BKT completes 30KT carbon plant project
Balkrishna Industries Limited has concluded its project to set up a new carbon material plant. The tyre maker says it has commissioned the 30,000 tonne per annum facility after completing the project’s capex.
Raw Materials
Posts
Evonik aiming for 20% recycled rubber in new tyres
At present, trade associations in the tyre recycling sector generally recommend that no more than around five per cent ground rubber from end-of-life tyres goes into the production of new tyres. But Evonik is confident of quadrupling this ratio. A team of researchers have been working to counter the restrictions imposed by the chemical structure of recycled rubber, and the company reports having achieved a “key step forward with a process that could make it possible to use up to four times as much recycled rubber in new tyres as in the past.”
Bridgestone partnering to prevent rubber tree disease
As part of a project involving parties based in Japan and Indonesia, Bridgestone Corporation is working to develop technologies for preventing White Root Disease (WRD) in Para rubber trees. WRD kills rubber trees by infecting the roots with pathogenic fungi that causes tissue decay, and the disease’s onset is difficult to detect. By developing technologies to prevent fungal infection, the project aims to stabilise the yield of natural rubber and improve the productivity of plantations.
Marubeni extends ELT pyrolysis activities with Thailand investment
Japanese general trading company Marubeni Corporation has announced its investment in Thailand-based waste tyre pyrolysis recycler Green Rubber Energy Company Limited (GRE). By investing in this venture, Marubeni intends to establish a tyre recycling supply chain in Thailand that encompasses the collection of end-of-life tyres and the production and sale of recycled materials such as recovered carbon black and tyre pyrolysis oil. Marubeni has not disclosed the size of its investment in GRE.
Reselo, Nokian Tyres partnering to further develop renewable rubber
Nokian Tyres has entered into a development agreement with Swedish biomaterial science company Reselo AB to advance the use of Reselo Rubber as a potential raw material in tyre manufacturing. Reselo Rubber is derived from birch bark, a residue of the global pulp, paper, and plywood industry. The partnership aims to adapt this renewable material for commercial tyre production.
Enviro receives milestone compensation, reports improvements in H1 2024
Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) has announced a significant achievement in its joint venture project with the receipt of SEK 25.6 million (£1.9 million) as compensation for meeting a predefined milestone linked to the construction of its recycling plant in Uddevalla, Sweden. This compensation, which comprises equal parts cash and shares in the joint venture company, marks the first of several planned disbursements tied to the project’s progress. Enviro has also published its financial results for H1 2024.
China continues anti-dumping duties on synthetic rubber for tyre liners, tubes
China has extended anti-dumping duties on imports of halogenated butyl rubber originating in the United Kingdom, European Union, United States, and Singapore, extending a programme of penalties first announced six years ago. Upon the recommendation of the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Commerce, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council is imposing anti-dumping duties for a further five years, effective from 20 August 2024.
Sailun – 18 million tyres sold in Q2 2024
Sailun Group has published its operating data for the second quarter of 2024, reporting having produced 18.1579 million tyres in the three months to 30 June 2024 and selling 17.9620 million tyres. Revenues from these products amounted to 7.57 billion yuan (£809.02 million) for the period.
Sustainable tyre material market to hit $46.38 million by 2032, up 32.88% CAGR
So called green tyres are reliant on sustainable materials and so that market is also growing fast. Indeed, separate research distributed by Report Ocean, found that the global sustainable tyre materials market is projected to reach US$46.38 million by 2032 from $34.9 million in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 32.88 per cent between 2024 and 2032.
Tyre majors buying Hainan’s natural rubber
Natural rubber produced at the Xilian Rubber Plantation, located in south China’s Hainan Province and run by China Hainan Rubber Industry Group Co. Ltd. is making its way around the world and even as far as leading global tyremakers.
Yokohama Rubber holds information exchange event with natural rubber suppliers
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.’s Singapore subsidiary, Yokohama Rubber Singapore Pte. Ltd., held a “Suppliers’ Day” for suppliers of natural rubber in July. The event was part of Yokohama Rubber’s efforts to “promote procurement of sustainable natural rubber, facilitating the exchange of information and establishing a common awareness of supply chain issues”.
Conti boosts recycled content in its tyres with 10-year Pyrum carbon black purchase agreement
Continental is planning to boost the recycled content in its tyres after it signed a new decade-long purchase agreement with Pyrum Innovations. Pyrum specialises in thermolysis technology in end-of-life tyres (ELT), generating high-quality recovered carbon black (rCB). Conti said it signed the new supply deal to fulfil its intention to use rCB in the series production of passenger car tyres in the future. Conti had already signed a development agreement with Pyrum Innovations in 2022, after which the companies shared the goal of optimising and expanding ELT recycling with pyrolysis.
Proposed standard set to guide storage of recovered carbon black
ASTM International’s recovered carbon black (rCB) committee (D36) is developing a proposed standard that will guide users of rCB on how long the material can be stored and the effect that prolonged storage might have on rCB.
Russia’s Cordiant working to reduce rubber import dependence
Tyre maker Cordiant has signed a letter of intent with major Russian polymer and rubber producer Sibur to replace natural rubber with synthetic isoprene rubber in the formulations of various types of tyres. Sibur explains that this joint initiative aims to develop the “technological sovereignty” in Russia’s transport industry by substituting imported natural rubber from Asia-Pacific countries.
Orion installs tyre pyrolysis oil tanks at Polish plant
Specialty chemicals producer Orion S.A. is installing multiple tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) tanks at its plant in Jaslo, Poland. The company states that this installation is its “latest move toward boosting production of circular carbon black.”
