The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has said in its latest monthly natural rubber (NR) report that the global NR production is set to increase only marginally in 2025 after a 3.5 percent year-on-year increase last year.

The total NR output is expected to be 14.897 million tonnes this year, up only 0.3 percent from the 14.855 million tonnes recorded in 2024, according to the projection. Specifically, it was anticipated that Indonesia would record a significant decline in output as a result of a switch from rubber to other crops, particularly palm oil and a reduction in tapped area. It is anticipated that Indonesian output will drop by over 10 percent annually to 2,041 million tonnes.

Malaysia's output is expected to drop 4.2 percent to 370,000 tonnes in 2025 as a result of ageing rubber trees and a shift to other commodities. Despite its larger objective of growing the nation's NR sector by 2030, Vietnam, the third-largest producer in the globe, is expected to witness a 1.3 percent drop in output to 1.280 million tonnes. China anticipates a six percent increase in production to 933,000 tonnes, while other NR-producing nations are expected to boost output. Production in the rest of the world, which includes non-ANRPC members and African producers, is predicted to rise by 3.5 percent this year to 3.293 million tonnes.

It is projected that ANRPC members' overall production would drop little from 81 percent in 2023 to 79 percent in 2024 and 2025. This change is a result of higher production, especially in Laos and Côte d'Ivoire, which are becoming important players in the natural rubber market. 'Planting and re-export' is a new initiative by Chinese enterprises that is intended to greatly increase output in the Myanmar-Laos border region.

The association predicts that NR consumption will increase 1.8 percent year to 15.625 million tonnes. According to the monthly report, the updated demand forecasts for China and non-ANRPC members for three years in a row have an impact on this moderate rise. The anticipated 110 percent increase in demand to 122,000 tonnes by Cambodia, a significant location for new tyre projects in recent months, is especially noteworthy. Demand is expected to rise by 2.5 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively, to 7.163 million tonnes and 1.5 million tonnes in China and India, the two largest NR users in the world, with 46 percent and 10 percent of the global market share.

Eneos, Japan's leading oil company, is considering stopping the manufacture of synthetic resins at its Jushi facility. The action is consistent with the company's overarching plan to rebuild its petroleum supply and manufacturing infrastructure.

According to a statement released by Eneos on 26 February, the plant, run by Nippon Gosei Jushi Co., a subsidiary of Eneos Materials Corp, has the potential to create 18 kiltonne per year (ktpa) of neopolymers and 2 ktpa of neoresins.

It stated that the evaluation is expected to result in the Kawasaki refinery's ethylene producing plant being shut down by the end of fiscal 2027. The corporation thus said that, even with external procurement, manufacturing would no longer be possible owing to a lack of raw materials.

Speciality chemicals manufacturer Wacker Chemie AG has stated that it anticipates growth in all of its business segments in 2025, including a notable rise in sales of silicones.

The company expects total sales to increase from the EUR 5.7 billion recorded in 2024 to between EUR 6.1 billion and EUR 6.4 billion in 2025. Compared to the EUR 763 million recorded in 2024, earnings (EBITDA) for the year are expected to be between EUR 700 and 900 million.

According to the company, its silicones business boosted sales and profits in 2024. As per Wacker's annual report, sales reached EUR 2.81 billion, up two percent year over year, while profitability increased 47 percent to EUR 347 million. The chemicals group attributed the expansion to increased plant utilisation rates and an enhanced product mix that included a noticeably larger percentage of speciality goods.

According to Christian Hartel, president and CEO, Wacker's silicone demand is expected to continue to grow in 2025, particularly for speciality goods, and the company anticipates stronger volumes in this region this year, with sales expected to climb by 10 percent over 2024.

Circtec is building the world's largest chemical recycling plant for car tyres in Groningen. The company expects the new plant to be functional by the end of the summer.

The company already has plants in Poland and Germany where it recycles tyres on a smaller scale. The plant in Groningen will be the first large-scale facility with a capacity to process about 20 million (200,000 tonnes) waste tyres annually, which is six percent of all waste tyres in Europe each year.

The tyres are chemically deconstructed at high temperatures and broken down into tiny molecules that evaporate and mostly condense again as part of a process developed by Circtec to recycle car tyres. Following recycling, the different compounds found in tyres may be utilised as raw materials to make sustainable biofuel and new car tyres. The firm produces Naphtha from a portion of the rubber used in car tyres. This material has the potential to be utilised as a raw material for the manufacturing of plastic and synthetic rubber. Another portion of the rubber is used to make HUPA, a cutting-edge ship biofuel. Additionally, after recycling, the carbon may be used again.

According to Pieter ter Haar, Director – Sustainable Carbonaceous Materials, Circtec, some 3.5 million car tyres end up in Europe's waste every year and much of it is burned for cement production. In addition, many European tyres are shipped to India, so that the tyres can be burned and processed there without regard to the environment, public health or CO2 emissions. "We have a responsibility to make new raw materials and valuable products from our own waste products and not to pollute other parts of the world with our waste and its unregulated incineration," he said.

"We handle the recycling of tyres from the moment they come off a car to the production of the various new chemical products. That makes us unique from our competitors," Ter Haar said.

Asserting his determination to make an impact by making the chemical industry more sustainable, Ter Haar said, "With the new plant, we are contributing to both the energy and materials transition. The plant will offset about three percent of the Dutch chemical industry'sCO2 emissions."

Kordsa, a global player in advanced material technologies, displayed its sustainability and innovation-driven solutions at Tire Technology Expo 2025, one of the leading trade fairs for the tyre industry, which was held in Hannover, Germany, from 4–6 March 2025.

Kordsa shared its objective of offering solutions to the global tyre market with the advantage of local production while highlighting its achievements in tyre reinforcing technology. Kordsa demonstrated REV Technologies, its umbrella brand created to meet the expanding need for high-performance electric car goods, as part of its dedication to sustainable transportation. The firm also demonstrated its commitment to sustainable, next-generation reinforcement solutions by showcasing its RFID tyre label products and cord fabric manufactured from rPET, which is derived from recycled plastics.

Kordsa and Continental jointly delivered a presentation on Cokoon, a formaldehyde-free, environmentally friendly bonding technology, as part of the conference schedule. Dr Cornelia Schmaunz-Hirsch, Senior Reinforcement Developer, Reinforcement Development Tires at Continental, and Dr Mustafa Yasin Şen, Expert Researcher, Chemicals and Materials at Kordsa, spoke about the advancements made by Cokoon technology in textile reinforcement applications during a session on the first day of the expo. Furthermore, in a separate session, ‘Accelerating Sustainable Solutions for Tires: Sustainable Reinforcement Solutions of Nylon 66 and Polyester’ was the subject of presentations by Begüm Aytuğar, Kordsa Marketing Manager, and Seda Aracı, Kordsa R&D Technology Manager, Tire Cord Fabric.

Doğan Sevim, Chief Global Sales and Marketing Officer, Kordsa, said, “Tire Technology Expo 2025 is one of the most strategic events in the tyre industry, offering us a valuable opportunity to emphasise our sustainability and innovation-focused approach while engaging with our customers. Through REV Technologies, we continue to differentiate ourselves in the sustainable solutions, particularly by addressing the specific needs of electric vehicle tyres. We are not only delivering innovative solutions to our customers but also addressing their specific requirements in different markets by combining our global expertise with our local manufacturing capabilities. Our ability to leverage both local production and a global supply chain aligns seamlessly with our sustainability strategy, allowing us to provide more effective and tailored services.”