Synthos

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We have a broad portfolio of technologically advanced rubber materials that are driving positive change in the global automotive industry.

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At Synthos, we work hand in hand with global tire manufacturers as a leader in synthetic rubber innovation, developing advanced material solutions for high-performance tires with a lower environmental footprint.

Our functionalized SSBR grades for tire tread compounds improve energy efficiency through reduced rolling resistance and enhance abrasion resistance for longer-lasting tires with fewer wear particles — a key performance factor directly addressed by the upcoming Euro 7 tire abrasion limits. These innovations help manufacturers deliver compliant tires as the new regulations take effect.

We are committed to developing sustainable, resource-efficient synthetic rubber solutions for both today’s and tomorrow’s mobility. By reducing the environmental impact of our products, we help our customers achieve the same.

We are investing in a green future

Our vision is a net-zero future for synthetic rubber and its applications. While our materials are essential to modern life and mobility, we also recognize their environmental footprint — and we are committed to minimizing this impact across all our operations.

We aim to manufacture all synthetic rubber from renewable or bio-based resources, and efforts to increase the share of these raw materials across our value chain are already well underway. All of our plants hold ISCC PLUS certification, and we were the first in the industry to offer an entire product portfolio as bio-/circular-attributed materials under this standard.

Every synthetic rubber grade is accompanied by an individual cradle-to-gate Product Carbon Footprint, providing customers with verified data to support their own emissions tracking and reduction goals.

Our scientists have also developed an advanced bio-butadiene technology that converts renewable, bio-derived ethanol into synthetic rubber grades for tire manufacturers — the largest customers of our industry.

Finally, under our Sustainable Development Strategy we are investing in low- and zero-carbon energy and will fully phase out coal by 2030.

We are investing in low- and zero-carbon energy sources, and under our Sustainable Development Strategy we will fully phase out coal by 2030.

As the largest producer of synthetic rubber in Europe and the world’s largest producer of functionalized SSBR, Synthos stands at the forefront of the industry.

We operate three manufacturing facilities located in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, which together have a combined annual production capacity of 760,000 metric tonnes. These plants produce a broad portfolio of high-quality, versatile elastomers used throughout the tire industry and in other technical applications including SSBR (SPRINTAN®), BR (SYNTECA®), ESBR (KER® and BUNA®), and HSR (KER®).

Our extensive capability enables us to lead in innovation and supply, meeting the demands for advanced materials solutions in global markets.

At Synthos, innovation is built on our expertise in synthetic rubber polymer design and technology, with sustainability as the driving force behind our research and development. Our activities are closely aligned with our customers’ ambitions to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.

We operate two R&D centers — in Schkopau (Germany) and Oświęcim (Poland) — where a large team of chemists, technologists, and processing experts work together to continuously improve our products and manufacturing processes.

We are building strong partnerships that harness science and leverage our influence to drive circular innovation in mobility.

Through close collaboration with tire manufacturers, we accelerate the development of green tires, ensuring that sustainability and performance always go hand in hand. Beyond tires, we also work with materials suppliers and stakeholders across the value chain to advance more sustainable solutions.

As a partner of AZuR – Alliance for the Future of Tires, we fully support the Waste Tire Resolution, which calls for all tires in the European Union to be either reused or recycled locally, and for new tires to be produced more sustainably. We also play an active role in industry associations, policy forums, and regulatory discussions, bringing the perspective of a leading raw material supplier to initiatives shaping the future of mobility.

By combining partnerships, innovation, and active engagement across the industry, we are helping turn ambition into measurable progress.

We place great importance on working with the next generation of polymer technologists, and our R&D team partners with universities worldwide on cutting-edge research projects.

In 2023, we proudly launched the first Synthos Rubber Circularity Award – an academic-industry competition designed to drive breakthrough technologies for synthetic rubber and tire compounds that address both climate challenges and market needs.

At the same time, our young professionals are active in the UN Global Compact SDG Innovation Accelerator, where they develop and present ideas that advance sustainability and innovation at Synthos and across the wider industry.