Like its peers, the Sri Lankan rubber industry has been hard hit by the COVID 19. However, the pandemics will bring some opportunities to the sector, believes Ravi Dadlani, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP), and MD of CEAT Kelani Holdings. “The demand for PPE is high and will be sustained in time to come until COVID 19 is no longer a pandemic. Especially gloves and other wearables made of rubber will be a good area for the Sri Lankan rubber industry to focus on,” says Dadlani an interview with Tyre Trends.

How do you see the impact of COVID 19 on Sri Lanka’s rubber industry?

Sri Lanka, like all exporting countries, have been largely impacted. The shutdown has caused a tremendous loss both in terms of production and the subsequent shut down of countries resulting in the cancellation of orders widely across the tyre industry. We are concerned that the impact fully on the industry is still to be realised. We will, once the supply chain and the related industries come back online, be able to quantify the extent of the impact. We are however positive that the Sri Lanka rubber industry is poised to benefit from the need arising from the COVID 19 impact. Especially the demand for PPE is high and will be sustained in time to come until COVID 19 is no longer a pandemic. Especially gloves and other wearables made of rubber will be a good area for the Sri Lankan rubber industry to focus on. Also, the government suspension of importing of tyres is poised to increase demand for domestic manufacturers of tyres at least in the short term, which will be a boost to the local rubber industry. Impact on the loss of exports and the timings of the opening of overseas markets would be critical at this point. 

The rubber industry has always been the country’s one of the main sectors and exporters. Do you think that the industry currently is being explored to its fullest potential?

There is a lot of potential for rubber in Sri Lanka. The need to increase the production of rubber through productivity improvements and the need to extend the rubber growing acreage is critical at this time. We have leading manufacturers of international repute and strong local manufacturers catering to export markets both in the tyre and gloves segments. 

The country also has the potential to enter new markets and customer segments with new products. There is more that needs to be done in terms of R&D and technological collaborations to enter high-value rubber-based product segments. With major global brands producing in Sri Lanka, we have a greater ability to increase trading activity and improve international sales as a regional hub for the industry.

What kind of support do you expect from the government and industry-related bodies for the long term?

Firstly, the rubber sector was the first to benefit from the priority given by the government initiative to commence operations. The sector benefited by the fast track approval to be classified as an essential sector. We expect the government to continue to have consistency when it comes to policy matters. We are also seeing a strong support base coming in terms of the Board of Investment and the Export Development Board for the rubber cluster. We need to fast track the planned policy-based approach of increasing rubber production in the country through the rubber master plan, with incentives if need be for plantations to spearhead this initiative. Also, research and development on rubber yield increase, all-weather rubber tapping techniques need to be introduced with governments thrust towards increasing rubber production.

There should also be incentives for exporters to invest in high-value rubber product manufacturing. We expect the government to educate the smallholders with international best practices to manage the rubber crop for better yield and output through RDD & RRI as key government institutions. The industry prefers to buy more local rubber, but there is a shortfall every year vs the demand. We also need to drive the public-private partnership research & development and must invest more in laboratory and testing facilities to provide certifications that are required for the export markets within Sri Lanka. The Government will also need to look at domestic supply chain inefficiencies which may hold back on the growth potential of the industry.

When we talk about tyres, how does the Sri Lankan tyre industry make its mark globally, especially in the solid tyre segment?

Absolutely it does. Sri Lanka is considered market leaders in certain categories of the solid tyre export segment. There are the numbers of global and local companies operating out of Sri Lanka holding a good foothold in the global solid tyre market. The global rubber industry is worth around USD 400 billion, out of which 65% is the tyre industry, given this, we have a market that we can increase our supply of both off road and on-road tyres, Sri Lanka has aggressively ventured into the global pneumatic agriculture, Off-road and industrial tyre segment which is estimated at USD 44b. We are confident that this position of strength will be maintained in the future, too in these segments. 

What are the challenges for tyre and rubber goods, especially for small and medium enterprises?

