OREANDA-NEWS. April 20, 2010. Voronezhsintezkauchuk started industrial production of improved divinyl-styrene synthetic rubber (DSSR).

A pilot batch of the new product passed homologation (verification of conformity of technical characteristics and parameters of a product to imposed requirements) at Continental AG successfully.

Solution-type copolymer rubbers with a high content of vinyl bonds feature improved environmental performance and are currently used basically for manufacture of premium-class tyres or so-called "green tyres"* which enable reduction of fuel consumption, release of harmful substances, and noise level, as well as meet the highest EU standards.

Experts of SIBUR's Synthetic Rubber Business Unit and employees of Voronezhsintezkauchuk and VNIISK had worked for 2 years upon generation of the new product.

The first lots of new rubber have been already shipped to end users. The monthly sales forecast is approximately 850 tons.

"Manufacture of solution-type styrene-butadiene rubber will be an ordinary business in Russia in due course but SIBUR is the exclusive manufacturer of the product in this country so far," Andrey Zhvakin, SIBUR's Vice President - Head of Synthetic Rubber Business Unit, pointed out.

*Green Tyres process enables 50% reduction of power consumption during rubber mixing, and 10% reduction of fuel consumption in motor vehicles due to low rolling resistance.