JAMNAGAR, India—Reliance Sibur Elastomers Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between Reliance Industries Ltd. of India and Russian petrochemical firm Sibur, has begun construction of a $450 million butyl rubber plant in Jamnagar.
When commissioned in 2015, the plant will be India's only manufacturer of butyl rubber and the joint venture will be among the world's top five producers of the synthetic rubber, Reliance said. The plant will have a rated annual capacity of 100,000 metric tons.
The factory will use Sibur's proprietary technology and monomers supplied by Reliance Industries. Butyl rubber offers heightened air impermeability properties vs. other elastomers and is used in tire innnerliners and inner tubes.
Reliance and Sibur formed the venture in February 2012. Reliance owns 74.9 percent and Sibur 25.1 percent of Reliance Elastomers.