Key is the availability of rubber at consistent prices at the right quantities throughout the year. Currently, the industry is hampered with weather-related shortfalls in production coupled with plantations moving away from rubber and more profitable ventures depleting the total output. We consume 140,000 MT, and the local production is at 75,000 MT. Addressing these two areas will result in a stable supply of rubber for industries. It is very important that SMEs adopt technology and increase productivity and production to cater to the demand for rubber. 

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Birla Carbon Spain has been awarded a EUR 2 million grant by the Society for Regional Development of Cantabria S.A. (SODERCAN), a public entity of the Government of Cantabria, to advance an energy autonomy initiative at its Cantabria plant. The funding announcement was made in late February during a visit attended by María José Sáenz de Buruaga, President of Cantabria; Eduardo Arasti, Minister of Industry, Employment, Innovation, and Trade of Cantabria and Ángel Pedraja, CEO of SODERCAN. The grant forms part of a broader investment project by Birla Carbon Spain aimed at strengthening energy self-sufficiency at the facility.

The funding will support the installation of a 4 MW back-pressure steam turbine at the Cantabria unit, enabling it to generate electricity and steam internally for operations. When completed, the project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions annually while also decreasing reliance on water from the Miera River for cooling purposes and reducing process water discharge. Beyond these environmental benefits, the investment will help safeguard nearly 200 direct and indirect jobs associated with the facility, reinforcing the company's commitment to both sustainability and regional economic stability.

During the visit, President María José Sáenz de Buruaga was briefed on the technical and environmental aspects of the project and described it as a collective success. She recognised Birla Carbon Spain's strategic role in the regional industrial ecosystem and its position as a benchmark for innovation in Europe. The initiative represents a significant step towards sustainable manufacturing practices while demonstrating the company's dedication to long-term operational viability and environmental stewardship in Cantabria.

Dale Clark, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Americas & EMEA, Birla Carbon, said, “We were honoured to welcome the President of Cantabria, the Minister of Employment, Innovation and Trade of Cantabria and the CEO of SODERCAN to our Cantabria plant. Their support reflects the strategic importance of our operations to the region and the industries we serve with our carbon black solutions. The steam turbine will be key in helping the plant achieve energy autonomy, reducing our carbon footprint and strengthening long-term operational resilience. At Birla Carbon, we also remain continuously focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing water consumption and advancing sustainable manufacturing practices across our global operations.”

María José Sáenz de Buruaga, President of Cantabria, said, “With this contribution, not only does Birla Carbon win, but Cantabria wins too, because we are making decisive progress in the transformation of our production model and in our commitment to industrialisation.”

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Flexsys, a global leader in advanced tyre additives and material-science solutions, has been honoured with the Chemical and Compounding Innovation of the Year Award at the Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence. This recognition celebrates the company’s progress in creating a novel alternative to 6PPD for tyre manufacturing.

Driven by a significant challenge within the tyre industry, Flexsys’s dedicated research and development team, alongside respected federal and independent laboratories, pursued the creation of a next-generation replacement for 6PPD. Their investigation spanned hundreds of molecules from various chemical families, ultimately identifying several promising candidates that satisfy the stringent criteria for both tyre efficacy and environmental safety. Extensive laboratory testing, conducted both internally and by external parties, has confirmed that one of these candidates delivers robust antidegradant qualities while presenting a favourable toxicological profile. Significantly, this effective molecule is not a PPD chemical. Currently, performance trials are in progress with selected industrial collaborators, with further information regarding the specific molecule anticipated later this year.

The award itself is determined by a completely autonomous international jury composed of journalists and industry specialists. It is coordinated by Tire Technology International magazine, a publication owned by UKi Media & Events, which also organises the renowned Tire Technology Expo.

Neil Smith, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, said, “We are honoured to receive this industry recognition for our work, which reflects our commitment to delivering solutions that meet demanding performance requirements while advancing environmental responsibility. I’m incredibly proud of the Flexsys R&D team whose dedication and scientific rigor has allowed us to achieve this recognition. We believe collaboration across the tyre and materials ecosystem is essential to developing durable, scalable solutions for the industry and look forward to continuing this journey together.”

