ExxonMobil (Houston, Tex.; www.exxonmobil.com) announced today plans to expand its specialty elastomers plant in Newport, Wales. The company said the project, expected to be completed in late 2017, will result in a 25-percent increase in its global capacity to manufacture Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), high-performance elastomers used for automotive, industrial and consumer applications.
Santoprene elastomers perform like vulcanized rubber and process like plastic for applications in diverse markets. Like plastic, Santoprene TPV can be extruded, molded or thermoformed easily and economically into a variety of shapes. Like rubber, it is resilient, flexible and resistant to heat, fluids and chemicals. Santoprene elastomers provide manufacturing flexibility, ease of processing and consistent product durability. ExxonMobil’s Vistalon synthetic rubber is a critical raw material in Santoprene TPV.
Manufacturers using Santoprene TPV can reprocess scrap materials and overruns, which yields an environmental benefit through reduced energy use and waste. Santoprene elastomers have been successfully used for decades in a wide range of applications from health care devices to a variety of automotive components, including weather seals. The lower density of Santoprene TPVs, compared to thermoset rubber and other thermoplastic elastomers, contributes to reduced part weight.
ExxonMobil’s specialty plants in Newport, Wales and Pensacola, Fla., supply Santoprene TPV to customers around the world. Vistalon rubber raw material is produced at ExxonMobil plants in Baton Rouge, La., and Notre Dame de Gravenchon, France.