Arlanxeo, a world-leading synthetic rubber company, recently launched its Keltan Ultra-High Mooney 100+ Innovation Platform. Based on the novel Keltan ACE catalyst technology and the excellent finishing process, this platform is primarily focused around the development of new grades with high Mooney viscosity, to optimize physical properties and cost, thus to satisfy the demand for the upgrade of applications across industries, including automotive, construction, and transportation.

Currently, markets are calling for better EPDM products. A major challenge in this has been finding the balance between improved physical properties and reasonable production costs. To satisfy the tight requirements from domestic clients, Keltan Ultra-High Mooney 100+ Innovation Platform has launched three new grades – Keltan 13561C, Keltan 10660C, and Keltan 10950C. Each of these grades has adopted Keltan Controlled Long Chain Branching (CLCB) technology, achieving good mechanical and processing performance. Meanwhile, this platform is about to launch a new Ultra-High Mooney oil-extended grade – Keltan 10675C (50 phr of extender oil).

Keltan 13561C has Mooney viscosity of 130MU at 125℃. Its ultra-high molecular weight enables higher mechanical property that is the same as or even higher than crystalline grades, but without issues of inferior low-temperature performance, high shrinkage, etc. Keltan 10660C reaches 100MU at 125 ℃ and possesses both ultra-high molecular weight and a combination of processing and mechanical properties. With this, Keltan 10660C can be applied to general mixing devices. Both grades are able to bring reduced costs through increasing compound loading without influencing the mechanical property. By virtue of the advantages of ultra-high Mooney, non-crystalline, fast vulcanization, higher elasticity and compound loading, Keltan 13561C and Keltan 10660C can adapt to strict standards of production and application and are widely applied to produce automotive seals and hoses, seals for construction, and rubber products for rail systems.

Sponge grade Keltan 10950C reaches Mooney viscosity of 100MU at 125 ℃. Due to the high Mooney viscosity, the grade also enables a reduced cost with increased compound loading while still maintaining the same mechanical property and compression set. Compared with the previous sponge grades, Keltan 10950C has a larger molecular weight, higher elasticity and non-vulcanized compound strength, and excellent extrusion performance, like outstanding flowability, better collapse resistance, and good profile appearance, offering an alternative for producing high-performance sponge seals. Major applications of the grade include auto sponge profiles, window sponge profiles, and insulation materials for construction.

 “Arlanxeo Keltan Ultra-High Mooney 100+ Innovation Platform is committed to fulfilling the customers’ demand for products with higher performance and lower cost. Facing the new challenges and opportunities ushered by the industrial upgrades, we will stay innovative, close to the local market, and customer-centric, and continually innovate to provide excellent products and services”, said Dr. Baojia Cheng, Head of TSAD and R&D, HPE Asia, ARLANXEO.

The three Keltan grades above are all produced by Arlanxeo Changzhou plant and are available in the market.

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.”

Bansal Wire Industries (BWIL)  unveiled its largest manufacturing facility in Dadri, bolstering India’s push to expand its manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. The 37-acre plant increases BWIL’s total manufacturing sites to five, with one in Bahadurgarh and three in Ghaziabad. The company’s production capacity has risen to 6 million metric tonnes per annum from 2.4 million tonnes previously.

The advanced facility produces specialised wires for diverse sectors, including agriculture, automotive, construction, power transmission, and general engineering. For the automotive industry, the plant manufactures steel wires, hose wires, and low-relaxation pre-stressed concrete steel strands used in bullet trains and metro systems.

The Dadri operation integrates industrial-scale processes with sustainability practices, including rainwater harvesting, solar power generation, acid-free wire cleaning and energy-efficient machinery. An on-site effluent treatment plant and landscaped areas are also featured. A new section for speciality wires was added this quarter, with IT/OT (Internal/Outer) wires coming soon.

Manufacturing Capabilities

The plant produces high-carbon steel wire, valued for its wear resistance and strength, making it suitable for door panels, vehicle frames, bushings, springs, and other automotive components. The facility also manufactures bead wire, a low-carbon wire with properties including weldability, ductility, high strength, fatigue resistance, adhesion to rubber, and malleability. Visible at the edge of a tyre, bead wire secures the tyre to the rim. Some wires receive zinc coating to increase corrosion resistance.

