Latex Concentrate
Latex concentrate is field latex that has been preserved and then concentrated, usually by centrifuge, to roughly sixty percent dry rubber. It stays liquid all the way to the factory and it is the feedstock for every article made by dipping, casting, foaming or adhesive coating: examination and surgical gloves, condoms, catheters, balloons, elastic thread, carpet backing, foam mattress and pillow, and a wide range of adhesives. It is shipped in drums, in flexitanks and in dedicated tank containers, and it is a live product whose specification can move in transit.
Listed latex concentrate markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Latex concentrate is graded on preservation system, on concentration route and on a set of stability and purity numbers that are measured again on arrival. The arrival test, not the loading test, is what most contracts settle on.
Types under the international specification
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| HAHigh ammonia, centrifuged | Preserved with ammonia alone at the high level. The most widely traded type, the longest keeping and the reference article. |
| LA-TZLow ammonia, centrifuged, with a secondary preservative | Low ammonia with tetramethylthiuram disulphide and zinc oxide. Chosen where the factory cannot handle the ammonia load. |
| LALow ammonia, centrifuged, secondary preservative declared | Other low ammonia systems. The secondary preservative is named on the contract because destination regulation differs on what is permitted. |
| Creamed HA and creamed LACreamed rather than centrifuged | Concentrated by creaming agent rather than by centrifuge. A distinct article with its own specification and its own handling. |
| Double centrifugedDeclared | Run through the centrifuge twice for lower non-rubber content. Contracted where protein or magnesium must be low. |
| DeproteinisedDeclared, with the route and the residual protein figure | Enzyme treated or leached to reduce extractable protein. A separate article, contracted for medical use. |
| PrevulcanisedDeclared, with the crosslink route | Vulcanised in the liquid state before shipment. A separate article. |
| Field latex, unconcentratedDeclared | Preserved but not concentrated. Traded only over short distances. |
The certified property set
12 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Total solids content, TSCPercentage by mass, minimum | ISO 124. Everything that remains after drying, rubber and non-rubber together. |
| Dry rubber content, DRCPercentage by mass, minimum | ISO 126. The rubber alone, and the basis on which the cargo is usually invoiced. Sixty percent is the standard commercial floor. |
| Non-rubber solidsPercentage by mass, maximum | The difference between total solids and dry rubber. It is read as a cleanliness measure. |
| Alkalinity as ammoniaPercentage by mass on the latex, range | What separates a high ammonia from a low ammonia type, and the primary defence against bacterial spoilage. |
| Mechanical stability time, MSTSeconds, minimum | ISO 35. How long the latex withstands high speed stirring before it flocculates. The number a dipping plant cares about most, and it matures upward for weeks after production. |
| Volatile fatty acid number, VFANumber, maximum | ISO 506. A direct measure of bacterial degradation. A rising VFA is the first evidence that a cargo is going off. |
| KOH numberNumber, maximum | ISO 127. Total acid radicals combined with ammonia. Read together with VFA to judge how the cargo was preserved. |
| Coagulum contentPercentage by mass, maximum | Retained on a stated sieve. It fouls dipping lines. |
| Sludge contentPercentage by mass, maximum | Settled solids after centrifuging the sample. |
| Copper and manganeseMilligrams per kilogram of total solids, maximum | Both catalyse oxidative ageing in the finished article. |
| pHValue, range | Reported. |
| Colour and odour on inspectionPass or fail against the standard | A grey, blue or pronounced sour lot fails on sight regardless of the numbers. |
Delivery and handling terms
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PackingDeclared | Two hundred and five litre drums, one thousand litre intermediate bulk containers, flexitank or dedicated tank container. The choice drives both the freight and the arrival specification. |
| Temperature control and transit timeDeclared, with the maximum permitted transit | Heat accelerates VFA rise. Long transits are contracted with a preservation top up regime. |
| Sampling point for settlementDeclared, loading or discharge | The single most disputed term in the article. It is written down before the cargo moves. |
| Dry rubber content weight settlementDeclared, with the invoicing basis | Whether the cargo prices on wet weight, on dry rubber content or on a stated reference concentration. |
| Producing factory and lotDeclared | Named factory and tank lot, with the production date. |
| Traceability and legality fileDeclared, to plot or to concession | Where the destination is the European Union, the deforestation regulation due diligence file travels with the lot and is part of the deliverable. |
| CertificationCertificate, with the scheme and the certificate number | Forest Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance, GPSNR member supply or an organic certification, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| Medical grade documentationDeclared | Where the latex goes into medical devices, the protein and preservative documentation the destination regulator requires travels with the cargo. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Songkhla, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Johor, Selangor, Perak, Kedah | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Jambi | Origin and destination |
| India | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | Kalutara, Kegalle, Galle | Origin and destination |
| Ivory Coast | Abidjan, Aboisso | Origin and destination |
| Liberia | Margibi | Origin and destination |
| Cambodia | Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum | Origin and destination |
| Myanmar | Mon | Origin and destination |
| China | Hainan, Yunnan | Origin and destination |
| Philippines | Zamboanga | Origin and destination |
