Styron Europe GmbH (Horgen, Switzerland; www.styron.com), a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber, has announced that it will be doubling its Solution Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SSBR) production capacity, after reaching an agreement with material supplier JSR, to acquire its current production capacity rights at Styron’s rubber production hub in Schkopau, Germany. SSBR is used in producing high performance tires and green tires with lower rolling resistance.
Styron’s Schkopau site currently hosts eight rubber-production trains that supply tire customers around the world. Prior to this agreement, JSR held the capacity rights to 50% of one of Styron’s three SSBR production trains in Schkopau. As a result, beginning April 1, 2014, Styron will have full capacity rights to this train, enabling it to increase its capabilities to serve the global tire market.