LANXESS: Pelletizing plant for EPDM rubber goes on line in Marl

Specialty chemicals group LANXESS AG (www.lanxess.com) launched operation of a pelletizing plant for EPDM rubber in late September at its Marl location. For the first time, the company can now additionally manufacture this rubber grade in the form of pellets, two to three millimeters in size, in its own facility and market them on a commercial scale. Several million euros were invested in the plant, which has a capacity of three to five metric tons per hour.

Pellets are an important addition to the 25 kilogram compressed bales that have been the standard form of supply until now. They open up access to new market opportunities, such as in the cable industry or for thermoplastic olefins (TPO), made of a blend of plastics and rubber. TPOs are characterized by very high impact strength, an advantage that makes them ideal for manufacturing automotive bumpers or transport containers.

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The form of supply requested by a customer depends on his handling and processing methods. In contrast to bales, which the user must first pre-process, pellets are very easy to meter and can be more readily blended with other ingredients.

However, only highly crystalline rubber grades are suitable for pelletizing. They will be available in bale or pellet form from LANXESS starting in the fourth quarter of 2008.

LANXESS AG, Leverkusen, Germany