The company is betting that a polymer manufactured from end-of-life truck tyres can disrupt the market for petroleum-based styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), a widely used road-binding additive whose pricing and availability are tied to global oil markets. After completing a live road trial with Road Science and Auckland Transport in New Zealand, the company is preparing to use the results as a springboard for expansion into Australia and Sub-Saharan Africa, positioning the recycled material as a lower-cost, lower-carbon alternative to virgin polymers.

New Zealand-based Revyre Global Limited is positioning a polymer manufactured from end-of-life truck tyres as a lower-cost alternative to petroleum-based styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) after completing a live road trial with Road Science and Auckland Transport in New Zealand.

The company has spent several years developing the product as a direct replacement for SBS. Unlike conventional tyre-derived asphalt, which relies on crumb rubber, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Shaun Zukor told Tyre Trends that its proprietary thermomechanical process produces a remanufactured polymer with blending characteristics similar to SBS, allowing it to be used in existing asphalt infrastructure.

“Our primary objective was to develop a drop-in replacement for SBS, which is a petroleum-derived synthetic polymer,” Zukor said. “SBS is expensive, made from virgin materials and is widely used to improve road durability, fatigue resistance and overall pavement performance.”

The company began engaging Road Science, a division of Downer, and Auckland Transport after completing laboratory validation with engineering consultancy WSP in New Zealand.

Before approaching customers, it invested around 18 months in laboratory testing to validate the material’s performance.

Following successful laboratory trials, Road Science carried out its own evaluations before, together with Auckland Transport, deciding to trial the material on Blockhouse Bay Road, one of Auckland’s busiest roads.

The project then underwent another lengthy approval process involving Auckland Council and scientific advisers.

“It took another year to a year and a half to obtain all the necessary approvals from the council and its scientific advisors,” Zukor said. “They wanted to verify that all the claims in our technical literature were accurate.”

Construction of the trial road took place over three days in March and the company expects to receive the first performance data around September. Those results are expected to support commercialisation in overseas markets.

“Our business is focused only on New Zealand at the moment because we’re using it as a proof of concept,” Zukor said. “Once those results are available, we’ll publish them. That will place us in a much stronger position to take the product into Australia and Sub-Saharan Africa.”

The company estimates that entering Australia would take another 12 to 18 months after trial results are available and a planned New Zealand manufacturing facility becomes operational.

Although the current road project used only a small quantity of material because it is a demonstration, Zukor said the commercial opportunity could expand significantly.

“We used a relatively small amount of material for this particular project, but if the opportunity grows as expected, supplying the Auckland Transport network alone could eventually consume between 40–50 percent of our production capacity,” he noted.

MATERIAL ECONOMICS

The company currently manufactures the material primarily from truck and bus radial (TBR) tyres and earthmover tyres because of the higher natural rubber content.

While the SBS substitute represents the company’s immediate focus, it has divided its broader product portfolio into three categories. Revpol A, manufactured mainly from passenger and light truck tyres is intended for lower-performance rubber products such as rubber tiles, shoe soles and conveyor belts.

Revpol B targets asphalt applications and new tyre manufacturing, while Revpol C, produced largely from earthmover tyres, is designed for higher-performance applications.

The company is not currently manufacturing at its own facility but plans a new production unit in New Zealand. Until that facility is operational, product for trials is being supplied by its Canadian partner.

The technology relies primarily on a thermomechanical recycling process rather than chemical recycling. Whole tyres are broken down with steel separated from the rubber before the rubber is processed to a 30-mesh particle size and passed through Revyre’s proprietary thermomechanical process.

Zukor said only a very small amount of non-toxic, FDA-approved chemicals are used and that the process is driven primarily by operating parameters rather than chemical reactions.

He added that one of the key advantages of the technology is that it can be incorporated into existing SBS blending infrastructure with minimal changes as most development work focused on determining the optimum blending ratio rather than overcoming technical limitations.

“The primary technical challenges relate to the blending ratio,” he said, adding, “The higher the percentage of Revpol you add, the higher the temperatures and shear forces required in the bitumen blending terminals.”

Although the company has successfully blended as much as 20 percent Revpol into bitumen during development, Zukor said performance gains diminish beyond a certain point.

