Continental has expanded its Gravity mountain bike tyre range to include Enduro casings in its SuperSoft compound, responding to demand from riders seeking maximum grip on technical terrain.

The SuperSoft compound, first introduced in 2022, has been engineered to enhance traction on technical descents, wet roots and loose surfaces. The company has now paired this technology with its durable Enduro casing.

Continental’s Kryptotal Front and Rear tyres have received the most extensive updates, with new size options and compound combinations. The mixed-conditions Kryptotal tyre will now be available for 20, 24, and 26-inch wheels, alongside expanded options for 29-inch and 27.5-inch wheel sizes.

Riders can select Enduro casings with the SuperSoft compound for maximum grip or choose the Soft compound with Trail casing for improved durability.

The expanded range allows gravity-focused mountain bikers to customise their setup based on riding conditions and personal preferences.

Alexander Haenke, MTB Product Manager, Continental Tires, said: “Since launching the Gravity range, it’s been really exciting to see how riders have been mixing and matching different combinations of tyres from the portfolio. We received many messages on social media and at events specifically asking us to extend our range to include softer compound options in lighter casings. Well, you asked and we listened. We’re excited to introduce the SuperSoft compound in our Enduro casing and add more sizes and variants to the range. Now riders have even more flexibility for optimising their setup.”

New Compound and Casing Options:

Kryptotal Fr - Downhill Casing - Soft Compound - 60-622

Kryptotal Fr - Enduro Casing - SuperSoft Compound - 60-622

Kryptotal Fr - Trail Casing - Soft Compound - 60-622

Argotal - Enduro Casing - SuperSoft Compound - 60-622

Canada-based tyre recycling specialist Klean Industries has signed an MoU with Viva Energy Australia to build a tyre recycling facility in Melbourne, Australia. The companies will collaborate on the pre-feasibility study to establish a pyrolysis plant with capacity to process up to 80 kiltonnes per annum (ktpa) of waste tyres.

The facility, which will be situated within Viva Energy's Geelong refinery, will generate steel, pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black (rCB), all of which will be processed further by the refinery to create low-carbon fuels. Tyre pyrolysis oil made with Klean's cutting-edge technology is being sent by Viva Energy to the Geelong Refinery. This is another important milestone in Viva Energy's co-processing trials and a crucial step in confirming the refinery's ability to process tyre pyrolysis oil at scale. It also shows the company's dedication to developing lower-carbon fuels and products.

Lachlan Pfeiffer, Chief Strategy Officer, Viva Energy, said, “This partnership with Klean Industries is an important development for Viva Energy as we continue to explore new pathways to a more sustainable future for our refinery. By transforming end-of-life tyres into valuable resources, we are reducing waste and pioneering new paths for low-carbon fuel production. This project demonstrates our determination to develop a circular economy and deliver environmental and economic benefits for the community.”

Jesse Klinkhamer, CEO, Klean Industries Inc, said, “Klean Industries is excited to join in a strategic partnership with Viva Energy to address the end-of-life tyre crisis in Australia effectively. Together, we are poised to transform used tyres into sustainable products that fulfil the growing demand for sustainable low-carbon fuels and raw materials. Together, we are making a difference and leading the way towards a more sustainable future!”

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.

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.