Chinese supplier Cenway plans major butyl rubber expansion

Guangzhou, China – Chinese materials supplier Zhejiang Cenway New Materials Co. Ltd (Cenway) is planning to expand its production capacity for butyl rubber by 70 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa).

The project will be located in the China Chemical New Material (Jiaxing) Park in the Jiaxing Port Area, Zhejiang province, the environmental impact assessment filed 18 Dec 2024 shows.

By optimising and improving process technology at the facility, Cenway said it aims to add annual production capacity for 5kt of ordinary butyl rubber and 65ktpa of halogenated butyl rubber.

The upgrade includes adjusting the production operation input cycle, renovating equipment installed on the butyl and halogenation units, and adding new equipment.

Cenway will also introduce improvements to the drying post-processing production line, and upgrade/renovate the plant's public works, including environmental protection facilities.

On the completion of the project, the total production capacity of butyl rubber products at the plant will reach 120kt: 5kt of ordinary butyl rubber, 74.6ktpa of brominated butyl rubber, and 40.4ktpa of chlorobutyl rubber, the filing stated.

At the same time, it added, the production capacity of isobutylene products will reach 165ktpa, part of which will be used as butyl rubber raw materials and part to be sold externally.

Cenway also operates a butyl rubber production facilities at Panjin, with a capacity of 100ktpa, according to information on the Chinese company's website.

The same current source lists Cenway as operating a 100ktpa* butyl rubber plant in Zhejiang.

Cenway supplies butyl rubber materials for the manufacture of products including tires, medical stoppers, vibration dampers, sealing products, and chewing gum.

*ERJ is checking how this figure tallies with the details in the filing about the new expansion project.