Michelin, Antin Infrastructure Partners, and Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB have finalised plans to build the first end-of-life tyre recycling plant in Uddevalla, Sweden. The facility will use Enviro’s unique pyrolysis technology to extract valuable raw materials from tyres.

The joint venture, formed in March 2023, has secured multi-year contracts for supplying used tyres and selling recovered carbon black and pyrolysis oil. Antin is the majority shareholder, Michelin holds a minority stake, and Enviro can become a significant minority shareholder.

Construction underway, targeting 2025 operations

The Uddevalla plant has obtained all necessary permits, and construction is underway. It is expected to become operational in 2025, processing approximately 35,000 tonnes of used tyres annually and creating up to 40 green jobs.

Michelin’s commitment to sustainability

Michelin has signed a multi-year agreement to purchase carbon black and pyrolysis oil from the plant, supporting the development of a circular tyre economy. The joint venture aims to establish a network of recycling plants across Europe, with a total capacity of one million tonnes of used tyres annually.

Addressing a growing environmental problem

Used tyres represent a significant environmental challenge, with 3.5 million tonnes discarded annually in Europe alone. This innovative recycling initiative will recover valuable materials, including carbon black and oils, for use in new tyres and other industrial applications. Recovered carbon black offers a potential reduction in emissions of over 90% compared to virgin materials.

Specialty material solutions provider Trinseo has announced that it has established a tool that provides cradle-to-gate Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data.

The tool features nearly 6,000 Trinseo products, which can be accessed by customers to know the exact carbon footprint associated with a particular product.

On the other hand, LCA assess the environmental impacts of a product beyond PCF, including the use of resource, human health, ecological impacts, and more. This data the company said is crucial for understanding the environmental impact of products, allowing effective material comparison, enhancing R&D innovations, and ultimately contributing to a customer’s sustainability goals.

The Trinseo’s PCF and LCA tool follow the TfS guidelines and the latest European Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology and are compliant with the GHG Protocol and ISO standards 14040, 14044, and 14067.

Longxing Chemical Stock has announced plans to acquire 100 percent of China Rubber (Chongqing) Carbon Black from CSRC (Singapore), according to a filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

The target company is a key producer of carbon black, a vital material used in the manufacture of automobile tyres and other rubber products.

Longxing Chemical initially proposed purchasing a 55 percent stake in the company, with its actual controller, Liu Jiangshan, set to acquire the remaining 45 percent. However, the plan has been revised, and Liu Jiangshan will no longer participate in the acquisition.

The updated proposal is still in the planning stage, with specific terms and conditions yet to be finalised. Further details are expected as the process progresses.

PPG has formally announced the completion of the sale transaction of its silicas products business for USD 310 million (approximately) in pre-tax proceeds to Qemetica, a leading manufacturer of soda ash, silicates and other speciality chemicals.

The deal covers PPG’s precipitated silicas manufacturing plants in Lake Charles, Louisiana and Delfzijl, The Netherlands. Additionally, Qemetica will lease silicas production and R&D activities from PPG in Barberton, Ohio and Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

Tim Knavish, Chairman and CEO, PPG, said, “We are pleased to complete this transaction with Qemetica, and I want to thank the silicas products business employees for their dedication and commitment to the business and to PPG customers throughout the years.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of speciality polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has increased the price of its SIS polymer products by USD 330 per MT.

The company said the price hike was due to continued increase in raw materials and process chemicals.

The price hike will be global and comes into effect from 1 January 2025.