Lion Elastomers

What Lion Elastomers does

Lion Elastomers is a US-based, privately held manufacturer of synthetic elastomeric polymers headquartered in Port Neches, Texas. The company operates three integrated manufacturing sites in Geismar, Louisiana; Port Neches, Texas; and Orange, Texas, producing EPDM (Royalene, RoyalEdge, Royaltherm grades), liquid and free-flow specialty EPDM (Trilene, Trilene FreeFlow), emulsion SBR (cold and hot polymerized), solution SBR (Duradene), polybutadiene rubber (Diene), and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers (Stereon). It serves industrial customers in automotive, building and construction, wire and cable, coatings, adhesives and sealants, tires, and thermoplastic elastomers (TPV/TPO) end-markets. The company is adding Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) capacity at Port Neches with commercial production targeted for September 2026.

The business is built on a sequential roll-up of synthetic rubber assets acquired from DSM (2005), Chemtura (2007), Ashland (2014), and Firestone Polymers (2019), unified under the Lion Elastomers brand in 2015. Lion's commercial model is B2B direct sales targeting enterprise industrial customers through a regional sales management organization, technical support aligned to each product line at each facility, and quote-based, negotiated pricing. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, GMP, and OSHA VPP Worksite certifications. Leadership includes a bench recruited from ExxonMobil, BASF, and INVISTA, with CEO Kho Irani leading the organization.

Revenue is generated exclusively from direct sales of elastomer products, with channel strategy centered on direct enterprise sales supported by technical service. The product portfolio is positioned as specialty rather than commodity, emphasizing tailored grades such as ultra-high molecular weight Royalene 5169 and silicone-modified Royaltherm EPDM. A 2024 partnership with Emulco NV extends Lion's reach into water-based, low-VOC coating emulsions (Aquapol brand), and the announced NBR expansion will broaden the chemistry set into oil-resistant rubber applications. The company positions itself as a domestic, independent, formulation-driven alternative to global petrochemical majors in synthetic rubber supply.

Name

Lion Elastomers

Legal name

Lion Elastomers LLC

Website

https://lionelastomers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lion Elastomers is a US-based specialty manufacturer of synthetic elastomeric polymers (EPDM, SBR, PBR, SBS, and emerging NBR) operating three Gulf Coast plants and serving industrial customers in automotive, construction, wire and cable, coatings, adhesives, tires, and TPV/TPO end-markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)

akta.pro primary industry

Elastomers & Synthetic Rubber Polymer Manufacturing (SBR, BR, NBR, EPDM, Silicone base polymers) (IMANAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Styrenics & Specialty Copolymers Manufacturing (ABS, SAN, ASA, SBS/SIS) (IMANAAAE)

Keywords

• Synthetic rubber manufacturing
• EPDM rubber production
• Styrene butadiene rubber
• Specialty elastomer polymers
• Emulsion polymerization chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Neches

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Elastomeric Polymer Products: Manufacturing and selling elastomeric polymers including EPDM rubber, SBR, specialty elastomers. Revenue generated from direct sales of polymer products to industrial customers in automotive, construction, wire & cable, coatings, and adhesive industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Lion Elastomers manufactures and sells synthetic elastomeric polymers — including EPDM (Royalene, RoyalEdge, Royaltherm, Trilene), emulsion and solution SBR (Emulsion Cold Types, Hot Polymerized Emulsion SBR, Duradene SSBR), polybutadiene rubber (Diene PBR), and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers (Stereon SBS) — from three U.S. production facilities. It supplies these polymers to industrial customers in automotive, building and construction, wire and cable, coatings, adhesives and sealants, tires, and thermoplastic elastomer applications. The company is expanding into NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) production at Port Neches, targeted for commercial production in September 2026.

Product overview

Lion Elastomers is a premier manufacturer of elastomeric polymers with world-class production facilities in the U.S. The company operates three manufacturing sites (Geismar, LA; Port Neches, TX; Orange, TX) and offers a comprehensive portfolio of synthetic rubber products. The core product lines include Royalene® EPDM and RoyalEdge® EPDM (standard and specialty EPDM grades for automotive, construction, wire/cable, and industrial applications), Royaltherm® EPDM (silicone-modified high-temperature rubber), Trilene® Liquid EPDM and Trilene FreeFlow® EPDM (low molecular weight liquid/powder EPDM for coatings, adhesives, and lubricants), Emulsion/Solution SBR including cold types and oil extended types, and Hot Polymerized Emulsion SBR (for adhesives and sealants). Following the 2019 acquisition of Firestone Polymers, the portfolio expanded to include Duradene™ SSBR, Diene™ PBR, and Stereon™ SBS for tire applications. The company has announced expansion into NBR Rubber production at Port Neches, targeting commercial production in September 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Royalene® EPDM: EPDM rubber used in automotive, industrial and consumer hoses, weatherseals, molded goods, wire and cable insulations, window profiles, roof sheeting, thermoplastic elastomers, and viscosity modifiers for lubricants.
• RoyalEdge® EPDM
• Royaltherm® EPDM
• Trilene® Liquid EPDM
• Duradene™ SSBR
• Diene™ PBR
• Stereon™ SBS

