EniChem to boost SBR, EPDM output

MILAN, Italy (Feb. 24)—Synthetic rubber producer EniChem S.p.A. will invest $50 million in the coming 18 months to increase capacity for solution-SBR and EPDM at plants in Europe. EniChem will boost capacity for S-SBR an undisclosed amount to 30,000 metric tons annually at its Grangemouth, England, plant by mid-2001 to keep pace with rising demand for the specialty rubber used in low rolling resistance "green" tires, the company said. In Italy, EniChem will add 20,000 tons of annual capacity for EPM copolymers and EPDM terpolymers by year-end 2001. The project represents a 23.5-percent increase over the existing 85,000 ton capacity.