It has identified an optimum blend of between 5 percent and 10 percent depending on the application, ranging from conventional roads to heavy-duty pavements and airport runways.

“Any facility that currently blends SBS using its existing infrastructure can also blend our product using that same infrastructure,” he said.

CATALYST FOR SAVINGS

Zukor believes the material can reduce both costs and environmental impacts while improving pavement performance.

“We want to create a product that is environmentally sustainable, has an abundant raw material supply and is 20–40 percent cheaper than virgin materials while also having a significantly lower carbon footprint,” he stated.

Laboratory testing has produced encouraging results. According to Zukor, New Zealand’s wheel-tracking standard requires materials to withstand 800,000 load cycles, while Revyre’s product continued to perform until testing was halted at two million cycles.

“Our product achieved nearly two to three times the required wheel-tracking performance compared with standard bitumen,” he noted.

He also added that the objective is to produce road surfaces that are less expensive, more durable and environmentally sustainable while simultaneously addressing the challenge of managing end-of-life tyres.

“We believe this product ticks all of those boxes and have obtained a patent for it,” he said.

MANUFACTURING SCALABILITY

Although the company is currently relying on manufacturing capacity in Canada, Zukor said its modular production model could support significant expansion once commercial demand develops.

“We can currently produce up to 10,000 tonnes of this product, but because our production facilities are modular, capacity can easily be scaled anywhere from 1,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes, depending on market demand and the requirements of a particular region,” said Zukor.

Once the planned New Zealand facility becomes operational, Zukor expects its tyre feedstock to be supplied through Tirewise, the country’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for end-of-life tyres.

Under the programme, every imported tyre attracts a levy that funds incentives for registered collectors, processors and end users to move tyres through the approved recycling chain. Zukor said Revyre intends to register again as a processor after commissioning its new plant.

GOING PAST HURDLES

Zukor acknowledged that customer adoption remains the biggest hurdle. Road contractors also need to validate new formulations through laboratory testing before incorporating them into their pavement designs. Hence, Revyre is focusing on multinational contractors already operating in New Zealand to accelerate adoption, believing successful validation locally could support deployment elsewhere within those organisations.

He also believes global dependence on petroleum-derived SBS strengthens the case for tyre-derived alternatives.

“If you look at SBS, it’s already a product that’s in very high demand globally. Because it’s petroleum-based, its availability and pricing are heavily influenced by global macro-economic and geopolitical events,” Zukor said.

He said the company’s commercial proposition rests on three principles viz-a-viz consistent quality, supply and pricing.

According to Zukor, replacing virgin SBS with tyre-derived polymers could help localise supply chains, reduce exposure to petroleum price volatility and improve environmental outcomes while lowering costs for road owners.

Beyond New Zealand, Revyre is also evaluating opportunities in North America through its Canadian partner and is exploring future markets for tyre-derived materials.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) published its Monthly Natural Rubber Statistical Report for August 2026, noting firmer prices in several markets. Supply constraints, stable downstream demand and persistent geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty shaped the month. Renewed conflict and disruptions to major shipping routes added further pressure.

Physical prices for major grades moved in different directions. SMR-20 in Kuala Lumpur averaged USD 2.31 per kg, up 4.25 percent from July, while STR-20 in Bangkok rose 1.40 percent to USD 2.39 per kg. RSS-3 dropped 4.18 percent to USD 2.80 per kg, but RSS-4 in Kottayam gained 0.57 percent to USD 2.92 per kg. Latex-in-bulk fell 4.73 percent to USD 1.73 per kg. Brent crude averaged USD 91.08 per barrel, driven by concerns over possible restrictions on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and wider Middle East instability, which raised energy supply risks and strengthened the oil market risk premium.

On trade, China's imports climbed 3.39 percent month-on-month, while India fell 10.18 percent and Malaysia dropped 8.24 percent; Viet Nam rose 5.08 percent. Exports advanced 5.63 percent in Viet Nam but declined in Thailand (-5.24 percent), Indonesia (-5.36 percent), Malaysia (-1.48 percent) and Cambodia (-1.88 percent).

