Written on 27.09.2011 - Industry
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Lanxess strengthens EPDM business

Lanxess announced that it will invest EUR 12 million to convert 50 % of its EPDM production in Geleen, the Netherlands, to the Keltan ACE technology. During 2013, the company will implement the new technology at the largest of its three production lines, which accounts for half of the total production capacity of 160,000 metric tons per year in Geleen. In May 2011 Lanxess acquired the EPDM rubber business of Royal DSM N.V.

In addition, Lanxess will set up new headquarters in Geleen for its global EPDM business. The building for up to 120 employees will be constructed on the chemical industrial site Chemelot. The contracts with the Chemelot Campus Consortium were signed today. Construction will start in the spring of 2012, and inauguration is planned for the beginning of 2013.

“The sustainable Keltan ACE technology, our new and highly modern headquarters for our EPDM business and the highly innovative environment of the Chemelot Campus will help us on our course of expansion,” said Axel C. Heitmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Lanxess. “The planned measures will make the Geleen site a true center of innovation within the global Lanxess network.”

Guenther Weymans, Lanxess Country Head for the Netherlands and Head of the Technical Rubber Products business unit, adds: “The integration process of the new EPDM business into Lanxess is running smoothly and is already contributing very positively to group earnings.“

Compared with conventional production processes, Keltan ACE technology reduces energy requirements for rubber production and it does not require catalyst extraction as a result of high catalyst efficiency. Furthermore, the process enables the manufacture of new EPDM rubber grades.

Only a few days ago, Lanxess announced that it plans to commercially produce EPDM from bio-based ethylene by the end of the year at its Brasilian site in Triunfo. It will be the first form of bio-based EPDM rubber in the world and will be sold under the brand name Keltan Eco.

Lanxess has also its own EDPM brand, Buna EP, but announced that in the future it will market its complete EDPM range under the brand name Keltan.