HORGEN, Switzerland (June 11) — Dow Chemical Co. said it has begun construction of a solution styrene-butadiene rubber factory in Schkopau, Germany.
The company said the facility will have about 60,000 metric tons of production capacity of the synthetic rubber used in high performance tires and other technical rubber goods. The cost of the project and its eventual employment level wasn't disclosed.
The project will help the company meet customer demand well into the future, said Craig Arnold, global business director for synthetic rubber at Dow Chemical. The firm said SSBR is the fastest-growing segment of the rubber market, and consumption should increase at a rate of 5-6 percent during the next several years.
The facility will include a capacity rights agreement with JSR Corp. of Japan. Dow Chemical said it will own and operate the plant.