanness of products and their possible recycling (e-SBRs
are produced on old units built in the 1950s–1970s,
and in the United States on units built at the beginning
of the 1940s, which require modernisation);
• the steady stream of cheap Asian products onto the
market, which have competed with local manufacturers.

T/36 International Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 42, No. 10, 2015
Table 2. The structure of capacities for SBR production by world region [7]
Capacity, 2014
including
SBR, total e-SBR s-SBR
thousand t/ thousand t/ thousand Planned before 2018
Region, country year % year % t/year % (thousand t/year)
United States 1160 620 490
North America 1160 15 620 12 490 21

Argentina 59 59
Brazil 216 196 20 110 s-SBR
Mexico 260 150 110
Latin America 535 7 405 9 130 6 110

United Kingdom 30 30 30 s-SBR

Germany 240 80 160 50 s-SBR
Spain 120 120
Italy 150 120 30 30 s-SBR
Turkey 33 33
France 200 80 120
Western Europe 773 11 313 6 460 20 110

Armenia + s-SBR
Hungary 60 s-SBR
Poland 130 130 90 s-SBR
Russia 473 383 90 110 s-SBR
Serbia 40 40
Czech Republic 90 90
Eastern and Central Europe 733 10 643 13 90 4 260

India 270 270 100 e-SBR

Indonesia 60 60
China 1750 1340 410
South Korea 819 675 144 80 e-SBR, 60 s-SBR
Thailand 120 70 50
Taiwan 140 100 40
Singapore 130 130 90 s-SBR
Japan 708 385 323 20 s-SBR
Asia/Oceania 3997 55 2900 58 1097 48 350

Iran 50 50 30 e-SBR
Saudi Arabia 100 s-SBR
South Africa 53 35 18
Africa and Middle East 103 2 85 2 18 1 130

Total worldwide 7251 100 4966 100 2285 100 960 = 210 e-SBR + 750
s-SBR

Certain producers of e-SBR have gone down the road of
closing plants (Huels in West Germany, Versalis in the
United Kingdom) or reducing their production capacities
or converting them to the production of s-SBR (Goodyear
in the United States, Petroflex/Lanxess in Brazil) [8].
Data on the plants producing e- and s-SBR, with
indication of the owner companies, the location, the
capacity, the technologies used, and the trade names,
and also capacities planned for opening or closure, are
given respectively in Table 3 [9–44] and Table 4 [9, 16,

© 2015 Smithers Information Ltd. T/37

Table 3. The e-SBR capacities by world region and manufacturing company [7–44]
Region, country, manufacturer, site of unit Capacity (thousand t/year) (year of Technology, Trade name
start-up) company
As of 2014 Planned
(year of closure)
USA 620
Ashland Inc. (International Specialty 240 (1943) Ameripol- SBR 1500, 1700, 1600,
Products Elastomers – ISP), Port Neches, Synpol 1900
Texas
East-West Copolymer LLC, Baton Rouge, 115 (1943) DSM Copo™ SBR 1500, 1700
Louisiana Carbomix™ 1650, 1800
Goodyear Chemical Co., Houston, Texas 265 Goodyear Plioflex™ SBR 1500, 1700
North America 620
Argentina, Petrobras Argentina SA, Puerto 59 (1965) Dow Arpol™ SBR 1500, 1600
General San Martin
Brazil 196
Nitriflex SA, Duque de Caxias 6 (1975) S-6H, SB-1502
Petroflex (70% Lanxess) Goodyear Petroflex™ SBR 1500
Duque de Caxias 190 (1962) Lanxess
Triunfo (110,a closed in Converted to
2014) s-SBR (2015)
Mexico, Industries Negromex SA CV 150 INSA Emulprene™ SBR 1500,
(INSA), Altamira 1600, 1700, 1100
Latin America 405
United Kingdom, Versalis SpA (formerly (75 – closed in (Eni) Europrene™ and Intol™ SBR
Polimeri Europa SpA) (Eni), Hythe March 2014) 1500, 1700
Germany, Trinseo (Styron LLC), Schkopau 80 (240a) Dow Buna™SB SBR 1500, 1700
Italy, Versalis SpA, Ravenna 120 (Eni) Versalis Europrene™/Intol™ SBR
1500, 1600, 1700
Turkey, Turkish Petroleum Refineries Co. 33 (1975) Polysar Petkaucuk™ SBR 1500,
(TUPRAS), Ismid, Yaremcha (Canada) 1700
France, Lanxess AG, La Wantzenau 80 (140a) Lanxess Buna SBR
Western Europe 313
Poland, Synthos Dwory SA, Oświęcim 130 Goodyear Ker™ SBR 1500, 1700
Russia b
383
OAO Voronezhsintezkaucuk (PJSC Sibur- 100 (1949) FGPU NIISK SKS-30ARKPN, SKS-
Holding) 30ARKM-27, SKS-
30ARKM-15, SKS-30ARK
OAO Omskii kauchuk (Titan Company 120 (1962) FGPU NIISK SK(M)S-30ARK, SK(M)
Group) S-30ARKPN, SK(M)
S-30ARKM-15, SK(M)
S-30ARKM-27
OAO Sterlitamakskii NKhZ (controlling 70 (1960) FGPU NIISK SKMS-30ARKM-15, SKMS-
company TAU Neftekhim) 30ARKPN
OOO Tol’yattikauchuk (PJSC Sibur Holding) 93 (1961) FGPU NIISK BSK-1502, SKMS-
30ARKM-15, BSK-1904
Serbia, HIP-Petrochemija JSC, Elemir 40 (1991) Bunawerke HIPREN® EM SBR 1500,
Huels 1700
Czech Republic, Synthos Dwory SA, 90 Kralex™ SBR 1500, 1700
Kralupy
Eastern Europe 643
India 270 100
Reliance Industries Ltd, Hazira, Gujarat 150 (2014) Versalis Relflex™ Stylamer SBR 1500,
1700