Products and services

• Royalene EPDM EPDM rubber used in automotive, industrial and consumer hoses, weatherseals, molded goods, wire and cable insulations, window profiles, roof sheeting, thermoplastic elastomers, and viscosity modifiers for lubricants. Provides superior heat, ozone and chemical resistance with excellent long term aging and weathering properties for industrial manufacturers.
• RoyalEdge EPDM EPDM terpolymers of ethylene, propylene and a non-conjugated diene (ENB or DCPD) that vary in viscosity, ethylene/propylene ratio, and type and amount of diene according to desired processability and end properties. Used in applications requiring superior heat, ozone and chemical resistance.
• Royaltherm EPDM Silicone-modified EPDM rubber ideally suited for high-temperature applications. Provides better heat and weather resistance than normal EPDM, and better tensile strength, flex fatigue resistance and mechanical properties than silicone. Retains physical properties in hermetically sealed environments.
• Trilene Liquid EPDM Specialty lower molecular weight EPDM polymers available in liquid or free-flow powder form, used in gear oils and greases, caulks, adhesives, roof coatings and other applications requiring the characteristics of conventional EPDM in a low molecular weight form.
• Trilene FreeFlow EPDM Free-flowing polymers made by combining Trilene Liquid EPDM and silica, used in applications requiring the characteristics of conventional EPDM in free-flowing powder form for easier handling and compounding.
• Emulsion Cold Types SBR A complete range of cold emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR) including oil extended types (1712, 1732N, 1763, 1769, 1778, 1783, 1783L, 1789) and standard types (1500, 1502, 1502L, 1507). Narrow molecular weight distribution makes them ideal for tires, automotive, mechanical rubber goods, footwear, and general-purpose applications requiring wear resistance and processing versatility.
• Hot Polymerized Emulsion SBR Crosslinked and non-crosslinked hot polymerized emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber polymers for the adhesives and sealants industry. Non-crosslinked polymers produce tacky cements for adhesive and sealant applications, while terpolymers partially crosslinked with divinylbenzene produce adhesives and sealants with non-stringy, buttery consistency for caulking compounds, mastics, and sprayable adhesives.
• NBR Rubber (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) Announced NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) to be manufactured at the expanded Port Neches, Texas emulsion-based facility, targeting domestic and export markets for flooring and mats, custom compounding, automotive and industrial hose, gaskets and seals, and PVC modification.
• Duradene SSBR Solution styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) for tire applications including tire treads, liners, beads, carcass, retread, industrial and non-automotive tires, and sidewalls.
• Diene PBR Polybutadiene rubber (PBR) offering excellent resistance to abrasion, high resilience or rebound, low-temperature flexibility, and good resistance to fatigue cracking and crack growth. Used in various mechanical rubber goods applications.
• Stereon SBS Styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) block copolymer for use in tire and specialty elastomer applications.
• Royalene 5169 Ultra-high molecular weight EPDM grade specifically designed for highly filled compounds with excellent low temperature properties. Provides superior physical properties and low damping, is highly extendable, and features excellent low temperature compression set resistance. Applications include highly filled extrusion profiles, coolant hose, mechanical goods, TPV/TPO, and wire and cable. Extended with a low level of high-quality white, hydrotreated paraffinic oil, available in easy-to-mix semi-friable bales.

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Emulco NVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2024Supply and distribution agreement for Trilene 65 L-EPDM raw material for water-based EPDM dispersion products. Emulco uses Lion's Trilene 65 L-EPDM to manufacture new line of water-based emulsions under brand name Aquapol. Joint development of new EPDM emulsion products worldwide for coating applications such as roof coatings and anti-corrosion coatings. Products are water-based and eco-friendly, reducing VOC emissions compared to solvent-based alternatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ARLANXEO: Global synthetic rubber producer (EPDM, NBR, SBR, BR, SSBR) headquartered in the Netherlands. ARLANXEO is one of the largest direct competitors to Lion Elastomers across nearly every polymer grade and end market Lion serves, including tires, automotive, and industrial rubber goods.
• ExxonMobil Product Solutions (Chemical): Produces Vistalon EPDM and Esso butyl rubber, plus other synthetic elastomers. Direct competitor to Lion's Royalene EPDM line and a former employer of Lion's CEO and VP Sales—reflecting deep industry overlap in product portfolio and customer base.
• Kumho Petrochemical: Korean integrated synthetic rubber producer (SBR, BR, SSBR, NBR, EPDM) and a leading global tire-grade rubber supplier. Directly competes with Lion's Duradene SSBR and Diene PBR grades sold into the tire industry.
• JSR Corporation: Japanese specialty elastomer and synthetic rubber manufacturer with strong SSBR, BR, and EPDM offerings for tire and industrial applications. Competes with Lion across high-performance tire-grade polymers and specialty EPDM.
• Versalis (Eni): Italian chemical subsidiary of Eni producing a broad range of synthetic rubbers including EPDM, SBR, NBR, BR, and EPR. Direct competitor with overlapping grades and end-markets, particularly in Europe and globally in tires and automotive.
• Synthomer: UK-headquartered specialty polymer producer with significant synthetic rubber and latex operations, including NBR and SBR. Competes with Lion in adhesives-grade SBR and specialty elastomers used in industrial and consumer applications.
• Zeon Corporation: Japanese specialty elastomer manufacturer and a global leader in NBR production. Direct competitor to Lion's newly announced NBR expansion, particularly in industrial hose, gaskets, and seals end-markets.
• SIBUR: Russia's largest petrochemicals company and a major global producer of synthetic rubbers including SBR, BR, NBR, and EPDM. Competes with Lion across commodity and specialty grades into tire, automotive, and industrial rubber markets globally.

Broad incumbents

• Trinseo: Global materials company producing synthetic rubber (SSBR, ESBR, BR, NBR) along with latex, plastics, and engineered materials. Overlaps with Lion in tire-grade rubber while also serving broader plastics and binders markets.
• Eastman Chemical: U.S.-headquartered specialty chemicals company with adjacent polymer and rubber additive offerings, including coatings and adhesives raw materials that overlap with Lion's Trilene Liquid EPDM applications in roof and industrial coatings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lion-elastomers-llc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lion Elastomers