Lanxess Restructures Rubber Chemicals Unit

Lanxess will cease production of the rubber-aging inhibitors Vulkanox 3100 and Vulkanox DPPD in Isithebe, South Africa, and close the plant as part of changes to its rubber chemicals unit. The company will also stop making its Vulkacit MOZ vulcanization accelerator in Kallo, Belgium. Additionally, Lanxess is transferring production of the accelerator Vulkacit CZ from Kallo to Bushy Park, S.C. It will, in turn, move production of two accelerators from Bushy Park to Kallo. Lanxess will continue to employ 60 people at Bushy Park, but it will lay off the 40 workers it has in Isithebe and reduce employment in Kallo by 45, or about 20%.