On the sliding scale: impact of slowdown to synthetic rubber.

The weakening automotive sector has significantly affected synthetic rubber (SR) makers, particularly those producing butadiene rubber (BR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer. This trend resulted in plant closures and output reductions by many rubber producers including Japan's JSR and Toray Industry, China's Shenhua Chemical Industrial, South Korea's KKPC and Taiwan's Chi Mei Industrial. SR has a larger market share compared to NR, hovering at a ratio of about 60:40 for the last several years. Though economic factors may influence this ratio, a dramatic change is not expected unless an unexpected geopolitical event occurs or an …