SINGAPORE: Japan-based chemical firm, Sumitomo Chemical, has officially opened its first solution-styrene butadiene rubber (S-SBR) plant in Asia outside Japan. The plant will make Singapore’s Jurong Island one of the world’s largest manufacturing sites for synthetic rubber.
The product is used as a raw material for fuel-efficient tyres.
Sumitomo is seeking to tap on growing demand from major tyre manufacturers worldwide.
The plant, which will serve customers in Asia, Europe and North America, has an annual capacity of 40,000 metric tons.
At the official opening on Friday, Singapore’s Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said that the government will continue to support the local energy and chemicals industry through infrastructure investments.
In particular, efforts will continue to be taken to keep utilities costs competitive — including energy efficiency initiatives and the development of different utilities.
Mr Iswaran said: “We are continuously working with companies at both the plant and system levels to reduce energy consumption and realise greater cost savings. The government has facilitated the development of different utilities options, such as biomass coal plants and energy-from-waste generation.
“The wider range of utilities options has helped to stabilise prices, while at the same time allowing for the test bedding of novel solutions which have the potential to generate cheaper and greener energy.”
– CNA/ac
