Vegan LANXESS processing promoter ensures CO2 savings in tire production

·	Vegetable raw material basis instead of animal fats and oils
·	Reduced CO2 footprint

Cologne – Specialty chemicals company LANXESS has added a plant-based raw material variant to its Aktiplast PP product range. These processing promoters for polymer blends are used in the production of tires and all kinds of technical rubber articles. Aktiplast PP-veg, which is based on renewable raw materials, was developed specifically in response to a customer requirement from Asia. In this way, the LANXESS Rhein Chemie business unit aims to enable rubber processors to reduce their CO2 footprint. An international tire manufacturer from Europe has already expressed great interest.

Unlike the conventional product, Aktiplast PP-veg is manufactured only from vegetable oils. The proportion of renewable raw materials in Aktiplast PP-veg is around 90 percent, so that its CO2 footprint is significantly reduced. The starting point are raw materials made from the fruits of oil palms. They are ecologically more sustainable than coconut palms, rapeseed or sunflowers, as they provide by far the highest oil yield per hectare of farmland area.

Easier processing due to reduced viscosity

The processing promoter is particularly suitable for polymer blends based on natural rubber. It reduces the viscosity of rubber compounds and significantly improves injection and extrusion behavior, also in combination with functionalized polymers. Depending on the compound composition, the product improves scorch behavior, promotes vulcanization and ensures easy demolding without contamination of the mold.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 7.2 billion in 2018. The company currently has about 15,500 employees in 33 countries and is represented at 58 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals and plastics. LANXESS is listed in the leading sustainability indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World and Europe) and FTSE4Good.

Cologne, 	February 12, 2020
mfg		(2020-00014e)

Forward-Looking Statements
This company release contains certain forward-looking statements, including assumptions, opinions, expectations and views of the company or cited from third party sources. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause the actual results, financial position, development or performance of LANXESS AG to differ materially from the estimations expressed or implied herein. LANXESS AG does not guarantee that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this presentation or the actual occurrence of the forecast developments. No representation or warranty (expressed or implied) is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, any information, estimates, targets and opinions, contained herein, and no liability whatsoever is accepted as to any errors, omissions or misstatements contained herein, and accordingly, no representative of LANXESS AG or any of its affiliated companies or any of such person's officers, directors or employees accept any liability whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from the use of this document.

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