US oil and petrochemicals group ExxonMobil has announced it will expand its specialty elastomers plant in Newport, Wales by late 2017, increasing global capacity for its Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) – high-performance elastomers used for automotive, industrial and consumer applications – by 25%.

The elastomers, which supplement ExxonMobil’s portfolio of conventional and metallocene products, are used in a variety of applications from health care devices to a variety of automotive components, including weather seals. The lower density of the TPVs, compared to thermoset rubber and other thermoplastic elastomers, contributes to reduced part weight, the company said.

Along with the Welsh facility, ExxonMobil produces TPVs at Pensacola, Florida, USA. It manufactures the important starting material, Vistalon rubber, at its plants in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, USA, and Notre Dame de Gravenchon, France.