DUESSELDORF, Germany—Trinseo is considering adding new production capacity for its functionalized SSBR (solution styrene butadiene rubber) in Asia and Europe, according to Hayati Yarkadas, senior vice president and business president performance materials.
“Our customers want us to be present with SSBR capacity in Asia. We are looking very closely at what we are going to do, so hopefully will have some news about that soon,” Yarkadas said at the K2016 plastics and rubber trade fair.
The senior executive went on to say that Trinseo's customers – among them the top 5-10 tire makers in the three main global regions – also want the SSBR producer to expand capacity in Europe.
“All I can say is that we will continue to invest in SSBR, Stay tuned,” said Yarkadas, adding that the company's advanced functionalized SSBR has been “sold out for the last two years.”
Trinseo's functionalized SSBR materials, he said, are being supplied into performance tire markets, where demand is growing at 8-10 percent a year.
The tight supply situation was part of the rationale behind Trinseo's recent decision to build a pilot SSBR plant at its site in Schkopau, Germany.
As well as speeding up development work and lead times, the pilot facility will “not interfere with the capacity of our commercial lines,” Yarkadas explained.