Reflecting on current and future trends in the tyre industry, Andre Lanning, Global Business Director, Synthetic Rubber, Trinseo Europe GmbH, sees the need for much closer collaborations - not only between tyre companies and suppliers but among suppliers themselves. “If we really want to address the big issues in the industry, reduce rolling resistance, improve fuel efficiency, and get better at recycling and re-using materials and chemicals, we need to have a paradigm shift in how we approach innovation.”

According to Dr. Sandra Hofmann, Director, Technology & Innovation, Synthetic Rubber, Trinseo Deutschland GmbH, speed (response time to market) and sustainability are the main trends that will dominate the global tyre industry compared to other industries.

 “The tyre industry, traditionally, has been conservative on knowledge-sharing and collaborating on innovation. Going forward, collaborations are key to moving forward as the complexity in the segment we are focusing on is very high. Every stakeholder in the tyre industry is driving hard for innovations, and, on the co-suppliers’ side, we are keen on collaborations. And, of course, working together with customers is always part of the development,” said Dr. Hofmann.

In recent times, Trinseo has been focusing on close relationships with other stakeholders for developing new products. Trinseo fosters deep engagement with partners through its centralised synthetic rubber site located in Schkopau, Germany, where technology & innovation, mini-plant, pilot plant, and expanded production assets are located. To reduce product development time from lab sample to commercialisation, Trinseo started a state-of-the-art S-SBR pilot plant in Schkopau, for its synthetic rubber business, which makes it more agile and flexible than ever before in its ability to turn around S-SBR product testing. The company says the S-SBR pilot plant allows for more efficient use of Trinseo’s production facilities and helps speed up innovation in the performance tyres market. As part of its efforts, the company introduces the early development process to its customers. “We have invested substantially in R&D. In 2018, we started the pilot plant where we can make several hundred kilograms of materials, and that is enough for our development partners and customers to build a tyre already in the product development process,” said Dr. Hofmann.

Dr. Hofmann added, “The capabilities we are bringing to the table, in combination with our openness and willingness for collaborations, are major enablers towards shortening of the product development process.”

Major tyre companies are betting high on recycled and bio-mass materials, aiming to eliminate materials derived from fossil fuels, to make tyres in the future. However, the ‘industrialisation’ of recycled and bio-mass materials to obtain synthetic rubber will be a more significant threshold. “It is nice to have targets, but the main challenge is to implement these targets through technology. Making synthetic rubber from recycled and bio-mass materials will be a gradual process, and we see it as an opportunity and want to be a front runner for sustainability”, said Lanning.

Sustainability

Trinseo, according to the executive, is already contributing to tyre companies’ sustainability efforts by supplying solutions that reduce rolling resistance, CO2 emissions and improve fuel efficiency. 

“Sustainability has many dimensions. It could be recycled and bio-based materials. As a company, we are very much active in the recycling of polystyrene back into styrene monomer which can be introduced as recycled feedstock for packaging applications. As for butadiene, for a long time, it has been made of biomass like sugar and others. As a company, we are exploring sources of sustainable feedstocks, not only looking at how we can contribute to our customers’ sustainability efforts, but to the raw materials that go into our own products,” explained Dr Hofmann.

When asked about having a common platform for all stakeholders to develop products, Lanning, said “if tyre manufacturers are serious about sustainability, there needs to be closer and more open collaboration around innovation between tyre and rubber producers. And that is not the case today. Working together we can tackle the challenges, whereas pursuing innovation completely separately will make it harder to reach the sustainability targets”.

Trinseo has an excellent technical community, called Technical Service & Development Group, that works with its customers around the world. This way, the company educates them on its products and their usages. “Irrespective of where we operate, Trinseo focuses on high-end technologies in functionalised S-SBR,” said Lanning. Dr Hofmann added “We are investing heavily in local markets to provide our products and services more efficiently and improve communications between our customers and the company”.

Synthetic rubber is now being used for passenger car tyres, owing to properties that make it suitable for high-end tyres. Trinseo is expanding its portfolio by also focusing on truck and bus tyres (the company’s low Tg polymers like SPRINTAN SLR 3402 are already used in truck and bus tyres as a partial replacement for natural rubber; they improve energy efficiency and performance, predominantly balancing rolling resistance and wear).

“We need to increase the use of synthetic rubber in truck and bus tyres to further impact global sustainability goals. To achieve these goals, we are looking for customers that plan to have SR in tyres for heavy commercial vehicles as well, but we are also using this opportunity to educate the end customers about the advantage of using functionalised S-SBR” said Lanning.

Another challenge for material suppliers is to keep its product development strategies aligned with the fast-changing trends in the automotive industry. Fundamental requirements of low rolling resistance in tyres are not changing in any types of new mobility, believes the company executive. “We also see a shift of focus on wear improvement,” added Dr Hofmann.

Optimising all three aspects of the magic triangle has always been a challenge. The latest functionalised SPRINTAN™ S-SBR grades are proven to reduce lab indicators for rolling resistance by 30 percent compared to nonfunctionalised synthetic rubber grades. This allows for at least three to five percent less fuel consumption in passenger cars. Trinseo’s recently launched SPRINTAN 918S displaying multi-functionalisation technology to reduce rolling resistance and improve wet grip for ultra-high-performance tyres used on premium cars and SUVs.