T/38 International Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 42, No. 10, 2015
Table 3. Cont'd...
Region, country, manufacturer, site of unit Capacity (thousand t/year) (year of Technology, Trade name
start-up) company
As of 2014 Planned
(year of closure)
Indian Synthetic Rubber Ltd (ISRL), Panipat 120 (2013) 100 (2016) TSRC Taipol™ SBR 1500, 1700
(SCs: Indian Oil, TSRC, and Marubeni
Corp, 50/30/20)
Indonesia, PT Sentra Sintetikajaya (Gadjha 60 (1998) Zeon SBR 1500, 1700
Tunggal), Merak
China 1340
Bridgestone (Huizhou) Synthetic Rubber 50 (2008) JSR SBR 1500, 1700
Co. Ltd (BSRC), Huizhou, Guangdong
Province
CNPC Fushun Petrochemical, Fushun, 200 (2012) SBR 1500, 1700
Liaoning Province
Fuxiang Chemical Co., Ltd (SCs: Fujian 100 (2011) SBR 1500, 1700
Petrochemical Ind., Corp., Meizhouwan
Chlor-Alkali Ind., and FujianXuaxing
Group), Quanzhou, Fujian Province
Jiangsu GPRO Chemical Corp. (CNPC), 150 (2008) YANGZI™ SBR 1500,
Lanzhou, Jiangsu Province 1502, 1712
Jilin Petrochemical Co., Ltd (Sinopec), Jilin 150 SBR 1500
Shen Hua Chemical Co., Ltd (SCs: 180 (1998) TSRC Taipol™ SBR 1500, 1700
TSRC, Marubeni Corp, and Nantong
Petro-Chemical Corp.), Nantong, Jiangsu
Province
Sinopec Baling Petrochemical Co. Ltd, (32 – closed in Converted to
Yueyang, Hunan Province 2014) s-SBR and TPEs
Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical Co., Ltd, Zibo, 250 (2009) Zeon Qilu™ 1500, 1502, 1712
Shandong Province
Sinopec Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical 60 Zeon SBR 1500, 1700
Co. Ltd, Shanghai
Tianjin Lugang Petrochemical Rubber Co., 100 (2011) SBR 1500, 1700
Tianjin, Dagang Province
YPC-GPRO (Nanjing) Rubber Co., Ltd 100 (2007) YANGZI™ SBR 1500,
(SCs: Sinopec, Yangzi Petrochemical Co., 1502, 1712
and Jiangsu GPRO Group), Nanjing,
Jiangsu Province
Korea 675 80
Kumho Petrochemical Co. Ltd, Ulsan 480 (2007) 80 Kosyn™ SBR 1500, 1700
Hyundai Petrochemical, Daesan 60 Goodyear Seetec™ SBR 1500, 1700
LG Chemical, Daesan 135 SBR 1500, 1700
Thailand, BST Elastomers, Mab Ta Phut 70 (2013) JSR BSTE SBR 1500, 1700
Taiwan, Taiwan Synthetic Rubber Corp., 100 (1997) TSRC Taipol™ SBR 1500, 1700
Kaosun
Japan 385
Japan Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd (JSR), 255 (1960) JSR JSR SBR 1500, 1700
Yokkaichi
Mitsubishi Kasei, Yokkaichi 45 (65a) (1972) Mitsubishi Mitsui SBR
Zeon Chemicals LP
Tokuyama 60 (190a), Zeon Nipol™ SBR
Kawasaki 10 (30a)
Sumitomo Chemical, Chiba 15 (50a) (1970) Sumitomo Sumitomo SBR
Asia/Oceania 2900 180
Iran

