ExxonMobil Corp. has completed expansion of its specialty elastomers plant in Newport, Wales.
The project has effectively doubled the United Kingdom plant's manufacturing capacity and increased global manufacturing capacity of the Santoprene thermoplastic elastomers by 25 percent.
Santoprene is engineered to perform like vulcanized rubber. It can be re-used and re-engineered, leading to reduced shipping weights, improved recycling capabilities and sustainable manufacturing.
The project created about 35 full-time production jobs. Irving, Texas-based ExxonMobil also manufactures Santoprene in Pensacola, Fla.
“ExxonMobil's high-performance plastics help make automotive and consumer products lighter, resulting in improved fuel efficiency and higher performance, compared with products made with traditional materials,” ExxonMobil Chemical Co. President Karen McKee said.