Sumitomo Rubber takes the stink out of natural rubber

Anyone who’s spent time in a garage or tyre shop knows that the smell of rubber is an acquired love. And there’s good news for those who never acquire this love – Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. has, after identifying the factors that cause natural rubber to emit an odour, developed ‘Reduced Odor Natural Rubber,’ a new type of natural rubber that emits significantly less odour.

Thanks to the introduction of a proprietary raw material processing technique at the Sumitomo Rubber Group’s natural rubber processing plant in Thailand, the company’s newly-developed Reduced Odor Natural Rubber achieves a significant reduction in odour by suppressing the breakdown of odour-causing non-rubber components, such as proteins and lipids, that are found within natural rubber in its raw material state.

“We believe that the establishment of this new technique represents a major step toward solving longstanding odor issues not just at natural rubber processing plants, but also at tyre factories and other sites where natural rubber is handled,” shares Sumitomo Rubber in a statement.