“Tire rubbers from LANXESS keep you rolling” – tire manufacturing accounts for by far the largest proportion of LANXESS’s butyl rubber production. Butyl rubber is used for tire tubes and the inner liners of tubeless tires. It ensures that air does not escape from tires and stops the moisture in the air damaging the steel cord inside the tires.

Overall, the global tire market is growing and LANXESS is expecting an annual rate of around three percent. North America, Western Europe, Japan and China are currently on a par, although the strongest growth is now being recorded on the Chinese market. With an annual increase of over five percent, China’s tire market is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. Only India comes close to matching China’s growth figures, but it is starting from a much lower level.

The construction of a high-tech butyl rubber facility in Singapore puts LANXESS in an ideal position to satisfy the growing demand for rubber in Asia. This undertaking will further strengthen customer relations at the specialty chemicals group, especially in Asia. The new facility will make an important contribution to LANXESS’s continued success.