◎ Hao Zhangcheng

On October 30, 2019, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) amended and released the Catalogue for Guiding Industry Restructuring (2019 version), which will take effect from January 1, 2020.

Thereinto, there are 16 items related to rubber, and tire intelligent manufacturing technology and equipment are included in the catalogue for the first time as encouraged category. In addition, rubber-tire rail transit technology and equipment are also included in the catalogue for the first time. Production capacity standards for BIIR, SSBR and NdBR have been increased from 30,000 tons per year of the last version to 50,000 tons.

The Catalogue clearly encourages the technology and application of waste rubber recycling, and encourages the construction of regional waste tire recycling bases; restricts the reclaimed rubber production equipment except for the technic of “normal pressure continuous desulfurization”; and completely eliminates the indigenous methods of oil refining from waste tires and waste plastics. 

Items on Rubber in Catalogue for Guiding Industry Restructuring (2019 version)

Category 1 Encouraged Category

I. Agriculture and Forestry

22. Planting and production of natural rubber and Eucommia.

XI. Petrochemical Industry

11. Development and production of BIIR, SSBR, NdBR and ACM above 50,000 tons/year, and styrene butadiene latex and isoprene latex with solid content greater than 60%, development and application of chemical modified technique for synthetic rubber, development and production of thermoplastic elastomer materials such as PTPE, TPEE, SEPS, TPV, organosilicone-modified thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers, etc.

15. Production of high-performance radial tires, including tubeless TBR tires, giant OTR tires (49 inches or more), low profile and flatness (less than 55 series), and intelligent manufacturing technologies and equipment, aircraft tires, agricultural radial tires, and specialized supporting materials and equipment, development and application of new natural rubber.

XIV. Machinery

28. Large-scale wind power generation seals (with a service life of more than seven years, working temperature - 45°C ~ 100°C); car powertrain system and transmission system rotary seals.

XV. Urban Rail Transit Equipment

1. Application of urban rail transit vibration reduction and noise reduction technology.

10. Rubber-tire rail transit technology and equipment.

XXI. Architecture

1. R&D and promotion of building seismic isolation and absorption structure system and products.

XLIII. Environmental Protection and Resource Conservation & Comprehensive Utilization

5. Construction of regional recycling base for waste rubber and other resources.

27. Development and application of waste rubber and other resources recycling technology and equipment.

Category 2 Restricted Category

IV. Petrochemical Industry

3. Newly-built production units for general synthetic latex-carboxy styrene-butadiene rubber (containing sty-rene-butadiene latex) under 30,000 tons/year, newly-built, rebuilt and expanded production units for solvent-type gen-eral rubber adhesive among types of CR, styrene-butadiene thermoplastic rubber, PU and PEA.

5. Newly-built production units for white carbon black (except gas phase method).

13. Newly-built production units for bias tires and cycle tires (including trolley tires), nylon cords, steel cords below 30,000 tons/year, recycled rubber (except normal pressure continuous desulfurization technic), rubber peptizer pentachlorothiophenol, and rubber accelerator TMTD.

Category 3 Obsolete Category

I. Obsolete Production Process and Equipment

(IV). Petrochemical Industry

1. Indigenous methods of oil refining from waste rubber and waste plastics.

5. Ordinary grade white carbon black with single-line production capacity less than 15,000 tons/year.

9. Production units for bias tires less than 500,000/year, tires using natural cotton cord fabrics as frame, dry granulated carbon black less than 15,000 ton/year (except special carbon black and semi-reinforced carbon black), natural rubber latex condom less than 300 million pieces/year, rubber vulcanization accelerator NOBS and antioxidant D.

I. Obsolete Products

(II). Petrochemical Industry

7. Bicycle tires with soft-edged structure, ordinary conveyor belt with cotton cord as frame material and ordinary V-belt with nylon cord as frame material, hand-engraved vulcanization mold for tires, bicycle tires and motorcycle tires.