Zeon Carves Out Acrylic Rubber Business Ahead of Tope Sale

Japanese chemical company Zeon Corp. has established a new subsidiary, Zeon Chemicals Kurashiki, to take over the acrylic rubber business of its wholly owned subsidiary Tope Corp. ahead of the planned sale of Tope’s coatings business to Natoco Co. The move is part of Zeon’s strategy to retain the acrylic rubber operation within the group, citing strong synergies with its existing elastomer business. The acrylic rubber business will be separated from Tope and will continue to operate under the new Zeon subsidiary, with the aim of increasing corporate value across the group. Zeon operates four acrylic rubber manufacturing sites across Japan, the US, and Thailand. The new subsidiary is scheduled to start operations on October 30. The sale of Tope’s coatings business to Natoco was announced in May, with the acrylic rubber business being retained by Zeon due to its strategic importance. Acrylic rubber is a specialty rubber offering high heat resistance and is used in automotive components such as oil seals and hoses.