Asahi Kasei Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.asahi-kasei.co.jp) has decided to increase the production capacity of its plant in Singapore for solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (S-SBR) in response for rapid growth in demand for tires that provide enhanced fuel-efficiency as tire production in emerging countries grows in line with greater motorization and as environmental regulations around the world become increasingly stringent.
Asahi Kasei has positioned S-SBR operations as a key strategic business for global development with an emphasis on expansion in automotive applications. Asahi Kasei currently has S-SBR plants in Japan (Kanagawa and Oita prefectures) and Singapore. The Singapore plant began operation in 2013 and produces the latest high-performance grades. To meet further demand growth and satisfy customer needs, the company decided to reinforce its supply capability by expanding both of the S-SBR lines in Singapore by a combined 30,000 metric tons/year (m.t./yr), raising total capacity in Singapore to 130,000 m.t./yr. Startup of the expanded operations is expected to occur in 2019.