India to Rely More on Synthetic Rubber: Lanxess

Tire Review reports that specialty chemicals firm Lanxess predicts an increase in demand for synthetic rubber in India, a country the company said has a long history in the production and consumption of natural rubber. “Driven by the needs of rapid modernisation, India is currently undergoing a shift toward replacing natural with synthetic rubber in a variety of applications,” the company said.

One of the growth drivers for high performance rubber in India is the automotive industry. Triggered by a burgeoning middle class, demand for passenger cars and two-wheelers is rising. The automotive industry is expected to grow by about 12-14 per cent in 2010-2012. In addition, the government has an ambitious project of expanding and strengthening the highway infrastructure of India by an estimated growth rate of 8-9 per cent, according to Lanxess.

The company manufactures a wide range of rubber chemicals, high-performance rubber and technical rubber products to cater to these demands. Lanxess operates plants in Jhagadia in the state of Gujarat and, through its subsidiary Rhein Chemie, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The company also is constructing a state-of-the-art butyl rubber plant in Jurong Island, Singapore, which is scheduled to start operations in the first quarter 2013 and will have an annual capacity of 100,000 metric tons.

“With these investments in the Indian and Asian markets and the array of rubber and related products offered,“ Lanxess said it is geared to participate in India’s growth.