A Chronology of Major Milestones in the Century-Long Development of China’s Rubber Industry

1915: The Guangdong Brothers Rubber Manufacturing Company was established, producing rubber dentures and rubber shoe soles, becoming the first rubber manufacturing plant in China. 1934: Shanghai Dazhonghua Rubber Factory, building on its production of bicycle tires, began trial production of automobile tires. Initially, it procured Japanese equipment to conduct test runs in Kobe; the following year, it returned to China to formally establish a dedicated workshop, producing the country’s first automobile tire, named “Shuangqian.” The product came in two specifications—30×5 and 32×9—with a daily output of 7–9 tires. 1951: The State-owned No. 1 Rubber Factory developed bulletproof self-sealing tires and produced 600 units for use by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army. At its 100th meeting, the Government Administration Council adopted the “Decision on Cultivating Rubber Trees,” initiating rubber tree planting in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Fujian provinces. In Hainan, military and civilian efforts were launched to cultivate and process natural rubber. 1956: At its 40th session, the Standing Committee of the First National People’s Congress decided to merge the former Chemical Industry Administration of the Ministry of Heavy Industry, the Pharmaceutical Industry Administration of the Ministry of Light Industry, and the Rubber Industry Administration into the Ministry of Chemical Industry of the People’s Republic of China (referred to as the Ministry of Chemical Industry), appointing Peng Tao as Minister. 1958: China’s independently developed 2,000-ton-per-year chloroprene rubber production facility was completed and put into operation at the Changshou Chemical Plant, producing the nation’s first batch of synthetic rubber. 1960: The Lanzhou Synthetic Rubber Plant was completed and commissioned, producing the country’s first batch of styrene-butadiene rubber. 1964: Shanghai Dazhonghua Rubber Factory developed China’s first 9.00R20 all-steel radial tire. Following successful trials with steel-belted bias-ply tires, the factory embarked on developing all-steel radial tires. With no existing documentation or equipment available, engineers relied on a single photograph of a radial tire forming drum to design and fabricate their own prototype, continuously refining it through repeated testing. After numerous experiments and improvements, they finally succeeded in producing China’s first “Shuangqian” brand all-steel radial tire. 1966: The State Science and Technology Commission, the Ministry of Petroleum, and the Ministry of Chemical Industry jointly organized a major technological campaign focused on butadiene rubber. Using Jinzhou Petrochemical Plant No. 6 as the primary site, they successfully developed butadiene rubber from butadiene feedstock and built an industrial plant capable of producing 1,000 tons per year. 1982: Shanghai Zhengtai Rubber Factory imported a second-hand production line from Germany’s Maizler, capable of producing 500,000 passenger car radial tires annually. With strong support from institutions such as the Beijing Rubber Industry Research and Design Institute, the “Huilì” brand passenger car radial tire was successfully launched and certified, supplying tires for Volkswagen’s Santana model. 1985: A breakthrough in new technologies for producing butadiene rubber earned the “Special Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award” for that year. 1989: The Ministry of Chemical Industry issued the “Measures for Implementing the Decision of the State Council on Key Current Industrial Policies (Trial),” establishing an internal priority order for chemical industry development: agricultural chemical industry, raw materials chemical industry, fine chemical industry, and rubber processing industry. 1993: A large-scale domestically produced radial tire production line was completed and put into operation at the Rongcheng Rubber Factory in Shandong Province. The “Large-Scale Construction Machinery Tire,” a key national science and technology project under the Eighth Five-Year Plan, manufactured by the Henan Tire Factory, passed national acceptance and entered mass production, achieving international advanced quality standards. 1995: The Yanshan Petrochemical MTBE cracking unit for producing polymer-grade isobutylene was completed and commissioned, providing an economical and reliable source of raw material for butyl rubber production. In December 1999, a 30,000-ton-per-year butyl rubber production facility utilizing Italian PI technology was also brought online, ending China’s complete reliance on imported butyl rubber. 1996: Yanshan Petrochemical constructed a 10,000-ton-per-year solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) production plant—the first of its kind in China using solution polymerization technology. 1999: Responding to market demand, Tianjin Tire Company developed a large agricultural radial tire using domestic technology. After nearly a year of intensive research and trial production, the first “Haidun” brand 12.4R28 agricultural radial tire rolled off the assembly line, paving a new path toward radialization of agricultural tires in China. By 2014, approximately four enterprises nationwide were producing agricultural radial tires, with an annual output reaching 37,000 units. 2002: Shanghai Tire & Rubber (Group) Co., Ltd.’s Shuangqian Heavy-Duty Tire Company, drawing on expertise in heavy-duty radial tires, independently developed China’s first “Shuangqian” brand engineering machinery radial tire—14.00R24-20PR (tubeless)—marking the beginning of domestically produced engineering machinery radial tires. 2008: The giant engineering radial tire technology and equipment development project jointly completed by Shandong Sanjiao Group Co., Ltd. and Tianjin Sai’ang Technology Co., Ltd. won the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award for 2007. Lanzhou Petrochemical Company commenced chemical feeding operations at its 100,000-ton-per-year styrene-butadiene rubber plant, making it the largest domestically built styrene-butadiene rubber production facility entirely based on indigenous technology. China’s first “Sanhuan” brand aviation radial tire successfully passed all dynamic tests stipulated by national standards, meeting installation requirements. This achievement made China the fourth country in the world capable of researching, manufacturing, and testing aviation radial tires. That same year, a domestically produced aircraft equipped with this type of tire made its maiden flight. 2009: The Qilu Branch of Sinopec commissioned a styrene-butadiene rubber production plant, bringing the total annual capacity of the company’s styrene-butadiene rubber facilities to 230,000 tons—an unprecedented scale at the time, entirely powered by domestically developed technologies. A joint venture between China’s Blue Star Shanxi Synthetic Rubber Group Co., Ltd. and Armenia’s Irith Company—the largest Sino‑Armenian joint project—built a 30,000-ton-per-year chloroprene rubber production facility, producing SN232 grade qualified chloroprene rubber products. PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical Company completed and commissioned a 50,000-ton-per-year nitrile rubber production plant, fully utilizing domestically owned intellectual property technologies. 2010: Shandong Yuhuang Chemical Co., Ltd. brought online an 80,000-ton-per-year butadiene rubber production plant—the first large-scale synthetic rubber facility built by a private enterprise in China. Maoming Luhua Chemical Co., Ltd. completed and commissioned a 15,000-ton-per-year isoprene rubber production plant, entirely based on independently developed technologies, filling a critical gap in domestic isoprene rubber production. 2013: A 15,000-ton-per-year trans‑isoprene rubber production plant was completed and put into operation—the world’s first industrial-scale facility of its kind. 2015: A thousand-ton hydrogenated nitrile rubber production plant was completed and commissioned in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, ending China’s historical dependence on imported hydrogenated nitrile rubber. With this milestone, China became the third country globally to possess independent intellectual property rights for the industrial production of hydrogenated nitrile rubber. Excerpted from “Chronicles of Major Events in China’s Rubber Industry” and “A Century of Development in the Chemical Industry.”

