Arlanxeo links with 'liquid rubber' makers in China

Shanghai, China – Arlanxeo has partnered with 'liquid rubber' technology specialists Ecombine Advanced Materials and EVE Rubber Institute in China.

The Chinese partners are respectively a subsidiary and an affiliate of tire & rubber machinery and systems manufacturer Mesnac. 

Based in China, the strategic link-ups via Arlanxeo High Performance Elastomer (Changzhou) Co. are intended to establish new tire applications for 'liquid rubber' materials.

According to a 27 March announcement from Ecombine, the goal is to "strengthen innovation" in liquid-phase mixing of polymers including 'BIIR, SSBR, EPDM and CR.'

Cooperation with Arlanxeo, it added, will “broaden the application of liquid-phase mixing technology and boost... green transformation of the rubber & tire industry.”

Manufactured by liquid-phase mixing, Ecombine's Evec-branded rubber material 'can be directly used in chemical mixing processes and enable tire makers to avoid multi-stage mixing.'

Moreover, the 'liquid rubber' is claimed to simultaneously improve the rolling resistance, wet braking, and wear resistance of tires.

A tire incorporating Evec, called EcoPoint3, made its world debut in China in December 2021, at the Qingdao innovation product conference.

According to Ecombine, the technology has ‘reached or exceeded’ the performance level of international tier 1 tire brands.

Ecombine added that the product delivered energy-saving and emissions-reduction benefits during production and throughout the life cycle of the tire.

Ecombine broke ground on a 300 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) 'liquid rubber' production facility in Qingdao in 2020, with start-up scheduled for this year.

In its 2022 annual report, China-based machinery and systems supplier Mesnac said it had started test runs of a 60ktpa production line at the plant in June last year.

According to Mesnac, the innovative 'liqiud gold' material is, so far, mainly being sold to Sailun for the production of high-performance tires.

The Qingdao operation is expected to sell Yuan10 billion (€1.2 billion) worth of 'liquid rubber' material annually when fully on-stream.