JSR Corporation has been supplying an extensive range of products such as synthetic rubbers for car tyres, thermoplastic elastomers with the characteristics of both elastomers and plastics, and latex for paper coating. As part of its mid-term business plan “JSR20i9,” which started in April 2017, JSR Corporation is strengthening competitiveness for the future. It focuses on earnings drivers and profit expansion in SSBR, semiconductor materials and the Life Sciences Business.

The CASE mobility will influence the entire eco-system of the tyre industry. Requirements of tyres for the CASE mobility will be different from today, and raw material suppliers are now pushing themselves meet future demand. The tyres for the new mobility are expected to have high strength, wear resistance, with reduction of emissions. To meet these needs, the company used its proprietary synthesis technology to develop the new SBR with significantly improved mechanical strength compared to conventional SBR.  The new hydrogenated SSBR combines JSR’s unique polymerisation and hydrogenation technologies to control the number of unsaturated bonds in the material. “Through this process, it is possible to optimise the interactions among polymer molecules and minimise the stress produced in crosslinking. As a result, this new SBR has, not only approximately two times the mechanical strength of conventional SBR, but also exceeds the strength of natural rubber. Tyres using this new SBR as the tread compound rubber demonstrate more than 50 per cent better wear resistance along with low fuel consumption and grip performance compared to conventional SBR-equipped tyres,” said the company.

 “In the CASE, EV vehicle is heavier, that could also lead to higher abrasion that causes rubber microparticles pollution. This is the reason we are focusing on abrasion resistance in our polymer,’’ said Arai. Constant exposure to sunlight could reason for degradation of tyres, but the new hydrogenated SSBR prevents it, and also reduce the microplastic said Arai.

Being in production of synthetic rubber over 60 years, JSR Corporation has been a significant supplier of synthetic rubber solutions to global tyre companies.  Since JSR Corporation focuses on materials solutions, it has achieved a great deal of success with various tyres. JSR’s core technology is continuously improving polymerisation with its solid foundation of polymerisation technology, and the company’s polymer design already meets a wide variety of customer needs.

The company believes in speedy development and mass production. JSR works closely with its Tire Materials Technology Development Center at its Yokkaichi Plant to develop polymers, processes and establish mass-production technologies. It applies digital techniques for research and development and mass production technologies and utilises AI and big data to tackle improvements in speed and efficiency and achieve stable quality and mass production.  With technologically tailored solutions proposals, tyre manufacturers reduce tyre development time.

In the design and development analysis technologies, JSR uses its high-level analysis technologies to design and develop optimised materials tailored to each type of rubber compound.

Demand for low resistance tyres is growing by 10% every year, and JSR intends to cater to the demand with its functionalised SSBR solutions. According to Keisuke Miyoshi, managing director, JSR Elastomer Europe GmbH said, “The company provides the functionalised Solution SSBR that provides cutting edge technology and low rolling resistance. We plan to cater to the growing demand for low rolling resistance tyres across the globe. To cater to the growing demand for low rolling resistance tyres, the company has increased its production capacities of SSBR with plants in Japan, Thailand and Hungary.”

The total capacity of SSBR is around 220KT.

Being a supplier of a wide range of synthetic rubber solutions, JSR is into the production of a wide range of SSBR, from 1st generation to 5th generation. “Depending on the customer’s demand, we can supply different generation polymers,” said Miyoshi.

With its presence around the globe, JSR focuses on making products needed for the local requirement. The company runs a continuous product development programme based on its close communication with its customers globally.  “Japanese automakers are known for making fuel-efficient vehicles, and the same performance is also expected from tyre companies. While European automakers the required strong tyres, we leverage our technical expertise to make products suitable for the respective markets,” said Miyoshi.

JSR produces SSBR at three production sites, in Japan, Thailand and Hungary, which gives the company a unique logistical flexibility to support the global tyre industry. “We are the only synthetic rubber company which is spread globally in terms of synthetic rubber production and that gives us an edge over all our competitors. Customers may not find any difference in quality. Our strategic presence helps us to be more efficient in supplying products and service,” said Miyoshi

With six sales and technical offices in all major markets, the company promptly responds to tyre manufacturer requests timely

 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.

Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone Americas announced it has developed the industry’s first commercially available tyre containing 70 percent recycled and renewable materials, marking a significant breakthrough in sustainable manufacturing.

The demonstration commercial tyre, which will debut at the WasteExpo trade show, is based on the Bridgestone M870 model designed specifically for urban waste collection fleets. It has received ISCC PLUS certification, a globally recognised standard that validates sustainability throughout the supply chain.

Using a Mass Balance approach, the tyre incorporates circular synthetic rubber compounds, circular carbon black, and natural rubber. This method allows Bridgestone to track the quantity of alternative materials used in production.

“The debut of this 70 percent recycled and renewable demonstration tyre is not a glimpse into the future, but the reality of today,” said Steve Hoeft, President, Commercial Truck Group, Bridgestone Americas. “With this tyre and the work done with our supply chain, we’ve created new opportunities with a proven product by meeting the rigorous standards set by the ISCC. This tyre directly demonstrates how Bridgestone can help fleets achieve their sustainability goals now with expertly manufactured premium tyres."

According to the company, a limited production run will be tested on waste collection vehicles later this month.

New monitoring technology

Alongside announcing the sustainable tyre, Bridgestone also revealed a new drive-over system for fleet operators. The technology uses specialised plates to capture tread depth measurements as vehicles drive over them, providing comprehensive data on tyre condition and alerting operators to irregular wear issues.

The system aims to help fleet managers optimise maintenance schedules and extend tyre life through more informed decision-making.

Both innovations align with Bridgestone’s corporate E8 Commitment, which focuses on environmental sustainability and operational efficiency improvements.

Ecolomondo Corporation, a leading Canadian innovator in sustainable scrap tyre recycling technology, has announced that its new milling line at Hawkesbury facility has achieved a major milestone during recent testing by reaching a throughput of approximately 2,700 lbs per hour of recovered carbon black (rCB). This result surpasses the company’s projected target of 2,200 lbs per hour.

When the new milling line is completely operational, it should be able to process 2,200 pounds of rCB per hour and provide a particle size distribution of 96 percent between 10 and 15 microns. It is anticipated that the plant would process more than 1.5 million scrap tyres annually, recovering 1,350 MT of process gas while producing 4,500 MT of recovered carbon black, 5,400 MT of oil and 2,250 MT of steel.

The company expects the commercial production of rCB to start by the end of May 2025. After being contacted, offtake clients told the company that they were eagerly expecting a larger supply of steel, oil and rCB, said the company. Depending on end-product market pricing, the company's yearly income from the sale of these sustainable goods plus tipping fees of USD 145 per metric tonne is expected to reach USD 12.1 million, with an estimated EBITDA of 45 to 50 percent, added the company statement.

Jean-François Labbé, Interim CEO, Ecolomondo Corporation, said, “This is a major achievement that brings the Hawkesbury facility closer to full production and commercialisation.”

Global speciality chemicals company Orion S.A. has launched a new bio-circular carbon black called ECOLAR 50 POWDER to provide coatings manufacturers with a new solution for more sustainable coatings.

ECOLAR 50 POWDER, which is entirely based on bio-circular feedstock, has coloristic qualities that are on par with those of ordinary speciality carbon blacks and includes 100 percent biogenic raw material according to 14C analysis. The coloristic qualities of ECOLAR 50 POWDER, a low to medium colour furnace black, offer moderate tinting strength and medium jetness in mass tone applications. ECOLAR 50 POWDER offers equivalent coloristic performance for full-tone and tinting applications, as well as comparable wetting and dispersion characteristics to conventionally manufactured low-colour furnace blacks.

ECOLAR 50 POWDER outperformed other common specialist carbon blacks in achieving medium jetness in a solvent-borne alkyd/melamine stoving enamel system. It created a similar neutral undertone as well. When tested in a water-borne 1K PU coating system, ECOLAR 50 POWDER created a more neutral undertone and jetness that was on par with other regular speciality carbon blacks.

Tilo Lindner, Vice President Global Marketing – Speciality Carbon Black, Orion, said, “We’re leading the way in advancing carbon black to meet increasing industry demands for sustainable products. ECOLAR 50 POWDER enables coatings formulators to develop truly sustainable products in all kinds of coatings applications.”