In 1915, the Guangdong Brothers Rubber Manufacturing Company was established, producing rubber dentures and rubber shoe soles, becoming the first rubber manufacturing plant in China.

In 1934, the Shanghai Great China Rubber Factory, building on its production of bicycle tires, began trial manufacturing of automobile tires. Initially, it procured Japanese equipment and conducted pilot production in Kobe; the following year, it relocated back to China and formally established a dedicated workshop, producing the country’s first automobile tire, which was named “Double‑Coin.” The product was available in two sizes—30×5 and 32×9—with a daily output of 7 to 9 tires.

In 1951, the State-owned No. 1 Rubber Factory developed a bulletproof self-sealing tire and produced 600 units for use by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army.

At its 100th session, the Government Administration Council adopted the “Decision on the Cultivation of Rubber Trees,” authorizing the planting of rubber trees in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Fujian. In Hainan, military and civilian forces jointly embarked on the cultivation and processing of natural rubber.

In 1956, the 40th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the First National People’s Congress decided to merge the former Chemical Industry Administration of the Ministry of Heavy Industry, the Pharmaceutical Industry Administration of the Ministry of Light Industry, and the Rubber Industry Administration, thereby establishing the Ministry of Chemical Industry of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Chemical Industry), and appointed Peng Tao as Minister of the Ministry of Chemical Industry.

In 1958, China’s independently developed and constructed 2,000‑ton‑per‑year chloroprene rubber production facility was completed and put into operation at the Changshou Chemical Plant, producing the country’s first batch of synthetic rubber.

In 1960, the Lanzhou Synthetic Rubber Plant was completed and put into operation, producing the country’s first batch of styrene-butadiene rubber.

 

In 1964, the Shanghai Dahua Rubber Factory developed China’s first 9.00R20 all-steel radial tire.

Following the successful trial production of steel‑belted bias‑ply tires, Shanghai Dahua Rubber Factory embarked on developing all‑steel radial tires. With neither relevant technical data nor readily available equipment, its engineers relied on a single photograph of a radial‑tire forming drum to independently design and fabricate a prototype drum, refining it through continuous experimentation and iteration. After numerous trials and refinements, they ultimately succeeded in producing China’s first “Shuangqian”‑branded all‑steel radial tire.

In 1966, the State Science and Technology Commission, the Ministry of Petroleum, and the Ministry of Chemical Industry jointly organized a major technological campaign to develop cis‑1,4‑polybutadiene rubber. With Jinzhou Petrochemical Plant No. 6 serving as the primary field site, they successfully developed a process for producing cis‑1,4‑polybutadiene rubber from butadiene and commissioned an industrial plant with an annual capacity of 1,000 tons.

In 1982, the Shanghai Zhengtai Rubber Factory introduced a secondhand production line from Germany’s Maßler, capable of manufacturing 500,000 passenger radial tires annually. With strong support from institutions such as the Beijing Rubber Industry Research and Design Institute, the “Hui Li” brand passenger car radial tire was successfully put into production and smoothly passed certification, supplying tires for Volkswagen’s Santana sedan at the Shanghai Volkswagen Plant.