© 2015 Smithers Information Ltd. T/39

Table 3. Cont'd...
Region, country, manufacturer, site of unit Capacity (thousand t/year) (year of Technology, Trade name
start-up) company
As of 2014 Planned
(year of closure)
National Iranian Petrochemical Company 30 (2014) SBR 1500, 1700
(Takht-e Jamshid Petrochemical Industries
Co.), Mahshahr
Bandar Imam Petrochemical Co., Ltd (BIPC) 50 Mitsui Poliran™ SBR 1500, 1700
South Africa, Karbochem (Pty) Ltd, 35 Goodyear Afpol™ SBR 1500, 1700
Sasolburg
Middle East/Africa 85 30
Total worldwide 4966 210
a
Multipurpose plant for production of different types of rubber.
b
According to data of the Sintezkauchuk Association.

Table 4. The s-SBR capacities by world regions and manufacturers [9, 16, 18, 19, 21, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 41,
45–57]
Region, country, manufacturer, site of unit Capacity (thousand t/year) Technology, Trade name
(start-up year) company
In operation Planned
2014
USA 490
American Synthetic Rubber Co. (Michelin), Louisville, 200 Firestone ASR SBR
Kentucky
Firestone Polymers LLC, Lake Charles, Louisiana 130 (180a) Firestone Duradene™
Goodyear Chemical Co., Beaumont, Texas 135 a
Goodyear Solflex™
Lanxess AG, Orange, Texas 25 (75a) Lanxess Buna™ VSL, SL, BL
North America 490

Brazil Lanxess
Petroflex, Cabo 20 (130a) Buna™ SL
Triunfo 110 (2015) Buna™ VSL, SL, BL
Mexico, Dynasol Elastomers SA, Altamira 110a Philips, Dynasol Solprene™ S
Latin America 130 110

United Kingdom, Versalis SpA (EniChem) (Grangemouth) 30 (85a) 30 (2014) EniChem SOL R
Germany, Trinseo (Styron LLC) (Schkopau) 160 (2002) 50 (2015) Dow, JSR Sprintan® SLR
Spain, Dynasol Elastomers SA, Santander 120a Philips, Dynasol Solprene™ S
Italy, Versalis SpA, Ravenna 30 30 (2015– Philips, EniChem Europene™
2016)
France 120
Lanxess AG, La Wantzenau 40 Lanxess Buna VSL
Michelin, Bassan 80 Michelin
Western Europe 460 110

Armenia, Yerevan, Nairit (SCs: OAO NK Rosneft’ and + SSBR

Pirelli & C. SpA)
Hungary (SCs: MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Public 60 (2017) JSR SSBR
Limited Company/JSR Corp. 49/51, Tiszaújváros)
Poland, Synthos Dwory SA, Krakow 90 (2015) Goodyear SSBR
Russia 90 110
OAO Nizhnekamskneftekhim 50a 50 DSSK 2012

T/40 International Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 42, No. 10, 2015
Table 4. Cont'd...
Region, country, manufacturer, site of unit Capacity (thousand t/year) Technology, Trade name
(start-up year) company
In operation Planned
2014
OAO Voronezhsintezkauchuk (Sibur Holding PJSC) 40 60 DSSK 2542-M27,
2560-M27
ZAO Vostochnaya neftekhimicheskaya kompaniya (part + SSBR
of OAO NK Rosneft’), Nakhodka
Eastern Europe 90 260

