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ExxonMobil Increases Butyl Rubber Capacityat Kawasaki Plant

TOKYO--ExxonMobil Chemical’s affiliate ExxonMobil Yugen Kaisha (EMYK) announced today that Japan Butyl Co. Ltd. will increase its butyl rubber production capacity by 18,000 tons per year at the Kawasaki Plant. This expansion will increase its capacity to 98,000 tons per year when the project is completed in late 2010.

This expansion will incorporate ExxonMobil’s recent advances in process technology. One such new proprietary technology advancement allows for the butyl polymerization reaction, which normally occurs at -95°C, to operate at -75°C. This new technological advancement will provide significant energy and capital investment savings.

“These advancements are part of ExxonMobil Chemical’s longstanding commitment to the butyl process, product and applications technology development," said Art Sullivan, vice president, Global Butyl Polymers Business Unit, ExxonMobil Chemical Company.

"In addition to these new process technology advancements, we also have begun working with our customers on a new product for tire innerliners, called Exxcore™ DVA resin, which allows for significant tire weight reduction while improving air retention.”

“Recently, we also demonstrated success in our pilot facilities to produce the next generation of butyl rubber utilizing nanocomposite technology. Using this latest innovation at our facilities will reduce the amount of material our customers require for existing applications, effectively doubling the volume of tire innerliner applications that ExxonMobil could serve from each plant.”

Market testing is expected to commence in 2010. Each of these efforts is aimed at supporting the high growth of the butyl rubber segment.

ExxonMobil Chemical is an industry leader in the development and application of premium products that add value through enhanced product performance, energy efficiency, pollution prevention and greenhouse gas emission reduction. Continuing to address the growth needs of the butyl rubber industry, the Japan Butyl Co. Ltd. expansion is the latest of several recent company expansions to serve the growing butyl market.

In 2008, ExxonMobil expanded halobutyl capacity at its Baytown, Texas plant by 60 percent. This was preceded by the 2006 expansion of Japan Butyl Co., Ltd.’s halobutyl capacity at its Kashima plant by 17,000 tons per year.