Natural rubber was the original raw material in our industry. Over the years it has been joined by many other synthetic polymers, but it is still used in large quantities and indeed itself comes in different varieties. After collection of the tapped latex, rubber is recovered from emulsion by coagulation with formic acid, creating crumbs that resemble curds of milk. The crumbs are washed, dried between rolls, and compacted into blocks 67 by 33 by 18 centimetres (26 by 13 by 7.5 inches) in size and weighing 33.3 kilograms (73 pounds). The blocks are then wrapped in polyethylene sheets and packed into one-ton crates for shipping.

Chemipat is able to utilise the differing physical characteristics of each type of natural rubber to produce adhesives suitable for many different industrial applications.

Left: Latex drips into a cup from a freshly tapped Hevea brasiliensis tree. Right: In this example of Smoked Sheet production, sheets of rubber coagulated from the latex are passed between rollers.

Left: Sheets are hung from racks in a smokeroom for final drying. Right: Smoked sheets are inspected and trimmed before being packed into bales.

Rubber is masticated, granulated, and let down into solution with solvent. In this example it is then spread-coated onto fabric (or Polyethylene film) and dried. Rolls 1.5 metres wide are slit to the desired width and length. Central gauze strips are then added (for plasters), and the plasters boxed.