China 410
Sinopec Beijing Yanha Petrochemical Co., Ltd, Beijing 80 Sinopec SSBR
Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical Co., Ltd, Maoming 30 (50a) Philips SSBR
Sinopec Gaoqiao Petrochemical Co. Ltd, Shanghai 100a Asahi SSBR
Industrial Park, Caojing
Liaoning North Dynasol Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd, 100 (2014) Dynasol Calprene™,
Pandjin, Liaoning Province Solprene™ S
Shandong Huamao New Materials Co. Ltd, Dongying, 100 (2012) Chinab SSBR
Shandong Province
Korea 144 60
Kumho Petrochemical Co. Ltd, Ulsan 84 60 (2014) Kumho Kumho SOL
LG Chem, Daesan 60 (2013) SSBR
Singapore 130 90
Asahi Kasei Co., Ltd, Jurong 50 (2013) 50 (2015) Asahi SSBR
Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd 40 (2014) Sumitomo SSBR/BR
Zeon Corp. 40a (2013) 40 (2015– Zeon SSBR
2016)
Thailand, JSR BST Elastomer Co., Ltd, Bangkok 50 (2013) 50 JSR SSBR
Taiwan 40
Taiwan Synthetic Rubber Corp., Kaosun 30 TSRC Taipol™ SBR
Chi Mei Industry 10 Chi Mei Kibipol™ S SBR
Japan 323 20
Asahi Kasei Chemicals
Oita 52 (1972) 10 (2014) Philips Asaprene™
Kawasaki 84 (1964) 10 (2014) Firestone Tafden™
Japan Elastomer Co. (Asahi/Showa Denko 75/25), 62 Philips Asaprene™,
Oita Tafden™
Japan Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd, Yokkaichi 70 JSR JSR SL
Zeon Chemical LP, Tokuyama 55 (78 ) a
Zeon Nipol NS
Asia/Oceania 920 250

Saudi Arabia (SCs: Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic) 100a SSBR/BR
and ExxonMobil Chemical Co. 50/50)
South Africa, Karbochem Pty (Ltd), Sasolburg 18 (36a) Goodyear Afsol™
Middle East/Africa 18 100

Total worldwide 2285 750

a
Multipurpose plant for the production of different types of rubber.
b
Baili Engineering Science & Technology Co., Ltd

