Mathe Group, a specialist in recycling radial truck tyres, has undertaken a significant multi-million-rand investment in advanced machinery designed to transform steel recovery into a major revenue source. This strategic upgrade focuses on extracting high-purity, or ‘clean steel’, for export to international markets such as India and South Korea, marking a shift from treating steel as a mere by-product to valuing it as a key income stream.

A central part of this investment involves the installation of state-of-the-art de-beading machines. Unlike older methods that damaged the steel rings embedded in tyre sidewalls, this new technology removes the beads entirely intact and free of rubber. This preserves their quality, making them easier to process and package, and allows them to be sold as a premium product for industrial applications like blasting, replacing virgin steel. The first units are already operational, with a third machine scheduled for delivery. These new, electrically-driven de-beaders will also lower maintenance costs and reduce emissions compared to the previous oil-hydraulic systems.

Furthermore, the company is commissioning an in-house clean steel mill with an integrated automated packaging line. Currently, extracted steel is sent to India for cleaning before being forwarded to South Korean manufacturers. By bringing this cleaning process to its Hammarsdale facility, Mathe Group will drastically reduce rubber contamination from 10 percent to under two percent. This enhanced purity means the steel can be bagged and loaded directly into shipping containers for the port of Durban, commanding double the price on the international market because it requires no further reprocessing. The upgraded system is expected to export 108 tonnes of clean steel weekly.

This comprehensive re-engineering of the production process recovers an additional eight percent of rubber crumb from each tyre and is set to create new jobs. The new steel extraction system is projected to be fully operational by January 2026.

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB publ has signed a letter of intent with an undisclosed partner to explore the possibility of licensing its advanced tyre pyrolysis technology for deployment in North America.

The collaboration will focus on conducting a comprehensive feasibility study to evaluate the technical and commercial viability of establishing one or multiple facilities dedicated to processing end-of-life tyres using Enviro’s proprietary method. This study is designed to provide the potential licensee with the necessary insights to assess the prospects of entering into a long-term commercial arrangement and formal technology licensing agreement.

It is important to note that any definitive agreements will depend entirely on the study's outcomes and subsequent negotiations. At this stage, there is no guarantee that the evaluation will lead to binding commitments or that the proposed transaction will ultimately materialise.

Fredrik Aaben, CEO, Scandinavian Enviro Systems, said, “We continue to see strong international interest in Enviro’s technology, and this letter of intent is yet another proof of this.”

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Kraton Corporation, a leading global producer of speciality polymers and high-value bio-based chemicals derived from pine wood pulping co-products, a global price increase for all polymer products with effect from 1 April 2026. The price hike will range from USD 440 per MT to USD 700 per MT, or as individual contract terms permit, with the exact price change varying according to the polymer type and production location.

The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation and essential raw materials.

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German specialty chemicals company LANXESS has announced a global price increase for its portfolio of functional additives for the manufacture of tyres and speciality rubbers. These changes, which are set to take effect immediately or as soon as individual contract terms permit, will see prices rise by 15 to 50 percent.

The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing geopolitical conflict, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation and essential raw materials.

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Orion S.A., a global speciality chemicals company, has announced a global price increase for its portfolio of speciality carbon black. These changes, which are set to take effect immediately or as soon as individual contract terms permit, will see prices rise by up to 25 percent.

In a strategic move to address persistent market volatility, the company is also implementing a variable surcharge on top of the base price increase. The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation and essential raw materials.

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