ARLANXEO Launches State-of-the-Art HNBR Plant in Changzhou, Strengthening Asia-Pacific Supply

Global high-performance elastomers leader ARLANXEO has officially inaugurated its new Therban HNBR (Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) plant in Changzhou, China. The facility expands ARLANXEO’s production footprint in China and the Asia-Pacific, meeting rising demand in new energy, advanced transportation, and industrial applications.

Key attendees at the opening ceremony included Faisal Al Faqeer, Chairman of ARLANXEO’s Shareholders’ Committee and Senior VP at Saudi Aramco, CEO Stephan van Santbrink, global and China leadership, customers, partners, and local officials.

Faisal Al Faqeer emphasized:"China is critical to Saudi Aramco’s downstream growth. Our new HNBR plant in Changzhou demonstrates our confidence in China’s innovation and manufacturing strength, and reinforces our integrated growth strategy."

Stephan van Santbrink added:"This milestone underlines ARLANXEO’s long-term commitment to China. With the new HNBR plant fully operational, we can integrate local production and R&D to enhance global supply chain resilience and accelerate application innovation."

Plant Highlights:

Capacity: 5,000 tons/year (Phase 1: 2,500 tons/year, operational since Oct 2025)

Products: High-performance Therban HNBR for automotive parts, oil & gas, industrial equipment, aerospace, and next-gen batteries

Location Advantage: Adjacent to ARLANXEO’s EPDM plant and Regional Technology Center, boosting innovation-to-production capabilities

Sustainability: Advanced post-processing and integrated thermal oxidation reduce carbon emissions by ~80%, with energy recovery and zero conventional wastewater

Safety & Efficiency: Completed in 13 months with over 1.1 million safe man-hours and zero recordable incidents

With Changzhou as a strategic hub, ARLANXEO now operates HNBR plants in the U.S., Germany, and China, strengthening its global network and downstream applications across multiple industries.