Core Viewpoint - Evonik has announced the relocation of its liquid polybutadiene POLYVEST® ST-E 60 production to Shanghai, China, emphasizing its commitment to supply stability and proximity to Asian customers. The expansion project is expected to be completed and fully operational by Q3 2025 [1]. Group 1: Production and Market Dynamics - The capacity enhancement of silane-functionalized liquid polybutadiene further solidifies Evonik's position as a reliable partner in the specialty chemicals sector. The company aims to meet the growing demand for this high-performance additive through localized production and increased global capacity [2]. - Liquid polybutadiene rubber is derived from non-functionalized liquid rubber (LPB) and can be modified to create different performance variants such as CTPB (carboxyl-terminated liquid polybutadiene) and HTPB (hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene) [3]. - Europe is the most significant production region, holding a 43.74% market share in 2022, while China is expected to maintain the fastest growth rate, with a projected market share of 20.38% by 2029. Non-functionalized liquid polybutadiene is anticipated to account for 32.93% of revenue share by 2029, with tires representing approximately 51.82% of revenue share in 2022 and a CAGR of about 8.11% in the coming years [3]. Group 2: Key Manufacturers - Major global manufacturers of liquid polybutadiene include Cray Valley, Synthomer, Nippon Soda, Evonik Industries, Kuraray, Idemitsu Kosan, Tianyuan Aerospace Materials, Efremov Synthetic Rubber Enterprise, and Qilong Chemical [4].