HOTAI INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.

In 1972, Ho Tai company developed Thermal Plastic Rubber (TPR) material as well as a unique Injection molding tool together with a renovated injection molded machine for shoe sole production. The material is an advanced revolutionary product still used extensively today by good many manufactures.

In 1986, in answer to a rapidly growing need for a wide variety of functional applications of the product in the market, Ho Tai collaborated with Shell Oil Company to license the use of its polymer compound known as HTPR (Hydrogenated Thermal Plastic Rubber) in Taiwan. Marketed as EMPILON® this elastomer compound offers greater characteristics created to resist much higher temperature, chemical oxidation and weather erosion than TPR.

EMPILON® is a formulated compound based on styrene-ethlene/butylenes-styrene or styrene-ethlene/propylene-styrene block copolymer. It is an A-B-A type structure of hard plastic polymer at the two ends and a soft elastomer polymer in the middle. This configuration renders the material malleable through heat molding and easily shaped at room temperature still maintaining sturdy and elasticity characteristics.