Natural Rubber
Nearly one-quarter of the world’s rubber comes from natural sources, making natural rubber an important a vital agricultural product or commodity which is used in the manufacture of a wide range of products. Rubber plays a major socio-economic role in many Asian countries including Sri Lanka,
Natural rubber combines high strength with outstanding resistance to fatigue, which makes it resistant to tensile and tears. It also has excellent green strength and tack which means that it has the ability to stick to itself and to other materials which makes it easier to fabricate.
Moreover, Natural Rubber is the best barrier against pathogens such as the HIV virus, which is the main reason why latex is used in condoms and surgical and medical examination gloves. In addition, Natural Rubber is also used in catheters, balloons, medical tubes, elastic thread, and in some adhesives. It is also the sole raw material largely used by the global automotive industry.
Sri Lankan rubber industry has acquired historically proven core competencies in natural rubber breeding, growing, primary processing & trading. Sri Lankan Natural Rubber is exported in both raw & value-added form. The country now has a premium quality natural rubber type known as Lanakprene which is an odour free, to a certain extent light coloured, clean, rubber which is ideally suited for medical equipment and upmarket value-added products.
