Russian chemical maker SIBUR announced on December 1 that it would reorganise its plastic and rubber businesses following the merger with TAIF. Under the reorganisation, SIBUR will split its Plastics, Elastomers, and Organic Synthesis Division into two standalone business units. The Plastics and Organic Synthesis Division will be headed by Alexander Petrov, while the Synthetic Rubbers Division will be under Timur Shigabutdinov’s leadership. The two units will be supervised by Sergey Komyshan.
The Plastics and Organic Synthesis Division will control assets with a total capacity of about 3 million tons/year. It will seek growth in the medium-tonnage chemicals, which has seen strong demand growth in the domestic market. Petrov said the division will utilise monomers from the company’s new Nizhnekamskneftekhim cracker. It will also seek to benefit from the integration of SIBUR’s existing supply chain and new assets. Petrov added that the new unit will increase the presence in the construction segment by expanding its product range and offering customers new solutions to replace conventional construction materials with polymers. In addition, SIBUR plans to use this unit to increase the production of feedstock for high-margin products in the specialty chemicals segment, whose presence is currently still insignificant in the Russian market.
The Synthetic Rubbers Division will focus on improving the company’s rubber production facilities with a total capacity of around 1.2 million tons/year. It will be responsible for developing new grades, establishing customer services, offering comprehensive solutions, and strengthening its footings across segments and markets. It is also expected to ramp up its efficiency by increasing the availability of butadiene and other feedstocks and developing butadiene-based rubbers. Shigabutdinov said that the unit would prioritise customer needs through cutting-edge R&D assets and access to the latest technologies. Shigabutdinov added that the unit will use its expertise to complete all the investment projects and expand the business further. These initiatives will make SIBUR one of the world’s top 5 synthetic rubber producers, he added.