Matt Ross, Editor-In-Chief, Tire Technology International magazine, said, “The Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence are recognised as the industry’s top accolades and aim to celebrate the best new technologies and innovations from all over the world. On behalf of all of the judges, we extend our congratulation to the Flexsys team on this win and their work to find a replacement for 6PPD in tyres.”

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Pyrum Innovations AG has announced an immediate update to the nomenclature of its recycled material outputs as part of a strategic effort to reinforce its brand identity and underscore the distinctiveness of its offerings. The company’s thermolysis oil, formerly referred to as recycled oil, will now be designated TTO (ThermoTireOil). Similarly, what was previously known as recovered Carbon Black (rCB) will adopt the new name TTB (ThermoTireBlack).

This decision stems from inconsistencies observed across the broader market for recycled commodities. Materials sold under generic labels such as rCB or pyrolysis oil often vary significantly in composition, largely because they may contain residual additives or lack standardisation. In the case of rCB, for instance, the presence of inorganic elements from tyres can lead to blends that are unsuitable for certain high-performance applications. Pyrum’s output, by contrast, is produced through its patented thermolysis technology, which yields materials with a consistent and well-defined makeup. The new names are intended to reflect this precision and set them apart from less uniform alternatives.

The underlying production process remains centred on breaking down end-of-life tyres into their constituent elements. TTB has already entered series manufacturing in the tyre industry and is gaining recognition for use in products such as conveyor belts, seals, and protective coatings. TTO, meanwhile, functions as a renewable input for polymers used in clothing, automotive components and food-safe packaging.

Rollout of the new terminology begins at once and will be phased into all technical records, official certifications and customer communications. Although the labelling is new, the formulations and quality levels of the products themselves are unchanged.

Pascal Klein, CEO, Pyrum Innovations AG, said, “Our products are the result of years of development and intensive research. With the new designations TTO and TTB for our oil and our rCB, we make it clear that these are unique materials obtained from our unique thermolysis process.”

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KRAIBURG TPE has earned gold medal from EcoVadis for the second consecutive year. This recognition reflects the performance of the company’s entire global operations, which collectively achieved this distinguished honour. The company posted new peak scores across all four evaluation categories, which include environmental impact, labour and human rights, ethical conduct and sustainable sourcing. Ranking in the 98th percentile, KRAIBURG TPE now stands among the top two percent of all companies rated by EcoVadis globally, reinforcing its status as a frontrunner in responsible corporate practices.

Within the plastics sector, sustainability has evolved into a fundamental driver of success. Growing public attention now extends beyond isolated topics, calling instead for businesses to offer clear and reliable sustainability reporting. Measurable indicators that track advancements and allow for objective comparisons across industry peers have thus become indispensable.

Having evaluated over 150,000 businesses, EcoVadis has cemented its role as one of the most trusted frameworks for assessing corporate sustainability. The benchmarks applied by the Paris-based organization across its categories are both rigorous and comprehensive. Given this demanding standard, KRAIBURG TPE’s 2022 achievement of a silver award in its debut year was particularly meaningful.

In 2025, the company reached a new milestone by receiving its first gold medal covering all global facilities, a testament to inter-site collaboration and the dedication of its entire workforce. This distinction was reaffirmed during the scheduled reassessment in January 2026, accompanied by even higher marks in every category. Such ongoing improvement demonstrates the company’s steadfast commitment to advancing its sustainability objectives consistently across international operations.

Oliver Zintner, CEO, KRAIBURG TPE, said, “For us, this second Gold Award is confirmation in many respects of the extraordinary achievements we have made in the field of sustainability in the past years. On the one hand, it demonstrates how strong our position is in international comparison. But above all, the award emphasises how continuously and persistently we pursue our sustainability goals in all categories. Results like that are not at all a matter of course in our competitive environment. They only become possible because our colleagues at all sites worldwide are closely working together in a partnership-based manner.”

Michael Pollmann, Sales & Marketing Director EMEA, said, “In addition to product quality, price and delivery reliability, sustainability criteria are a more and more important factor for our customers’ purchase decisions. The EcoVadis award represents the consistency and transparency with which we implement our sustainability promises. It is a relevant strategic competitive factor and is gaining in importance, particularly in view of increasing legal requirements in fields such as supply chain assessment.”

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