Shanghai, December 13, 2016 – ARLANXEO, a global leader in synthetic elastomers, is participating in RubberTech China 2016, held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from December 1 to 3, 2016. This is the first time ARLANXEO is participating in the exhibition, and the company will debut its comprehensive portfolio of synthetic rubber products from its High Performance Elastomers (HPE) business unit, including the front-running Keltan® EPDM product range.

“For a new synthetic rubber leader in the global market, RubberTech is an ideal platform for ARLANXEO to strengthen customer relationships, as well as to showcase ARLANXEO as a key player in the Chinese market. By showing our commitment in the region with our Keltan® EPDM plant in Changzhou, we are well-placed to deliver high performance synthetic rubber to our customers in China and the wider Asia Pacific region,” said Hans Werhonig, Head of Marketing and Sales for the HPE business unit.

Commitment to China and Asia Pacific

“At ARLANXEO we serve a wide range of industries, each with its own specific demands in terms of performance, aesthetics, durability and environmental impact. As the country’s synthetic rubber consumption increases, the Chinese market is of key importance for us,” said Juergen Guenther, Head of Global Sales for the HPE business unit.

With its world-class EPDM plant in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province and engineered by its proprietary Keltan® ACE technology, ARLANXEO is well-placed to support the growing demand in the region. The plant, which started up in 2015, has a nameplate capacity of 160,000 metric tonnes per year and is currently producing ten different premium grades of EPDM rubber which have been successfully introduced to the market.

In particular, Keltan® EPDM elastomers are characterized by superior resistance against water, ozone, UV and weathering; good dynamic properties over a wide temperature range, as well as a high level of heat resistance; a high level of flexibility and durability; and excellent electrical properties. These make Keltan® EPDM ideal for many applications in industries spanning automotive, building & construction, plastics modification, consumer goods, cable & wire, and tubes. Keltan® EPDM has good processing and handling properties, and complies with global safety, health and environmental regulations.

Developments on HPE’s industry-leading portfolio

Besides its Keltan® range, ARLANXEO will also showcase the rest of its high performance rubber solutions at Rubber Tech. Amongst the latest developments is a new nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) grade to meet the requirements of high-end customers. Krynac® XL 3375 VP is a new pre-crosslinked NBR, specifically developed to deliver high quality products with no compromise on production efficiency. It is particularly suited for extruded and calendered parts requiring good dimensional stability, such as hoses inner parts, rubber linings, semi-finished products, belts. Other key processing benefits include good calendering behaviour, low shrinkage, smooth compound surface and higher compound green strength. Moreover, Krynac® XL 3375 VP delivers reduced nerviness on the mill.

 Other product highlights include Baypren ALX grades for adhesives. The Baypren ALX grades provide particularly low Mooney viscosities that are unprecedented on a production scale. The advantages of low viscosity lie in longer flow paths during injection molding and lower energy consumption during mixing and extrusion.

In addition, modern automotive engineering demands elastomers that can withstand high temperatures and aggressive substances and can meet the particular requirements of fuel-saving engine and car body designs. The demands in the oil exploration industry are just as high. Elastomers must weather aggressive environments, explosive decompression and high mechanical stresses.  Therban® LT grades, which are ideal for low-temperature applications is therefore the answer to these needs.

More of ARLANXEO’s leading rubber solutions can be found at its booth 4B341 at the RubberTech China 2016 from December 1 to 3, 2016 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

High Performance Elastomers

High Performance Elastomers (HPE), a business unit of the ARLANXEO group, offers its customers a broad portfolio of technical elastomers. As one of the leading suppliers of synthetic elastomers to the rubber-processing industry, HPE markets materials which have a wide range of industrial applications. For example, they are used as modifiers for plastic and adhesive raw materials, in gas and oil exploration and production, and in functional components for the automotive and cable industries.

About ARLANXEO

ARLANXEO is a world-leading synthetic rubber company with sales of around EUR 2.8 billion in 2015, about 3,800 employees and a presence at 20 production sites in nine countries. The company’s core business is the development, manufacturing and marketing of high-performance rubber for use in, for example, the automotive and tire industries, the construction industry, and the oil and gas industries. ARLANXEO was established in April 2016 as a joint venture of LANXESS and Saudi Aramco.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ARLANXEO management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.