© 2015 Smithers Information Ltd. T/41

18, 19, 21, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 41, 45–57].
In connection with the continuing growth in demand
for s-SBR in the production of eco-tyres, by 2018,
capacities for its production will increase by 750 000
t/year to 3 000 000 t/year, and at the same time the
capacities for e-SBR will increase by 210 000 t/year to
5 200 000 t/year. Accordingly, the proportion of s-SBR
by 2018 will increase by up to ~37%, as opposed to
31% in 2014.
The Asia-Pacific region (APR) is the most dynamically
developing region, in which over 55% of world capacities
for SBR production are concentrated. The volume of the
APR market in 2013 amounted to $US 6.4 billion, and
with a forecast annual increase in demand of 4.5%, in
2018 it will reach $US 8 billion [1, 7, 8].
The main SBR producers in this region are China,
Japan, South Korea, and India, which in 2013
commissioned two e-SBR plants with a total capacity
of 250 000 t/year. These countries account for about
90% of the capacities in this region.
Owing to the growing demand in the tyre, mechanical
rubber goods (MRG), building, and footwear industries,
China has become the largest producer and consumer of
SBR in the world. The SBR production capacities in China
in the past decade have increased more than fourfold
– from 345 000 t/year in 2002 to 1 750 000  /year
in 2014. Ten companies are producing e-SBR (the total
capacity of plants is 1 340 000 t/year), and five are
producing s-SBR (410 000 t/year). The s-SBR capacities
amount to 23% of the total SBR capacity.
The two largest petrochemical companies – China
Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and China
National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC, PetroChina)
account for 75% of SBR production capacities in China
(42 and 23% respectively).
e-SBR production plants in China are operating at
60–65% capacity (in 2013 – 51.7%) as they are limited
by the volume of supplies to the tyre industry on account
of competition from s-SBR. In the future, a similar situation
of closure and conversion of e-SBR production to s-SBR is
quite possible, as has occurred in Europe and America.
This is borne out by the conversion by Sinopec Baling
Petrochemical of its e-SBR plant to the production of
s-SBR and TPEs [30].
In May 2014, Liaoning North Dynasol Synthetic
Rubber Co., Ltd (supplier company (SC) Dynasol, a joint
venture of Repsol, Spain and the Kuo Group, Mexico)
and Shanxi Northern Xing’an Chemical Industry (50/50)
started up an s-SBR plant with a capacity of 100 000 t/
year in Liaoning Province. The rubber will be produced
using technology developed by Dynasol under the trade
names Solprene™ and Calprene™S [47].
No construction of new SBR plants in China before
2018 has been reported.
T/42
The second largest producer of SBR in the APR is
South Korea, with an SBR production capacity at a
level of 820 000 t/year. The main producers – Kumho
Petrochemical Co. Ltd and LG Chemical Co. Ltd – are
producing e- and s-SBR.
The SBR production capacities in Japan amount
to 708 000 t/year. No significant expansion of
production capacities in Japan is planned (20 000 t/
year), but Japanese companies are investing capital
in the expansion and building of new s-SBR plants in
Singapore on the island of Jurong:
Asahi Kesei Chemicals – the first phase with a capacity
of 50 000 t/year was commissioned in 2013, and the
second phase of similar capacity will be built in 2015;
Sumitomo Chemical Group – a unit of 40 000 t/
year capacity; investments amounted to $US 120 million
(10 billion yen), started up in 2014;
Zeon Chemical LP – a multipurpose plant for s-SBR
and PB production with a total capacity of 70 000 t/
year. The first phase of 30 000–40 000 t/year capacity
was commissioned in 2013, and the second phase of
the same capacity is planned for 2015.
After the building of all planned units in 2015, the
s-SBR capacities in Singapore will amount to 220 000 t/
year [40, 41, 54].
In December 2013, in India, Indian Synthetic Rubber
Ltd (ISRL) put into service its first e-SBR production plant
of 120 000 t/year capacity. ISRL is a joint venture of the
Indian Oil Corp., the Taiwanese company TSR Corp.,
and the Japanese company Marubeni Corp. (50:30:20).
Investments in the project amounted to $US 185 million.
TSR has supplied the technology and researched the SBR
market, and Indian Oil has provided the raw materials
for rubber production.
ISRL is planning to increase the capacities of the plant
by 100 000 t/year in 2016 [27, 38].
Another Indian company, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL),
commissioned a new e-SBR plant in Hazira, Gujarat,
with a capacity of 150 000 t/year in the third quarter
of 2014. The rubber is produced by technology of the
Italian company Versalis under the trade name Relflex™
Stylamer SBR of series 1500 and 1700 [26].
In the near future, in India, a considerable growth in
production in the automobile industry is anticipated, and
therefore the consumption of SBR will increase annually
by 10%. In previous years, India has imported over
200 000 t of SBR; the new enterprises will meet entirely
the domestic demand for this product.
The North America region is represented only by the
United States (the Bayer plant in Canada was closed down
at the start of the twenty-first century). Three companies
are producing e-SBR – Goodyear Chemical Co., Ashland
Inc., and East-West Copolymer. The total capacity of the
plants is 620 000 t/year. Plants for producing e-SBR
International Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 42, No. 10, 2015
were constructed at the start of the 1940s.
s-SBR is being produced by four companies –
American Synthetic Rubber Co. (owned by Michelin),
Firestone Polymers LLC, Goodyear Chemical Co., and
Lanxess AG (multipurpose plant, only PB was produced
in 2012). The total capacity is 490 000 t/year.
ASRC is the last company in the United States to use
toluene as a solvent. The company is planning to replace
it with cyclohexane or methylcyclohexane, but precisely
when has not been announced [45].
In Latin America, Petroflex (Brazil) (in 2008, Lanxess
