Recent developments
Capacity and supply
China expanded regional supply as the 250,000‑ton/year thermoplastic elastomer project in Shanghai entered operation, covering SBS, SEBS, and SIS and integrating digital virtual factories with Sinopec’s proprietary technology. In Latin America, ARLANXEO is set to expand production capacity at its Triunfo plant in Brazil by 25% by 2027 to secure local synthetic rubber supply.
Medical elastomer advances
Material innovation targeted healthcare electronics with Elkem’s SILBIONE LSR Select EC 70, a biocompatible, conductive liquid silicone rubber for wearable sensors, prosthetics, and diagnostic devices, engineered for precise liquid injection molding and tunable cure kinetics to reduce scrap.
Sustainability and standards
On ESG, the Oita Plant of Japan Elastomer Co., Ltd., a JV of Asahi Kasei and Crasus Chemical, earned the EcoVadis Platinum Medal Sustainability Rating for the second time, placing it in the top 1% of assessed companies, with high scores in Environment and Labor & Human Rights.
Downstream indicators
Downstream indicators showed increases; Aptar’s third quarter 2025 results reported higher sales, earnings, and volume growth in Closures and Pharma injectables, suggesting ongoing demand for elastomer-based components in packaging and drug delivery.