To compensate for rises in raw material and energy costs, which cannot be fully absorbed by efficiency programmes, Germany-based specialty chemicals company Lanxess’ Technical Rubber Products (TRP) business unit is to increase   its prices worldwide for nitrile rubber (NBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) and styrene-butadiene rubber (E-SBR) effective January 1. The increases will be between €50 and €400 per metric ton or between $65 and $500 per metric ton respectively.

Lanxess will increase its quotations for NBR by up to €400 ($500) per metric ton. According to the company, the reason for this particularly high rise is the unsatisfactory profitability level of the NBR product group. In spite of extensive restructuring and cost-cutting programmes at its La Wantzenau (France) and Sarnia (Canada) sites, profitability still needs to be boosted significantly.

The company’s technical rubber products are used in the footwear, automotive,
mechanical engineering, construction, and electrical industries.