The bead wire production process follows multiple stages: procuring high-carbon steel rods, drawing high-tensile steel wire, passing through a lead bath, washing in an HCL tank, drying via heat treatment, applying zinc and copper coatings to form brass, wiping excess coating, cooling with chemical additives, collecting the wires and reducing them to thin filaments for those wires.

Each wire is drawn differently based on customer requirements before passing through Chinese and Indian furnaces. A 30-metre furnace operating at 980-1000°C restores wire properties after initial processing. After cleaning the HCL tank, zinc and copper coatings are applied. The chemical and subsequent stages occur in air-conditioned environments to maintain wire properties during separation into filaments. The 0.2mm filaments are combined to achieve 1.6-2.4mm thicknesses for commercial and TBR (Truck, Bus, and Radial) tyres.

The Dadri plant also produces hose wires and steel cords that enhance tyre strength, performance and stability. Additionally, it manufactures stainless steel wires that provide aesthetic appearance, corrosion and staining resistance, and low maintenance costs for automotive applications.

Business Performance

As a diversified wire manufacturer, BWIL reports 89 percent client retention and 20-25 percent year-on-year sales growth. Exports constitute 10-15 percent of total sales, with 75 percent destined for US and European markets. Pranav Bansal noted that despite China’s dominance in steel exports, India shows "tremendous positivity” for steel and stainless-steel wires.

He dismissed concerns about US reciprocal tariffs, explaining that with exports limited to 10 percent, the company maintains growth above 20 percent. BWIL’s revenue increased 52 percent in Q3FY25, and profits rose 171 percent.

Regarding price fluctuation, Pravin Bansal said, “We follow a cost + business model at BWIL. While the prices of steel change every month, the prices of stainless steel undergo change daily. The prices are revised as soon as there is a change, ensuring that there is no lag across 90 percent of products.”

He added, "Business works on quantity terms, not on revenue. Instead, revenue is a function of raw materials, and we’ve never given too much attention to the former.” However, he acknowledged that some automotive product prices fluctuate quarterly, creating a lag for products like bead wires and suspension spring wires, with costs passed on in subsequent quarters.

Expansion Plans

Pranav Bansal outlined the company's growth strategy: "Our business model is such that we can keep investing as per the needs of our customers. We don't need to wait for a specific capacity to be established before commencing business; we can expand on a to-go basis.”

For FY26, BWIL plans a 42-acre Sanand, Gujarat plant focused on low carbon and stainless steel wires. The INR 800-900 million facility will include 0.18 million tonnes of backward integration capacity and 60,000 tonnes of new wire production.

Currently serving 5,000 customers with 4,000 SKUs, BWIL's long-term strategy involves developing products with zero price fluctuation, which Pranav Bansal describes as "most helpful for the company’s supply chain cycle."

The company contributes to India's electric vehicle sector, which recorded sales of 1.94 million units by end-2024, with Tata Motors leading the market. BWIL's steel cords and specialised wires offer high tensile strength with reduced weight for EV applications. The company also produces copper-coated and aluminium-stranded wires for electric vehicles.

 Natural rubber prices declined in March amid significant market volatility, according to the latest monthly report from the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC).

The industry body said in its Monthly NR Statistical Report for March 2025 that the downward trend was attributed to multiple factors, including the postponement of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), changes in US tariff policies, and falling oil prices.

Despite strong demand from China in early 2025, market sentiment was dampened by growing concerns over new US tariff measures, which analysts say could reshape global rubber trade flows.

The ANRPC, representing major producing nations including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, projected global natural rubber production to grow by a modest 0.4 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, global demand for natural rubber is forecast to increase by 1.5 percent this year, supported primarily by expansion in the electric vehicle market, according to data compiled from ANRPC member countries.

This growth comes despite concerns of a potential global economic slowdown and complications arising from new US trade policies that could hinder international trade.

Natural rubber, a critical raw material for tyre manufacturing and various industrial applications, has faced increasing price pressures as automotive production forecasts remain uncertain in key markets.