The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has released its Monthly NR Statistical Report for August 2025, providing an overview of key developments in the global natural rubber sector.

According to the report, a number of reasons, including limited supply and rising demand, contributed to the volatile pattern in natural rubber prices this month. Consumption was increased by seasonal considerations, especially in China, where stronger demand was evidenced by inventory reductions at key ports. However, tapping efforts were restricted due to manpower shortages and rains in producing regions, which tightened supplies.

Global natural rubber (NR) output is expected to increase slightly by 0.5 percent in 2025 compared to 2024, according to recent data from ANRPC member countries. At the same time, a 1.3 percent increase in demand for natural rubber is anticipated in 2025. As buying demand increased, the market sentiment got more positive, especially when the customary peak season for natural rubber, notably for heavy-duty vehicles and all-steel tyres, began.

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Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd. has finalised the strategic acquisition of Bridgestone Carbon Black (Thailand) Co., Ltd. from Bridgestone Corporation and Asahi Carbon Co., Ltd. The transaction, valued at roughly THB 2.05 billion (USD 56 million approximately), was officially completed on 30 September 2025. This move represents a significant expansion of Tokai Carbon's carbon black operations within the key Southeast Asian market.

Subsequent to the deal's closure, the newly acquired entity has been rebranded as Thai Tokai Carbon Product Rojana Co., Ltd. The company's ownership is now held by Thai Tokai Carbon Product Co., Ltd. at 99 percent and Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd. at one percent, making it a consolidated subsidiary. Tokai Carbon has appointed its Executive Officer, Tatsuhiko Yamazaki, as the new Managing Director to lead the organisation.

This acquisition is a calculated step in Tokai Carbon's wider plan to bolster its global presence and reinforce its production and supply chain capabilities. The company anticipates that this will solidify its standing in the international carbon black sector, which serves the tyre, rubber and various industrial markets. While the specific financial effect on its 2025 results is still being assessed, the move is a clear part of its ongoing growth strategy across Asia.

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Hana Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of radio-frequency identification inlays, has joined the board of Auburn University’s RFID Lab, marking its deeper engagement in setting industry standards for the technology.

The appointment positions the California-based company, which holds ARC Quality certification, alongside other industry participants in shaping research and standards development at the Alabama-based laboratory, which is recognised as a leading academic centre for RFID testing and certification.

RFID technology uses electromagnetic fields to identify and track tags attached to objects automatically and has seen growing adoption in the retail, logistics, and manufacturing sectors for inventory management and supply chain tracking.

“I am excited and honoured to once again collaborate with the Auburn RFID Lab Board, representing Hana RFID,” said Jeremy Liu, chief technology officer of Hana RFID. “This opportunity allows us to contribute to the future of RFID by ensuring quality remains a top priority. Hana is proud of its strong position in the RFID world, and we are committed to supporting our partners with the finest, smartest products available. Together, we will keep moving the industry forward.”

John Erdmann, president and chief executive of Hana RFID, said: “The Auburn RFID Lab has been a key contributor since the very beginning, helping to create a strong and trustworthy RFID ecosystem. We are grateful for this foundation and see our board membership as a chance to give back to the community. Hana will be a fully engaged member – providing continuous feedback, and sharing our knowledge to ensure RFID adoption continues to grow on a solid, reliable base.”

The company, which operates manufacturing facilities globally, did not disclose the term of the board appointment or specific initiatives it plans to pursue in the role.

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Kuraray Co., Ltd. has announced a significant step in its renewable energy transition through a 10-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) between Kuraray Holdings U.S.A., Inc. and Tokyo Gas America Ltd. (a subsidiary of TOKYO GAS CO., LTD.). This agreement, which commences in October 2025, involves the procurement of renewable energy from a solar power project located in Wharton County, Texas.

Annually, the arrangement will supply Kuraray with renewable energy certificates equivalent to 300 gigawatt-hours of electricity. The company projects this initiative will yield a substantial reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions, cutting the Kuraray Group's US emissions by nearly 70 percent. Furthermore, this shift is expected to lower the entire Group's global electricity-related emissions by approximately 40 percent.

This VPPA is a core component of Kuraray's broader environmental strategy, which identifies climate action as a critical priority. The Group has established a long-term objective of achieving carbon neutrality for its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2050. To ensure meaningful near-term progress, a new interim target has been set to reduce these emissions by 63 percent by 2035, using 2021 as the baseline year.

Beyond securing external renewable power, Kuraray is implementing a multi-faceted approach to decarbonisation. This includes enhancing energy conservation and operational efficiency across its production facilities, transitioning in-house power generation to natural gas and developing carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies. The company will also collaborate with its supply chain to encourage a broader shift towards cleaner utility fuels. For advisory services related to this specific VPPA, Kuraray engaged Kinect Energy, Inc., a subsidiary of World Kinect Corporation.

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Cabot Corporation has announced a significant expansion of its manufacturing capabilities in North America, now producing circular reinforcing carbons through its EVOLVE Sustainable Solutions technology. This milestone elevates the company’s Ville Platte, Louisiana plant to the status of a key production site for these sustainable materials, alongside its existing facilities in Mauá, Brazil, and Valasske Mezirici, Czech Republic. The production of these carbons relies on a certified mass balance approach, using tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) sourced from end-of-life tyres, which is validated under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS framework.

This strategic move is a direct response to the ambitious goals of global tyre manufacturers, who are targeting 40 percent sustainable material content in their products by 2030. Cabot’s TPO-based circular reinforcing carbons are engineered to function as a drop-in replacement for traditional carbon black, enabling tyre makers to enhance the sustainable composition of their products without compromising performance or altering their manufacturing processes. By establishing production in Louisiana, Cabot is advancing its ‘make-in-region, sell-in-region’ strategy, which is designed to increase supply chain efficiency and significantly reduce transportation-related emissions for its North American customers.

To solidify the foundation for these offerings, Cabot has substantially grown its global network of ISCC PLUS certified sites, which now totals 14 facilities. This expanded certification encompasses 12 sites dedicated to its reinforcing carbons portfolio across Europe, the Americas and Asia, plus two additional masterbatch and compounding sites in Europe. This robust, globally distributed network ensures that Cabot can provide its customers with third-party certified, sustainable solutions that deliver consistent performance and verifiable traceability at an industrial scale.

Aatif Misbah, Vice President and General Manager, Sustainable Solutions, Reinforcement Materials segment, said, “As a leader and innovator in our industry, we are continuously enhancing our technology and manufacturing footprint to enable our customers to meet their sustainability objectives – now and into the future. With the expansion of our manufacturing footprint for circular reinforcing carbons under the recovered category of our EVOLVE Sustainable Solutions technology platform, we are well-positioned to continue to deliver scalable solutions that help drive progress towards a more sustainable world. As we advance in our own sustainability journey, we will continue to refine our efforts to ensure our offerings support the dynamic priorities of the industry.”

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