Ethylene propylene copolymer (EPM), or a terpolymer with a diene (EPDM), is a type of synthetic rubber, which is characterised by a wide range of applications. The ‘E’ letter refers to ethylene, ‘P’ to propylene and ‘D’ to diene and ‘M’ refers to a kind of monomer with respect to its classification in ASTM standard D-1418. The M class includes rubbers having a saturated chain of the polymethylene type.

EPDM rubber, therefore, is a terpolymer of ethylene,propylene and a diene-component and the Dienes currently used in the manufacture of EPDM rubbers are dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), ethylidene norbornene (ENB) and vinyl norbornene (VNB). Hexadiene (HD) is rarely being used in making EPDM these days.

The ethylene and propylene monomers combine to form a chemically saturated, stable polymer backbone providing excellent heat, oxidation, ozone and weather aging. A third, nonconjugated diene monomer is terpolymerized in a controlled manner to maintain a saturated backbone and place the reactive unsaturation in a side chain available for vulcanization or polymer modification chemistry.

The two most widely used diene termonomers are primarily ethylidene norbornene (ENB) followed by dicyclopentadiene (DCPD).Each diene incorporates with a different tendency for introducing long chain branching or polymer side chains that influence processing and rates of vulcanization by sulfur or peroxide cures. Generally, ENB type is better heat resistant than DCPD type. Peroxide cure EPDM, boosted with coagents provide better heat resistant than sulphur/accelerator cured EPDM.

This polymer is the most water resistant rubber available, and this resistance is maintained to high temperatures (up to 180°C in steam with peroxide cured compound). The highest temperature resistance is achieved by using peroxide cured grades. It is thus used extensively under water cables (sea water as well). Before EPDM, Chloprene rubber (CR) was extensively used wherever weather resistance properties were important. Upon discovery of EPDM in 1963 , it quickly took over existing weather resistant market of Chloroprene rubber (CR).

Ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) is one of the most widely used and highly-developing synthetic rubbers. EPDM business will reach US 6.9 b $ by end 1Q,2020. Currently, their total capacity is about 1.65m ton/ Yr. and it takes the third place in the world synthetic rubber consumption after styrene-butadiene and butadiene rubber. As of August 2019, there are 15 big companies in the world that produce EPDM.

In order to present a competitive landscape of the global EPDM market, key market players are witnessed as LANXESS AG (Germany), ExxonMobil Chemical (U.S.), Dow Elastomer (U.S.), Mitsui Chemical (Japan), Kumho Polychem (South Korea), Lion Copolymer (U.S.), Versalis (Italy), JSR Corporation (Japan), Jilin Chemical (China), SK Global Chemical (Japan), Nizhnekamsk Neftekhim Inc (Russia), and Sumitomo Chemical Company Ltd (Japan) have been profiled. With a huge number of EPDM manufacturers worldwide and with a number of different grades by each of these manufacturers, EPDM is one of the versatile elastomer in India now . EPDM has different grades in the industry based on :

• Mooney viscosity
• Type of diene content
• Percentage mole of diene content and
• Ethylene propylene ratio
• Bimodal Type

With current increase in EPDM uses , India now badly need EPDM manufacturing plant to protect its foreign currency. Another important application India need is compulsory application of EPDM based Roofing in rainy states to protect against damage of multistory buildings (Mumbai). EPDM has been used as a covering to waterproof roofing in western countries, Japan, China, Taiwan and countries in South East Asia. Major applications of EPDM are :

• Other than automobile glass-run channels, EPDM is also used in radiators, garden and appliance hose, tubing, pond liners, washers, belts, electrical insulation, vibrators, O-rings, solar panel heat collectors and speaker cone surrounds.
• It is also used as a medium for water resistance in electrical cable-jointing, geomembranes, rubber mechanical goods, plastic impact modification, thermoplastic etc.
• EPDM is used as blends in Butyl rubber for Inner-tube application.
• EPDM is used in PC side wall , black or white. Extensively used in color BC tyres for children.
• EPDM roofing is very popular in developed countries.
• With EPDM Roofing membranes rainwater harvesting is also very popular. EPDM roofing does not pollute the run-off rainwater.

Rubber roofing has the benefit that it does not pollute the runoff rain water. Water could be used for personal sanitation / gardenining / hygiene. White oil may be the best processing oil. They are manufactured in the form of calendared sheet and covered with a plastic such that its application on floor is easy upon removal of plastic and then they are applied in roof floor. EPDM rubber sheet can be installed either fully adhered, mechanically attached or ballasted, with the seams of the roofing system sealed with liquid adhesives or specially formulated tape. EPDM Waterproof Roofing system has delivered more than six decades of commercial roofing success by building upon a heritage of innovation in rubber polymer technology.