The Synthetic Turf Council (STC) has expressed strong opposition to the proposed motion to ban synthetic turf in Santa Clara County. Melanie Taylor, President and CEO of the organisation, submitted a testimony in this regard to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, highlighting the significant environmental and community benefits of synthetic turf while addressing concerns related to safety and accessibility.

There was strong resistance to the proposed turf ban from parents, football players and business owners when the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors last discussed the proposal in August. In fact, several of these people spoke out against the proposed turf ban at a Board meeting on August 13. Seventy-five percent of public remarks were about synthetic turf, despite the fact that it was not on the official agenda that day. Notably, pro-turf speakers exceeded anti-turf ones by a 2:1 ratio.

Over the last few months, STC has taken a number of initiatives to express its strong objection to the prohibition. Before the Board tabled the proposal to limit turf usage throughout the county for reconsideration in January, Taylor sent written evidence to the Board in August. In an article arguing against the proposed ban before to that August hearing, STC emphasised the industry's dedication to coming up with creative ways to preserve fields nearing the end of their useful lives and guaranteeing the safety of its goods by removing purposefully added PFAS from synthetic grass.

Taylor said, "Recreational fields are more than just playing surfaces, they are essential community infrastructure. Families, schools and businesses choose synthetic turf because it provides year-round access to affordable, durable and eco-friendly fields, especially in drought-prone states like California. A ban on turf in Santa Clara County will only hurt communities by depriving them of these long-term benefits and cost savings that turf uniquely provides."

The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has released its Monthly NR Statistical Report for December 2024.

According to the report, robust market fundamentals and increased trading activity brought on by year-end orders before the Lunar New Year holidays in January helped to somewhat raise the average monthly prices for natural rubber (NR) in December. But because of poor economic conditions, this increasing trend – which was first fuelled by China's stimulus measures, which were implemented in late September – lost steam. Furthermore, ongoing threats from US tariffs impacted market stability and caused anxiety.

With more import orders and more rubber coming from Thailand as a result of less rainfall, China's natural rubber stockpile began to grow by the middle of December. Although there were some encouraging advances overall, the report also notes that the market continues to face the previously highlighted difficulties that might affect future price stability.

With the revision on Indonesian and Cambodian output, the prognosis for worldwide NR production in 2024 is up 2.8 percent from the previous year, according to the performance and updates from ANRPC member countries (AMC). With the change from Indonesia and Malaysia, the global demand growth projection for 2024 is up 1.8 percent.

Evonik Industries AG launched Smart Effects, a new 3,500-employee entity combining its silica and silane operations, as the German speciality chemicals maker pushes further into sustainable technologies.

According to a company statement, the unit began operations on 1January, will be part of the company’s Advanced Technologies division and target the automotive, electronics, consumer health, and building materials markets.

“This merger not only enhances our customer relationships but also allows us to advance sustainability in key markets,” said Emmanuel Auer, who heads the Smart Effects business line.

The combined unit will supply materials for electric vehicle batteries and semiconductors while developing new technologies, such as adsorbents for direct air capture of carbon dioxide. Its silica-silane combinations are already used in fuel-efficient “green” tyres.

“The new business line is a strategic step by Evonik to strengthen the financing power of our complementary Silanes, precipitated and fumed Silica technology platforms,” stated Lauren Kjeldsen, President of Smart Materials Division at Evonik. “By combining our expertise in molecular silane chemistry and silica particle design, we can deliver differentiated solutions that add value to our customers with a tailored portfolio approach.”

“With Smart Effects, we aim to go beyond in industry,” Auer concluded. “Our goal is to deliver value for our customers by innovative, complementary technologies based on molecules and particles, driven by circular solutions and sustainable effects in applications.”

Smart Effects will maintain local sales teams and tech centers serving customers in over 100 countries, supported by manufacturing facilities across six continents, the company said. The merger aims to streamline innovation in joint applications and technical processes.

Evonik developed surface-modified silica carriers with amino silanes that can extract CO2 from the atmosphere as part of its sustainability push. The company said the new structure will help accelerate similar innovations targeting environmental challenges.

Citing people who are familiar with the matter, the Korea Economic Daily reported that HS Hyosung Advanced Materials Corp. is exploring a sale of its tyre steel cord business that could fetch about 1.5 trillion won ($1 billion).

According to the report, the South Korean manufacturer plans to kick off a preliminary bidding process by the end of February. The people asked not to be identified because the information is private.

The unit generates about 40 percent of the company’s profit. Its sales were 860 billion won last year, and its EBITDA was 140 billion won.

The potential divestment is part of a broader push by Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang to pivot toward growth areas including electric vehicle materials, hydrogen and artificial intelligence. Cho, who leads HS Hyosung Group after its spinoff from Hyosung Group in July, is the founder’s third son.

HS Hyosung is the world’s only producer of all three major tyre reinforcements: steel cord, nylon tyre cord, and polyester tyre cord.

The steel cord unit, which bundles thin wires to help tyres absorb shock and improve ride comfort, holds leading market positions in North America and Europe.

A representative for HS Hyosung declined to comment, added the Korea Economic Daily.

Tyre cords are crucial components that enhance tyre durability and driving performance by maintaining shape and supporting vehicle weight.

The company is seeking to divest the steel cord operation, which has less synergy with its core specialty fiber business, to fund investments in new ventures, the people said.