| Guatemala | Escuintla, Izabal | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | Veracruz, Chiapas | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | Sao Paulo, Bahia | Origin and destination |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Delta, Edo | Origin and destination |
| Cameroon | Southwest | Origin and destination |
| Ghana | Western | Origin and destination |
| Papua New Guinea | Western | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Penang | Destination |
| China | Shandong, Jiangsu, Guangdong | Destination |
| United States | Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina | Destination |
| Germany | Nationwide | Destination |
| Belgium | Antwerp | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | Destination |
| Spain | Nationwide | Destination |
| Italy | Nationwide | Destination |
| Poland | Nationwide | Destination |
| Turkiye | Nationwide | Destination |
| Japan | Nationwide | Destination |
| South Korea | Nationwide | Destination |
| Bangladesh | Chittagong | Destination |
| Pakistan | Karachi | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Jebel Ali | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Nationwide | Destination |
| Egypt | Nationwide | Destination |
| South Africa | Nationwide | Destination |
| Canada | Nationwide | Destination |
| Australia | Nationwide | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest here is the tapping season, when latex is drawn from the tree. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is preservation, centrifuging, tank maturation, testing and the voyage. Latex is a live cargo, so a long gap is itself a specification question.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to May, arrival Nov to JunTapping peaks from the late rains into the early dry season, with a February to April wintering break. Thailand dominates world latex concentrate supply and sets the price. | |||
| Vietnam | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest May to Dec, arrival Jun to JanSeason opens around May and closes at the wintering break. | |||
| Malaysia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecYear round supply into the largest glove manufacturing base in the world, so much of it never leaves the country as latex. |
| Indonesia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecNear continuous, though most Indonesian latex is coagulated for dry rubber rather than concentrated. |
| India | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Sep to Feb, arrival Oct to MarPost monsoon peak, mostly for domestic dipping and thread manufacture. | |||||
| Sri Lanka | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecYear round with monsoon interruptions, feeding a domestic glove industry. |
| Ivory Coast | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecYear round tapping, short voyage into Europe, which matters more for latex than for dry rubber. |
| Cambodia | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest May to Dec, arrival Jun to JanWet season into early dry season tapping. | |||
| Guatemala | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest May to Dec, arrival Jun to JanWet season tapping and a short voyage into North America, which keeps the arrival specification tight. | |||
| China | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Nov, arrival May to DecHainan and Yunnan tap through the warm months into a short domestic market. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for latex concentrate. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading4001.10 Natural rubber latex, whether or not pre-vulcanised
- PackingTSR in 33.33 kg bales, shrink wrapped, on 1.2 t pallets. RSS in 111.11 kg bales. Latex concentrate in flexitanks, IBCs or 205 kg drums with the ammonia content declared.
- Container loading20ft: 20 t of TSR or RSS. Latex concentrate at 20 t to 22 t in a flexitank. Stow away from heat and direct sun.
- Contract and arbitrationInternational Rubber Association contracts, with technical specification under ISO 2000 for TSR and the Green Book visual grading for RSS. SICOM and TOCOM specifications set the deliverable grades. Arbitration under the rules of the rubber trade association at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsEUDR due diligence with plot geolocation applies. Ammonia preserved latex is declared for IMDG classification where the ammonia content requires it, and dry rubber content, volatile fatty acid number, KOH number and mechanical stability time are the operative quality clauses. EU REACH restricts nitrosamines and PAHs downstream.
Common questions
What grades of latex concentrate does SIP Global trade?
We quote 28 published grades of latex concentrate, including HA - High ammonia, centrifuged, LA-TZ - Low ammonia, centrifuged, with a secondary preservative, LA - Low ammonia, centrifuged, secondary preservative declared, Creamed HA and creamed LA - Creamed rather than centrifuged, Double centrifuged - Declared and Deproteinised - Declared, with the route and the residual protein figure. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is latex concentrate graded?
Latex concentrate is graded on preservation system, on concentration route and on a set of stability and purity numbers that are measured again on arrival. The arrival test, not the loading test, is what most contracts settle on. Grading runs on 3 systems: Types under the international specification, The certified property set and Delivery and handling terms.
Where does SIP Global trade latex concentrate?
We trade latex concentrate in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast and Liberia and 32 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is latex concentrate harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Thailand: harvest oct to may, arrival nov to jun; Vietnam: harvest may to dec, arrival jun to jan; Malaysia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Indonesia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; India: harvest sep to feb, arrival oct to mar. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for latex concentrate?
Latex concentrate is normally classified under HS 4001.10 (natural rubber latex, whether or not pre-vulcanised). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for latex concentrate?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed latex concentrate market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- FSCForest Stewardship Council chain of custody
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.