Dr Samir Majumdar, Rubber Consultant (India & Asia pacific), has served in leading tyre companies like JK Tyre, Kyoto Japan Tire, among others. He was technical and R&D head (Asia Pacific) in ExxonMobil. He has authored several research papers and technical books. smajumdar501234@yahoo.co.in

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Midas, Asia’s largest manufacturer of tyre retreading materials, has launched O-rings designed for off-the-road (OTR) tyres, aimed at delivering reliable sealing performance in demanding operating conditions.

The O-rings are manufactured using high-quality natural rubber and are formulated to improve physical properties and ensure dimensional stability. According to the company, the product has been tested over many years in harsh environments and is intended to provide consistent, trouble-free performance in OTR tyre applications.

Midas said only REACH-compliant raw materials are used in the manufacture of the O-rings, underscoring its adherence to safety, quality and international regulatory standards.

Founded 56 years ago, Midas supplies tyre retreading materials to customers in more than 60 countries. The company said the launch reflects its continued focus on developing performance-oriented solutions for the global tyre and retreading industry.

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Toyoda Gosei has successfully commercialised automotive weatherstrips using recycled rubber, starting with the new Toyota RAV4. This marks a significant breakthrough in a field where rubber has historically been difficult to reuse, often ending up incinerated instead of truly recycled. Unlike steel or plastic, rubber recycling requires devulcanisation, a complex process that traditionally weakens the material and leaves behind unpleasant odours.

Through dedicated refinement of its proprietary devulcanisation technology, the company has overcome these longstanding quality hurdles. The advancements have dramatically increased the usable proportion of recycled material in automotive parts from under five percent to 20 percent, an achievement honoured by a Toyota Motor Project Award.

Looking ahead, Toyoda Gosei aims to extend this technology beyond synthetic rubber to include natural rubber, which is used in far greater volumes. The broader corporate ambition is to collaborate with automakers and partners to establish a full circular system. This system would collect and regenerate rubber from end-of-life vehicles, positioning the company as an industry leader in enabling both decarbonisation and sustainable resource circulation.

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Pursuing its strategic goals for 2030, Michelin is actively extending its technological leadership into adjacent, high-value sectors. This expansion is being accelerated through two key acquisitions announced in recent months: Cooley Group and Tex Tech Industries. Both US-based companies are leaders in advanced materials, specialising in high-performance fabrics and coatings, and align strongly with Michelin’s own focus on innovation and quality while bringing complementary geographic and technical strengths.

Cooley Group, marking its centennial in 2026, excels in creating engineered polymer-coated fabrics. Its fully integrated production enables custom solutions for critical applications in healthcare, industrial containment and waterproofing. Similarly, Tex Tech Industries, with over a century of operation, designs and manufactures specialised textiles for extreme demands, including thermal protection systems for aerospace, fire-blocking aircraft interiors and advanced composite materials.

These strategic moves significantly bolster Michelin’s existing position in coated fabrics, notably through its European brand Orca. By integrating Cooley and Tex Tech, Michelin anticipates accelerating its global market reach and increasing the revenue of its Polymer Composite Solutions division by approximately 20 percent, equating to roughly USD 280 million. Given the growing scale of this business, Michelin intends to establish it as a dedicated reporting segment starting in 2026.

The acquisitions, slated for completion in the first half of 2026 pending regulatory approvals, will be transacted in cash, with financial terms currently undisclosed.

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Birla Carbon, a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality carbon materials, has been awarded the prestigious Platinum sustainability rating by EcoVadis, ranking it within the top one percent of all assessed companies globally. This honour recognises the firm’s enterprise-wide leadership in integrating sustainability across its operations, innovation and value chain.

The evaluation specifically commended its strong performance across four key areas: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. This achievement is further validated by extensive third-party certifications, with over 75 percent of operations certified to international standards including ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001, SA8000 and ISO 27001, underscoring the consistency and strength of its sustainability management systems.

John Loudermilk, President and CEO, Birla Carbon, said, “This Platinum rating reflects the steady progress we are making in embedding sustainability at the core of our business. Our growth strategy is geared towards delivering sustainability through innovation, operational excellence and responsible practices across our global footprint. We continually invest in sustainability and circularity-driven processes, keeping our operations sustainably efficient while creating long-term value for our customers, partners, communities and employees. Our sustainability strategy, Share the Future, serves as a roadmap to a sustainable future and guides our actions towards our aspiration of reaching net zero carbon emissions over the next 25 years. Being recognised among the top one percent of companies globally is a testament to the commitment of our teams worldwide.”

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