Guanlian starts up new rubber compounding plant

GUANGZHOU, China—Chinese rubber compounder Jiangsu Guanlian New Material Technology Co. Ltd. has started up a new 70,000-metric-ton compounding plant in Jiangmen City.

Commissioned two months ago at the Jiantao Industrial Park, the facility is being operated by subsidiary Guangdong Guanju New Material Technology, company officials informed European Rubber Journal.

The latest branch of Guanlian mixing group started full operation in May and "since then the team has been very busy with reception of customer visits and audits," the company reported July 8.

With the phase I start-up, the facility operates eight mixing lines covering intermix, Banbury and kneader, with sizes ranging from 55l, 135l, 190l ,200l to 430l, Guanlian said.

The unit can supply a "full portfolio of rubber compounds," supported by state-of-the-art automation, materials-preparation, mixing-control, mill-handling and packaging systems.

The Chinese company said it is looking to expand the work force, now comprising 110 employees, and that it is in the process of achieving TS16949 accreditation for the facility.

On May 20-21, the Guanju facility hosted a national rubber compounding seminar and plant tour, with over 200 representatives from customers, suppliers and the compounding industry. During the seminar, Guanlian was "authorized as 'excellent supplier' by the China rubber association," according to the company statement.

Based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Guanlian was established in 2007 and currently operates three plants China, including a headquarters facility in Taicang, with a production capacity of 220,000 tons

In 2017, the group opened its Sichuan Linshui facility near Chongqing, with two 150L kneader mixing lines, offering cured compound mixing and straining services to the automotive sector.

In late 2021, Guanlian started up a rubber compounding facility in Wuhan, central China, with two 190E and two 150L mixing lines. Two more 250E mixers came into operation there in 2022.

Guanlian lists its major customers as including: Trelleborg, Hutchinson, ContiTech, Toyoda Gosei, Continental Tires, Bridgestone, Zhongce Rubber, Cooper Tire and Sumitomo Rubber.