acquired 70% shares of the company) is the largest
producer in the region, its two plants having a total
capacity of 300 000 t/year. According to the results of
a technical and economic survey, Lanxess has decided
to convert e-SBR production in Triunfo with a capacity of
110 000 t/year to s-SBR production of the same capacity.
Investments in reconstruction will amount to €80 million,
and start-up is planned for 2015 [12].
Other e-SBR producers include Industries Negromex
SA (INSA) (Mexico) – plant capacity 150 000 t/year,
producing rubber by their own technology [15], and
Petrobras Argentina SA, Argentina – plant capacity
60 000 t/year [13].
s-SBR is being produced by the Spanish company
Dynasol Elastomers SA in Altamir, Mexico – plant capacity
110 000 t/year (depending on demand, besides s-SBR,
styrene butadiene TPEs or PB are produced), and by
Petroflex, Brazil (at a multipurpose plant in Cabo) –
capacity of s-SBR production 20 000 t/year.
The SBR production capacity of plants in Western
Europe amounts to 773 000 t/year: 313 000 t of e-SBR
per year, 460 000 t of s-SBR per year.
Western Europe is the only region in the world where
the proportion of s-SBR in the total SBR capacities amounts
to 60%. By 2018, s-SBR capacities in the region will
increase by 110 000 t/year.
Thus, the company Versalis (ENI) is doubling the
capacities of its two plants producing s-SBR in the United
Kingdom and Italy. Investments in expanding the plants
will amount to €200 million ($US 240 million) [16, 17].
Trinseo (Styron LLC) is planning to commission a fourth
line for s-SBR production in Schkopau, Germany, with a
capacity of 50 000 t/year in 2015 (in 2012, the company
put into service a third line of the same capacity, with
investments of $US 125 million). At present, in Schkopau,
eight lines are producing all types of rubber, with a total
capacity of 350 000 t/year [18, 19].
In the Eastern Europe region, the producers of SBR
are Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Serbia. The
total capacity of plants with respect to e-SBR amounts to
733 000 t/year, and with respect to s-SBR to 90 000
t/year. By 2018, considerable expansion of s-SBR
capacities is planned – by 260 000 t/year.
© 2015 Smithers Information Ltd.
Russia is the largest SBR producer in the region.
e-SBR is being produced by four companies: OAO
Voronezhsintezkauchuk, OAO Omskii kauchuk, OOO
Tol’yattikauchuk, and OAO Sterlitamakskii NKhZ. The
total capacity of plants is 473 000 t/year. s-SBR is being
produced by two companies (OAO Nizhnekamskneftekhim
and OAO Voronezhsintezkauchuk), with a capacity
of 90 000 t/year. Increase in s-SBR capacities by
110 000 t/year is planned.
In Russia, the possibility of building a new s-SBR
plant is being considered by ZAO Vostochnaya
neftekhimicheskaya kompaniya (OAO NK Rosneft’)
together with Pirelli & C. SpA in Nakhodka [52].
In Armenia, in December 2013, Rosneft’, Pirelli Tire
Armenia, and Rosneft’-Armenia signed a memorandum
on the creation of a supply company (SC) based on the
Nairit plant for the production of s-SBR [49].
The Polish company Synthos Dwory SA has two plants
producing e-SBR in Poland and the Czech Republic with
a total capacity of 220 000 t/year. The company is
building its own first plant for the production of s-SBR with
a capacity of 100 000 t/year, not far from Krakow. The
cost of the project is €135 million, the plant will come
on stream in 2015, and the rubber will be produced
by Goodyear technology.
s-SBR will be used for the production of high-quality
“green” summer and winter tyres, the demand for which
in Europe will in the next few years grow more rapidly
than the demand worldwide, which is due to the policy
of the EU aimed at reducing energy consumption and
cutting carbon dioxide emissions [21].
In Hungary, the Japanese company JSR and the
Hungarian petrochemical company MOL Group have
set up a supply company for the construction of an s-SBR
plant to meet the growing demand from the European
tyre industry.
The plant, which will be built on land belonging to
MOL, in Tiszaújváros in eastern Hungary, should be
commissioned in 2017, and its planned capacity will
amount to 60 000 t/year. The precise scheduled volumes
of investments and the anticipated profit are not available.
A new supply company, 51% of which belongs to
JSR, should provide partners with access to Western
Europe, where the concentration of tyre enterprises is
high, and also to Central and Eastern Europe, Russia,
and Turkey, where tyre companies are now actively
increasing their capacities.
MOL will be responsible for the infrastructure of
the new enterprise, while JSR will supply their s-SBR
production technology and provide market access. MOL
is also bound through its daughter company TVK to
construct and commission in 2015 a butadiene extraction
complex of 130 000 t/year capacity, sited close to the
s-SBR plant [28, 50].
T/43
 The capacities for SBR production in Africa and the 24. http://www.snhz.ru
Middle East amount to just over 1% of the capacities 25. http://www.hip-petrochemijia.com
worldwide. Their are plants in Iran and South Africa.
26. http://www.reliance.com
The construction of a multipurpose plant for s-SBR and
PB production is planned in Saudi Arabia [42–44, 27. http://www.isri.co.in
56, 57]. 28. http://www.jsr.co.jp
29. http://www.cnpc.com
30. http://www.sinopec.com
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3. http://www.iisrp.com 34. http://www.kkpc.co.kr/eng/
4. http://www.iisrp.com 35. http://www.seetec.com
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12. http://www.lanxess.com 48. http://www.michelin.com
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14. http://www.nitriflex.com.br 50. http://www.mol.hu/en
15. http://www.insa.com 51. http://www.nknc.ru
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19. http://www.styron.com 55. http://www.chimeicorp.com
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22. http://www.sibur.ru
23. http://www.titan.omsk.ru Received 17.09.2014

T/44 International Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 42, No. 10, 2015