Vipal Rubber has been named as the official trophy sponsor for the 2023 Recircle Awards, the globally-facing industry awards event recognising sustainable innovation, production processes, management and services within the tyre retreading and recycling industries. The announcement was made by Valebridge Media Services (VMS).

As trophy sponsor, Vipal Rubber will receive a number of key promotional benefits provided by VMS and the awards official media partners, Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling, business journals for the tyre retreading and recycling sectors. These include video, emailing, website and social media benefits, key coverage in the post-awards supplement to be published by the media partners, press release support and a video podcast on Retreading Business’s popular Retreadcast.

The awards themselves, produced by Spanish design specialists, Neusus Upcycling, feature a twisted column of black crumb rubber derived from end-of-life tyres, supported by a base manufactured from recycled copper, and are in keeping with the sustainability goals of the Recircle Awards concept.

Leandro Rigon, International Business Director, Vipal Rubber, commented, “The whole concept of tyre retreading is about preventing tyres from being disposed of early in life and giving them multiple lives, instead of generating a premature waste. It also prevents the production of a whole new tyre to replace one that is still in a condition to give much of its potential. Whenever a tyre is retreaded, the use of natural resources allocated to produce a new unit is reduced to a third or even less, according to several studies. For us at Vipal, this is a massive contribution to the world’s circular economy, and we believe that the Recircle Awards is a strong vehicle to promote and recognise such a great activity, that still has much room to expand and contribute to our planet. Raising awareness for this activity is definitely a great step for taking good care of our home.”

David Wilson, Managing Director, Valebridge Media Services, said, “Vipal Rubber has been a major supporter of the Recircle Awards since the event’s launch in 2020, and we are delighted that the company has decided to become trophy sponsors of the 2023 awards. The support of major players like Vipal and our other partner/collaborators from within the tyre retreading and recycling industries is of vital importance in underlining the key contribution made by the tyre industry to the circular economy, and will continue to help cement the position of the Recircle Awards as the leading industry awards event for our sector.”

The 2023 Recircle Awards will be officially launched on 8 March, 2023 at Tyrexpo Asia in Singapore. The  winners will be announced during Futurmotive - Expo & Talks, the new event devoted to energy and ecology transition and new business models for the automotive industry, to be held from 16-18 November, 2023 in Bologna, Italy.

Pyrum Innovations AG, a technological pioneer in the field of pyrolysis, focusing on the recycling of end-of-life tyres and composite materials, has announced that football legend Felix Magath has joined the company as brand ambassador and investor with immediate effect.

Pascal Klein, CEO, Pyrum Innovations AG, said, “The fact that such a well-known personality as Felix Magath has chosen to actively support a young company like Pyrum is a great sign of confidence for us – and also a leap of faith. We hope that his charisma as a brand will help to bring our vision and technology closer to a broad public and decisively advance Pyrum.”

“I am convinced by the combination of technological pioneering spirit, entrepreneurial consistency and social relevance. I am looking forward to contributing my experience and my network to make Pyrum even better known – among investors, in industry and among political decision-makers. It is about making a real contribution to our country’s green tech offensive. We need companies like this to get back to the top of the world,” said Magath.

Himadri Speciality Chemical Ltd., a leading Indian speciality chemicals manufacturer, is reinforcing its market position with significant expansions in carbon black production, a strategic entry into speciality tyre manufacturing, and ambitious diversification into EV battery materials.

The company reported robust financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2025, with profit after tax jumping 36 percent to INR 5.58 billion, setting the stage for its expansion plans.

In a major development for its core business, Himadri is expanding its speciality carbon black operations at Singur from 60,000 to 130,000 metric tonnes annually, with operations expected to begin by Q3 FY26. This expansion will boost total capacity to 250,000 metric tonnes, making it “the single largest site for speciality carbon black facility in the world," according to Managing Director Anurag Choudhary.

The INR 2.2 billion investment is projected to generate annual revenue of INR 4.4 billion, with impressive margins ranging from INR 20,000 to 50,000 per tonne, depending on grades. The expansion targets growing demand across specialty fibre blacks, conductive black, inks, plastics, coatings, and battery segments.

Unlike competitors facing market pressures, Himadri's strategic focus on specialty products has created resilience in its business model. “We are largely protected. Our very minimum volume goes to the tyre industry," Choudhary noted, with less than 25 per cent of its carbon black sales going to tyre manufacturers.