Global production is projected to rise 0.6 percent to 15.039 million tons in 2026 from 14.952 million tonnes in 2025, after revisions to Thailand's 2025 output and updated 2026 estimates for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Weather, including erratic rainfall and drier Southeast Asian conditions, affected output. August 2026 production was estimated at 1.396 million tonnes, down 4.51 percent from 1.462 million tonnes a year earlier. Demand is forecast to grow 0.4 percent to 15.356 million tonnes in 2026 from 15.301 million tonnes, with the largest consumption gains expected in China, Malaysia and Cambodia. Prospects depend on vehicle sales, tyre production, shipping conditions and weather-related supply disruptions, while steady EV-linked demand supported modest growth led by China and India. The ringgit traded between RM4.02 per USD and RM4.09 per USD, and the baht between 32.68 and 33.34. The SHFE January 2027 contract averaged 18,109 CNY per tonne, up 7.78 percent month-on-month, while the SGX November 2026 contract averaged USD 2.24 per kg, up 4.32 percent.

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HS HYOSUNG has formalised a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State Government of San Luis Potosí, with the signing taking place at the World Trade Center Mexico City. The event formed part of the Korea-Mexico Business Forum, held alongside the Korean economic delegation's visit to Mexico.

Attending officials included Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's Secretary of Economy, and Mario García Valdez, Secretary of Economic Development of San Luis Potosí. The two sides confirmed their shared resolve to back the company's local investment and regional growth. Separately, HS HYOSUNG's leadership met bilaterally with Secretary Ebrard to elaborate on its strategic vision and investment plans.

The agreement sets out a phased expansion of HS HYOSUNG's investments in San Luis Potosí beginning in 2027, with the goal of creating a major advanced materials production hub that bolsters supply for North American and wider global markets. The company's advanced materials span tyre cord, a flagship world-leading product, along with mobility, energy, aerospace and defence applications. Its North American operations, spanning Mexico and the United States, turn out tyre cord, airbag materials and mobility interior components for global leaders such as General Motors and Goodyear, underpinned by a highly dependable global supply chain.

Nak-yang Sung, CEO, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS, said, “This investment goes beyond establishing a simple manufacturing base – it reflects our strategy to turn Mexico into a pivotal hub connecting North America with global supply networks. We are also committed to strengthening local supply chains and creating high-quality jobs to contribute directly to the region's industrial ecosystem.”

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Kumho Petrochemical Group is steering its business towards research-driven, higher-value outputs as oversupply and soft demand continue to weigh on the worldwide petrochemical sector. The Seoul-based group outlined plans to boost spending on speciality chemicals, sustainable materials and novel production methods, a push intended to lift profits while building a foundation for future expansion.

Underlying the move is a deliberate evolution in the group's identity, from a bulk materials vendor to a provider of technology-backed solutions that address shifting customer requirements and stricter environmental rules. A central element of that effort involves widening the speciality lineup, exemplified by added capacity for solution styrene butadiene rubber, a synthetic rubber that enhances durability, rolling resistance and tread wear in high-performance electric vehicle tyres.

Environmental initiatives form another pillar. Facilities built by the company can trap approximately 76,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, while separately developed technology turns recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene sourced from scrapped household appliances into automotive-grade interior components that satisfy performance standards and generate fewer emissions than conventional methods. The group has also joined forces with POSCO Future M and BEI on anode-free lithium-metal battery development.

Parallel technology-focused programmes are underway at affiliated units. Kumho P&B Chemicals is formulating water-based epoxy resins that curb volatile organic compound releases while incorporating more bio-based inputs to reduce carbon intensity. Kumho Mitsui Chemicals is advancing bio-based polyurethane systems and electric vehicle materials, alongside debottlenecking work to add 100,000 tonnes of annual methylene diphenyl diisocyanate capacity. Kumho Polychem, meanwhile, is targeting ethylene propylene diene monomer through low-temperature polymerisation paired with energy-efficiency improvements.

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Birla Carbon has confirmed a price increase of up to 15 percent for its Speciality Materials products across Asia, scheduled to take effect on 1 October 2026. The company pointed to significant and sustained rises in feedstock costs, driven partly by ongoing geopolitical instability and disruptions in global feedstock markets, as the reason behind the adjustment.

Although Birla Carbon pursued operational efficiencies, supply chain optimisation and disciplined cost management to soften the impact, the scale and persistence of the cost escalation left a price adjustment unavoidable. The company's sales teams will engage customers directly to explain the details and help them navigate the transition.

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