LANXESS and Chinese tire company Triangle strengthen partnership

Leverkusen - German specialty chemicals company LANXESS and one of China’s largest tire companies Triangle Group have further strengthened their long-term partnership. Both companies have signed an agreement under which LANXESS will supply Triangle with premium halobutyl rubbers from 2012 to 2014. Financial details were not disclosed. LANXESS has been supplying Triangle with regular and halobutyl rubbers for more than 10 years.


An agreement was signed at the headquarters of Triangle in Weihai, Shangdong province, by Ron Commander, Global Head of LANXESS’ butyl rubber business unit, and Lin Bin, Senior Vice President of Triangle Tyre Co. Ltd.


”This new agreement will further strengthen the already successful partnership between Triangle and LANXESS,” said Commander. “China is already the largest tire and automotive market in the world and is set to grow even further, driven by the megatrend mobility.”


“We have secured a reliable supply of top-quality butyl rubber, which will help us respond to increasing global demand for tires,” said Lin.


Halobutyl rubbers are used in tire inner liners - the innermost, air- and humidity-impermeable layer of a tubeless tire. They keep tire pressure constant over a long period, thus making vehicles safer and ensuring they consume less fuel and therefore produce fewer harmful emissions.


Triangle Group Co. is one of the largest tire companies in China with integrated R&D, manufacturing and sales. Its major products include passenger tires, light-truck tires, truck and bus radial tires, as well as off-the-road tires. It has an annual capacity of 23 million units and sells in over 160 countries and regions around the world.


The Butyl Rubber business unit is part of LANXESS’ Performance Polymers segment, which achieved total sales of EUR 3.8 billion in 2010.


LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 7.1 billion in 2010 and currently around 15,500 employees in 30 countries. The company is at present represented at 46 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.