Zeon on track with hydrogenated nitrile rubber expansion in US

Nuremberg, Germany - Zeon Corp. has confirmed the schedule of a previously announced plan to expand its manufacturing facility in Pasadena, Texas to increase production capacity for hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR). 

In a release issue for the DKT 2024 expo, held 1-4 July in Nuremberg, Germany, the supplier said the 25% capacity expansion would come on stream in 2025.

The statement tallied with Zeon's original announcement of the expansion project in 2022, when it said it expected demand for HNBR-based cathode binders to increase due to growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

Zeon manufactures Zetpol-branded HNBR at production plants in Pasadena, and Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, Japan.

The Japanese group last expanded HNBR capacity at its Texas plant in 2020 and at the Takaoka facility in 2022.

The speciality rubber is used in a variety of demanding application in oil & gas, automotive, and industrial applications.

The rubber is claimed to deliver a performance upgrade compared to traditional NBR rubber, providing improved heat and oil resistance and toughness.

It is also “a cost-effective option” for applications utilising fluorinated rubber, such as FKM, Zeon added.

According to Zeon, Zetpol rubber has been used for cathode binders in lithium-ion (Li-Ion; LIB) batteries since 2011.