In 1985, the research and development achievements of a new technology for producing cis‑1,4‑polybutadiene rubber were awarded the Special Prize of the 1985 National Science and Technology Progress Award.

In 1989, the Ministry of Chemical Industry issued the “Measures for Implementing the Decision of the State Council on Key Points of Current Industrial Policy (Trial),” which set forth a prioritized sequence for industrial development within the chemical industry: agro‑chemicals, basic chemicals, fine chemicals, and rubber processing.

In 1993, a large-scale domestically produced radial tire production line was completed and put into operation at the Rongcheng Rubber Factory in Shandong Province.

The “Large‑Scale Construction Machinery Tire,” a key national science and technology project under the Eighth Five‑Year Plan, developed by the Henan Tire Factory, has passed national acceptance and entered mass production, with product quality reaching internationally advanced standards.

In 1995, the MTBE‑cracking unit at Yanshan Petrochemical for producing polymer‑grade isobutylene was completed and put into operation, providing an economical and reliable feedstock source for butyl rubber production. In December 1999, a 30,000‑ton‑per‑year butyl rubber plant utilizing technology from Italy’s PI Company was commissioned, thereby ending China’s complete reliance on imported butyl rubber.

In 1996, Yanshan Petrochemical completed a 10,000‑ton‑per‑year solution‑polymerized styrene–butadiene rubber (SSBR) production unit, which was China’s first solution‑polymerization‑based SSBR plant.

In 1999, Tianjin Tire Company, in response to market demand, developed large‑size agricultural radial tires using domestically sourced technology. After nearly a year of intensive research and trial production, the first “Dolphin”‑branded 12.4R28 agricultural radial tire rolled off the assembly line, paving a new path for the radialization of China’s agricultural tire industry. By 2014, there were approximately four enterprises nationwide producing agricultural radial tires, with an annual output reaching 37,000 units.

In 2002, Shuangqian Heavy‑Duty Tire Company of Shanghai Tire & Rubber (Group) Co., Ltd., drawing on technology from heavy‑duty radial tires, independently developed the first “Shuangqian” brand radial tire for construction machinery—14.00R24‑20PR (tubeless)—paving the way for domestically produced radial tires for construction equipment.

In 2008, the project on the development of complete technology and equipment for giant radial tires, jointly undertaken by Shandong Sanjiao Group Co., Ltd. and Tianjin Saiyang Technology Co., Ltd., was awarded the First Prize of the 2007 National Science and Technology Progress Award.

Lanzhou Petrochemical Company has commenced production at its 100,000‑ton‑per‑year styrene‑butadiene rubber plant. This is the largest such facility in China, built entirely with proprietary technology.

China’s first “Sanhuan”-branded aircraft radial tire successfully passed all dynamic tests stipulated by national standards, meeting the requirements for installation on aircraft. As a result, China became the fourth country in the world capable of developing, manufacturing, and testing aircraft radial tires. In the same year, a domestically produced aircraft fitted with this tire model achieved its maiden flight.

In 2009, the styrene–butadiene rubber production unit constructed by Sinopec Qilu Company was commissioned, bringing the plant’s total annual capacity for SBR to 230,000 tons—making it the largest SBR production base in China at the time. The entire facility was built using domestically developed technologies.

The largest joint venture between China and Armenia, jointly funded by China Bluestar Shanxi Synthetic Rubber Group Co., Ltd. and Armenia’s Yirite Company, has commissioned a 30,000‑ton‑per‑year chloroprene rubber production unit that has successfully produced qualified SN232‑grade chloroprene rubber products.

China National Petroleum Corporation’s Lanzhou Petrochemical Company has completed and commissioned a 50,000‑ton‑per‑year nitrile rubber production unit, which relies entirely on domestically developed technologies with proprietary intellectual property rights.

In 2010, Shandong Yuhuang Chemical Co., Ltd. completed and commissioned an 80,000‑ton‑per‑year butadiene rubber production unit, marking the first large‑scale synthetic rubber plant built by a private enterprise in China.

The 15,000‑ton‑per‑year isoprene rubber production unit constructed by Maoming Luhua Chemical Co., Ltd. has been completed and put into operation. The project relies entirely on independently developed technologies, filling a domestic gap in the production of isoprene rubber.

In 2013, a 15,000‑ton‑per‑year trans‑isoprene rubber plant was completed and put into operation, marking the world’s first industrial-scale facility with a capacity of over 10,000 tons per year.

In 2015, a thousand‑ton‑per‑year hydrogenated nitrile rubber plant was completed and put into operation in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, ending China’s reliance on imported hydrogenated nitrile rubber and making the country the third worldwide to achieve industrial-scale production of this material with its own proprietary technology.

Excerpted from “Chronology of Major Events in China’s Rubber Industry” and “A Century of Development in the Chemical Industry.”