ARLANXEO, one of the world's largest synthetic rubber producers and a wholly owned subsidiary of leading energy and chemicals producer Saudi Aramco, and TSRC have inaugurated their newly relocated and expanded joint venture NBR (nitrile-butadiene rubber) plant in Nantong, Jiangsu Province.

Stephan van Santbrink, CEO of ARLANXEO; Joseph Chai, CEO of TSRC and Chaoyang Jiang, Chairman of the ARLANXEO-TSRC joint venture, addressed the inauguration event. Customers, JV firm officials and senior leadership from ARLANXEO and TSRC also attended the ceremony. With a planned capacity expansion to 40,000 tonnes annually, the new facility produces a wider range of high-quality NBR products to meet China's long-term market demand development and fortify the worldwide NBR supply chain.

ARLANXEO-TSRC (Nantong) Chemical Industrial Co. Ltd. was founded in 2010 and is a 50:50 joint venture that is ultimately controlled by TSRC Corporation and ARLANXEO. In December 2021, ARLANXEO and TSRC announced that the joint venture company would be moving from the northern to the southern section of the Nantong Economy and Technology Development Area (NETDA) Chemical Park, Jiangsu Province, in order to support the government's agenda for environmental protection along the Yangtze River.

The new JV facility has continuously maintained high standards for safe operations with enhanced performance in resource efficiency, energy consumption and environmental protection since moving in and starting up. While continuing to produce Krynac and Taipol NBR products, the joint venture company has further enhanced its business competitiveness in response to the increasing demand for premium synthetic rubber by introducing Perbunan, a fast-cure NBR grade that is well-suited for specialised applications in automotive, aviation, oil and gas and food contact materials.

Stephan van Santbrink, CEO, ARLANXEO, said, "The new JV plant underscores our commitment to strategic growth in the China market and the sustainable development of the rubber industry. Built on a decade-long partnership and deep engineering expertise, this new JV plant strengthens our production capabilities, ensuring a reliable supply of high-quality NBR products to our customers.”

Joseph Chai, CEO, TSRC, said, “This project marks yet another successful collaboration with ARLANXEO to support the NBR customers. We remain confident in the long-term growth of the China chemical market and this new JV plant to capture new industry opportunities and deliver sustainable growth leveraging on ARLANXEO’s global leading position in NBR and the JV’s strong local operation.”

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The German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) has sounded an alarm over an exceptionally difficult economic situation facing the rubber sector. Soaring raw material prices and persistently high energy costs, exacerbated by the Iran war, are coinciding with weak industrial demand. wdk Chief economist Michael Berthel noted an almost unprecedented economic disparity, as raw material costs approach historical highs from 2011 and 2022 while a lack of demand prevents any offset for manufacturers.

Since the final quarter of 2025, prices for key inputs have risen sharply. Natural rubber has jumped more than 40 percent within months, while butadiene-based synthetic rubbers have increased over 30 percent. EPDM synthetic rubber, carbon black and oil-based plasticisers have all risen more than 20 percent, with some individual chemicals exceeding 40 percent cost growth in just a few weeks.

Energy prices remain a major burden, with Middle East developments fuelling market uncertainty. Risks to international transport and supply chains persist, and German rubber companies are closely watching potential impacts on raw material availability and global logistics flows.

Berthel warned that firms face mounting pressure from high costs, geopolitical instability and structural disadvantages in Germany, with no short-term relief in sight. The industry depends heavily on fair and reliable partnerships across the value chain, as processing companies alone cannot absorb the current strain. He called for fair solutions and a shared understanding of this exceptional situation.

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The Rubber Board of India has confirmed the continuation of all existing central sector schemes for the 2026-27 fiscal year at unchanged rates. Financial aid for new planting will be restricted to estates utilising poly bag or root trainer plants sourced solely from Board-approved nurseries, with applicants required to submit the original purchase bill. This mandatory verification step aims to ensure quality and authenticity of planting materials used across the sector.

Support for rain guarding and spraying operations will be channelled exclusively through Rubber Producers’ Societies. These societies must include GST bills for all acquired materials when applying. The official timeline for submitting applications will be announced separately by the Board, giving producers adequate time to prepare documentation and coordinate with their respective societies before the deadline.

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The Rubber Board of India has announced a temporary engagement for a young professional within its Market Promotion Division, located at the RRII campus in Puthuppally, Kottayam. The selected individual will assist with division activities and promote ‘mRube’, the electronic trading platform for natural rubber.

Candidates must hold an MBA in Marketing or Agri Business Management with computer knowledge, while skills in digital marketing, sales or market research and proficiency in English and Hindi are preferred. Applicants aged up to 30 years as of 1 May 2026, will be considered for the one-year role, which offers a consolidated monthly pay of INR 25,000.

Interested individuals should send their applications to the Deputy Director (Marketing) at the Central Laboratory Building, RRII, Rubber Board PO, Kottayam – 686009 by 19 May 2026. Shortlisted names will appear on the Rubber Board’s website with interview details, as no separate communication will be sent.

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Bekaert has officially finalised its acquisition of Bridgestone’s tyre reinforcement operations in China and Thailand, after securing all necessary regulatory approvals and meeting standard closing conditions. The deal, now fully completed, marks a significant step in the Belgian company’s expansion strategy.

The transaction brings under Bekaert’s control two production facilities: Bridgestone (Shenyang) Steel Cord Co., Ltd. in China and Bridgestone Metalfa (Thailand) Co., Ltd. in Thailand. These plants specialise in manufacturing high-quality tyre cord products exclusively for Bridgestone tyres, and they will continue to supply Bridgestone under the new ownership, further deepening the longstanding partnership between the two firms.

Financially, the acquisition is expected to add roughly EUR 80 million to Bekaert’s annual consolidated sales. The EUR 60 million cash consideration for the deal was funded from the company’s available cash reserves.

Curd Vandekerckhove, CEO Rubber Reinforcement, said, “With the completion of this acquisition within our Rubber Reinforcement division, we are pleased to officially welcome the plant teams in China and Thailand to Bekaert. Our immediate focus is on a smooth transition and operational continuity while continuing to serve Bridgestone as a key strategic partner. The completion of the acquisition further strengthens the position of Bekaert in the tyre cord market, expands the global manufacturing footprint and deepens our longstanding partnership with Bridgestone. A long-term supply agreement ensures continued delivery of high-quality tyre reinforcement within a trusted supplier model.”

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