ExxonMobil claims rubber production breakthrough

Houston, Texas -- ExxonMobil Chemical has started commercial production of butyl rubber at its Notre Dame de Gravenchon (NDG) plant in France using a new proprietary “breakthrough” process technology. The technology is the product of a multi-million dollar, multi-year R&D programme at ExxonMobil, the company said.

The technology, claims ExxonMobil, enables a significantly increase in butyl rubber production capacity from its existing plants. The process, it said, improves energy efficiencies as it enables the butyl rubber polymerization process to be run at more efficient temperatures.

This is possibly "the biggest breakthrough in butyl process technology" since the invention of this class of rubber materials, which widely used in the global tyre industry, said Art Sullivan, Global Butyl Polymers vice president at ExxonMobil Chemical.

ExxonMobil commercialised the technology after two years of tests and trials at the NDG plant. Stable, efficient plant operations, significantly higher production capability with existing reactors and refrigeration compressors and equivalent product properties and performance were the key test criteria.

The new technology will enable ExxonMobil to increase production at all of its manufacturing sites, equivalent to a world scale plant, a statement continued. The company now plans to roll out the new technology at its other butyl plants around the world though details have yet to be finalised.