Following its acquisition of Birla Tyres alongside resolution applicant Dalmia Bharat Refractories, Himadri is strategically entering specialty tyre manufacturing. The company will focus on off-highway and electric vehicle segments, with operations beginning in phases starting from the end of Q1 FY26.

Initial production will be 10-20 tonnes, gradually increasing quarterly. Products initially include agricultural and mining tyres and bias tyres for commercial vehicles before expanding into passenger car radials and EV tyres. The company is currently awaiting Bureau of Indian Standards approval, which is expected within 30 days.

Himadri is also establishing a 200,000 metric tonne annual capacity plant for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode active material, with the initial 40,000 metric tonne capacity phase operational by Q3 FY27. "We’ll be the first manufacturing plant in the world other than China for electric commissioning,” Choudhary said.

The company aims to boost profit to over INR 8 billion ($96 million) by fiscal 2027, representing a 43 percent increase from current levels. “By FY ’27, we expect a PAT of 800-plus crores," said Choudhary. “Our PAT will be INR 8 billion-plus, so that lays down the road map for growth, and it will be coming from all around the business, from our existing business to the new businesses that we are entering and the capacities that are setting up."

Export sales accounted for 27 percent of total revenue in FY25, with carbon black exports representing 35-40 percent of that segment's sales. The company sees "very bright” export opportunities for its coal tar pitch business in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asia.

"Battery breakthroughs won't just come from one component, but from a holistic mastery of the ecosystem," Choudhary told analysts, highlighting the company's strategic push into clean energy materials amid booming electric vehicle adoption.

Leading global tyre manufacturer NEXEN TIRE has signed a long-term supply agreement with LD Carbon (LDC) for recovered carbon black (rCB) with an aim to boost the adoption of sustainable materials. This partnership is in line with the company's commitment to improving worldwide sustainable management standards.

In order to significantly reduce carbon emissions and encourage resource cycle, LD Carbon produces its recovered carbon black by pyrolysing end-of-life tyres in an oxygen-free atmosphere. Using recycled carbon black instead of petroleum-based carbon black is a smart move that preserves product performance and promotes environmental sustainability. The company has been using more recovered carbon black over time, and this agreement aims to hasten the shift to more ecologically friendly raw materials.

Recovered carbon black from manufacturing sites worldwide, such as those in China, the Czech Republic and Korea, will be used by NEXEN TIRE. In order to increase its global competitiveness, NEXEN TIRE is creating a circular resource structure that will provide a steady supply of recycled materials and integrate them into its global manufacturing chain. The use of sustainable materials in tyre manufacturing will be required under the European Union's proposed Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), and NEXEN TIRE is in a strong position to increase its competitiveness by proactively creating a sustainable raw material supply chain, especially in Europe, where it accounts for almost 40 percent of total sales.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, NEXEN TIRE, said, “Expanding the usage of recovered carbon black is a strategic step that demonstrates our commitment to ESG management and proactive response to global environmental concerns. We will continue to accelerate the transition to eco-friendly materials and establish a tire manufacturing system that has a low environmental effect from production to disposal.”

LANXESS, a speciality chemicals company, has achieved the top score of ‘A’ in the Climate Change category of the CDP annual sustainability ratings. This is LANXESS’s eighth time in a row in the climate category on the A list by the global environmental non-profit organisation.

In the most significant investor questionnaire in the world, the non-profit CDP assesses the performance and openness of organisations in the categories of Climate Change, Water Security and Forests. Every year, it gathers and evaluates data and information on environmental consequences, goals and plans on behalf of investors. Participation is entirely voluntary.

LANXESS led the evaluation group of more than 24,700 businesses globally in the Climate Change area with the highest grade of A, secure a spot among the top two percent of all rated companies. These businesses, according to CDP, are distinguished by extensive and high-quality data that offers a thorough summary of environmental impacts and transformation goals. Additionally, LANXESS got an A- and reaffirmed its top spot in the Water Security area.

Hubert Fink, member of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG, said, “With our solutions and expertise, we are making a significant contribution to sustainable development. At the same time, we are helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals. CDP's renewed top rating underscores our commitment to climate protection and shows that we are on the right track.”