HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with TATA STEEL Thailand last month to secure a long-term supply of sustainable steel raw materials. This partnership ensures a stable procurement of eco-friendly steel for manufacturing tyre steel cords, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainability.

TATA STEEL Thailand, part of India’s renowned Tata Group, specialises in producing high-quality steel using the electric arc furnace (EAF) method. This process recycles scrap metal and is far more energy-efficient than traditional blast furnaces, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 60 percent. By sourcing these sustainable materials, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS can manufacture tyre steel cords with a significantly lower carbon footprint. Additionally, sustainable steel cords yield higher profit margins compared to conventional alternatives, strengthening the company’s revenue stream in this sector.

Tyre steel cords are critical for enhancing tyre durability and shape stability, with growing demand for high-strength variants due to the expanding electric vehicle market. Furthermore, advanced markets like Europe are increasingly prioritising sustainable materials, boosting sales potential for eco-friendly steel cords. HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS aims to increase the proportion of sustainable steel cord sales from five percent in 2025 to 15 percent by 2027.

The company’s sustainability efforts have been widely recognised. In October 2023, it received the Platinum Medal from EcoVadis, placing it in the top one percent of over 130,000 global companies assessed for ESG performance. Additionally, it was listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) Korea for the second consecutive year in December, underscoring its leadership in sustainable business practices.

Nak-Yang Sung, CEO, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS, said, “Through this MOU, we have secured a stable source of sustainable raw materials and will continue to meet the growing demand from global tyre manufacturers for sustainable products.”

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On 28 February 2025, Bekaert finalised an agreement to sell its Steel Wire Solutions businesses in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Venezuela to Grupo AG. This divestment aligns with Bekaert’s strategic shift away from commoditised, volatile markets towards higher-growth sectors with stronger profitability and capital returns. Following regulatory approvals, including competition clearance, the transaction was completed on 30 June 2025.

The deal valued the divested businesses at a consolidated enterprise value of USD 73 million. The proceeds will bolster Bekaert’s financial position, supporting shareholder returns and strategic growth investments. In the first half of 2025, these operations generated around EUR 60 million in revenue and EUR 4 million in underlying EBIT. Excluding a non-cash, cumulative translation adjustment of EUR -56 million due to Venezuela’s historical currency devaluations, the sale is expected to yield an estimated profit of EUR 15 million.

Post-transaction, Latin America will account for roughly four percent of Bekaert’s consolidated sales. This move reflects the company’s ongoing portfolio optimization, prioritising stable, high-margin markets while reducing exposure to less predictable regions. The successful closure of this deal marks another step in Bekaert’s long-term strategy to enhance profitability and sustainable growth.

François Desné, Divisional CEO, Bekaert’s Steel Wire Solutions, said, “The successful completion of this transaction marks another important milestone in the transformation of the Steel Wire Solutions portfolio. Equally, we are confident that our teams and customers in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Venezuela will thrive under the leadership of Grupo AG. We are proud of what we have achieved together in Latin America over the past years and wish our local teams and Grupo AG every success as they embark on this new chapter.”

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A research team at the Department of Chemistry at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology) has made a groundbreaking advancement by developing a method to convert waste tires into high-purity cyclic alkenes – essential chemical components for producing rubber and nylon. This innovation represents a major leap forward in sustainable tyre recycling.

Under the leadership of Professor Soon Hyeok Hong, the team created a dual-catalyst system that overcomes the limitations of traditional recycling methods. Tyres contain a complex mix of synthetic and natural rubber, strengthened with additives like carbon black and silica. The vulcanisation process, which enhances durability by forming heat-resistant cross-linked polymers, has historically made tyres difficult to recycle chemically.

Existing approaches, such as pyrolysis, require extreme heat (350–800°C) and yield low-quality hydrocarbon mixtures with poor selectivity. KAIST's solution uses two specialised catalysts: the first breaks down rubber molecules, while the second reassembles them into cyclic alkenes. This method achieves an impressive 82 percent yield with up to 92 percent selectivity, producing high-value chemicals like cyclopentene (for rubber) and cyclohexene (for nylon).

The team successfully tested this process on actual waste tyres, demonstrating its efficiency at lower temperatures compared to pyrolysis. Beyond tyres, the technology can be adapted for other rubber waste, offering a scalable circular economy solution. Supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, this research was published in Chem on 18 June, marking a significant step towards sustainable material recycling.

Professor Hong said, "This research offers an innovative solution for the chemical recycling of waste tyres. We aim to develop next-generation high-efficiency catalysts and lay the groundwork for commercialisation to enhance economic feasibility. Ultimately, our goal is to contribute to solving the broader waste plastic problem through fundamental chemistry."

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Pyrum Innovations AG has once again earned the prestigious EcoVadis silver medal for its sustainability efforts, achieving a score of 70 points – a 9-point increase from its previous rating. This places Pyrum among the top eight percent of companies evaluated in the ‘recovery of recyclable materials’ sector.

The EcoVadis assessment rigorously evaluates corporate sustainability across four key areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. Pyrum demonstrated notable progress in sustainable procurement, driven by enhancements to its quality and environmental management systems, now incorporating sustainability criteria, along with the implementation of new group-wide compliance policies. The recertification remains valid until June 2026.

Moving forward, Pyrum plans to intensify its focus on sustainability reporting, particularly in expanding CO₂ accounting and strengthening employee compliance awareness as part of its responsible corporate governance strategy. The company aims to refine existing processes while integrating ESG (environmental, social, governance) priorities to further advance its sustainability commitments.

Pascal Klein, CEO, Pyrum Innovations AG, said, “We are delighted to have once again been awarded the silver medal by EcoVadis and to have improved our rating. It confirms that we are on the right track. We are particularly proud that our new environmental and compliance guidelines are already having a positive impact. It also shows that our continuous efforts are not only bearing fruit within the company but are also being praised and recognised by our partners.”

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In June 2025, Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., in partnership with Thailand’s Rubber Authority (RAOT), hosted an educational seminar in Surat Thani to help local rubber farmers improve productivity and rubber quality. Fifty farming households participated in the event, the ninth since its launch in 2020. Attendees received free fertilizer developed through RAOT’s expertise to support sustainable cultivation.

The seminar covered key topics such as selecting high-yield seedlings, optimising fertilizer use and preventing contamination in natural rubber. Farmers praised the practical guidance and agreed to participate in a year-long study tracking the effects of fertilizer application and seasonal changes on rubber quality. This initiative is part of a 2020 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Yokohama Rubber and RAOT, aimed at strengthening Thailand’s rubber industry and ensuring supply chain transparency. Surat Thani was chosen as the event location due to its proximity to Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd. (YTRC), Yokohama’s local processing subsidiary.

As a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber revised its sustainable procurement policy in 2021, emphasising support for small-scale farmers. The seminar reflects this commitment while contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Under its ‘Caring for the Future’ sustainability slogan, Yokohama Rubber continues to promote ethical sourcing and community development, ensuring long-term benefits for farmers and the rubber industry. Future initiatives will further align with its sustainable procurement guidelines.

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