DL Chemical, a subsidiary of DL Group specialized in petrochemicals, announced the groundbreaking of its new manufacturing plant for Cariflex on Jurong Island, Singapore, on May 15.
The event was attended by prominent figures including Kim Jong-hyun, Vice Chairman of DL Chemical; Ryu Sang-woo, CEO of Cariflex; Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister of Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry; along with Hong Jin-wook, South Korea’s ambassador to Singapore, and other key stakeholders.
The newly completed facility spans 61,000 square meters and proudly stands as the world’s largest production plant for polyisoprene latex. Strategically located close to major clients’ manufacturing sites in Southeast Asia, this facility aims to enhance supply chain efficiency while also creating synergies with existing research operations in Malaysia.
Notably, Cariflex has integrated an environmentally friendly ‘Direct-Connect’ manufacturing system into this plant. This innovative technology links production processes directly, bypassing raw material transportation and reprocessing, which significantly reduces carbon emissions and maximizes manufacturing efficiency.
A DL Chemical spokesperson stated, “Singapore’s proximity to key clients, along with its role as a financial, logistical, and innovation hub, makes it a strategically vital location. With this new plant, we aim to expand our production capacity and strengthen our leadership in the global market by reliably supplying high-quality materials.”
Since acquiring Cariflex in 2020 for approximately 620 billion KRW, DL Chemical has been aggressively expanding its presence in the polyisoprene latex market. Cariflex is the world’s only manufacturer of synthetic rubber and latex based on anion catalyst technology and is recognized as the leading supplier for medical-grade polyisoprene surgical gloves. Its products are favored for their low impurity levels and high transparency, making them especially popular in medical applications. With proven quality and stability, demand for Cariflex’s polyisoprene latex is expected to continue growing steadily.
