Rubber Board of India launched the Landslide Zonation Map of rubber plantations and the mobile app ‘RUBAC’ for rubber census in the country in a function held at Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII).

The MOU for the collaborative project of Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) of Spices Board India, Digital University of Kerala and the Rubber Board for developing digitized soil fertility maps and online fertilizer recommendation for cardamom plantations in the lines of RuBSIS developed for rubber was also shared in the function. Prof. Saji Gopinath (Vice Chancellor, Digital University of Kerala), D. Sathiyan IFS (Chairman and Secretary, Spices Board India), M.D. Jessy (Director (Research) in-charge) and M.J. Lizy (Joint Director, Statistics and Planning Department, Rubber Board) spoke on the occasion.

The RRII has successfully delineated rubber plantations into low, medium and high landslide risk categories using satellite-derived maps of the distribution of rubber plantations in the State and the district-wise landslide susceptibility zones developed by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority. Based on this, Board can recommend growers to adopt good agricultural practices at a location according to its vulnerability to landslides as well as cultural operations that should not be undertaken to minimize the impact of landslides. The map is available at https://lsz.rubberboard.org.in

Rubber Board is conducting a nationwide census on rubber to prepare a comprehensive data base on rubber plantations and rubber growers with the help of mobile application. Reliable and timely statistics on new planting, replanting, actual area under rubber, level of adoption of recommended agro management practices, harvesting practices followed etc. are necessary for implementing rubber related development projects. The mobile app ‘RUBAC’ is developed by the Rubber Board in association with the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management and is expected to reduce the processing time considerably. The rubber census is proposed to be carried out on all rubber growing areas of the country in a phased manner. As the first phase of the programme, the census will start in Kottayam District of Kerala. (TT)

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At the recent Reuters Events – Sustainability Europe 2025 conference in London, Birla Carbon’s President and CEO, John Loudermilk, outlined ambitious plans for the company’s circular product, Continua Sustainable Carbonaceous Material. He revealed a strategic vision to significantly expand its availability, with a target for it to eventually comprise up to 10 percent of the company’s global product portfolio. Sourced from end-of-life tyres, Continua SCM is an industrially-produced material designed to offer the same quality, consistency and technical performance as traditional carbon black.

This innovative material allows manufacturers to integrate greater sustainability and circularity into diverse applications such as tyres, plastics and coatings without sacrificing product performance. Loudermilk emphasised that accelerating this transition requires a multi-faceted approach, including supportive regulatory frameworks, deeper collaboration with tyre pyrolysis technology partners and strengthened customer engagement.

Beyond its circular offering, Birla Carbon is also progressing other sustainability initiatives. These include developing carbon black derived from bio-based feedstocks and exploring advanced carbon capture and conversion technologies. These combined efforts support the company’s overarching aspiration to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, alongside ongoing work to enhance process efficiency and resource utilisation.

Loudermilk said, “While global carbon black consumption typically grows in line with GDP, the demand for sustainable and circular products is increasing at a much faster pace. At Birla Carbon, we see an opportunity to displace up to 10 percent of the carbon black consumption in the world with circular materials like Continua™ SCM, our brand that is derived from end-of-life tyres.”

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Continental has initiated a strategic consolidation of its operations in the United States, which includes the planned closure of its Aldora Mills textile plant in Barnesville, Georgia, by the conclusion of 2026. This decision, impacting approximately 230 employees, follows an extensive review of the company's long-term competitiveness in the Americas. The facility, which produces textile reinforcement materials, including tyre cord fabric, hose yarn and knitted fabric, for exclusive use within Continental’s Tires and ContiTech group sectors, had faced persistent cost challenges for years, with shifting global market conditions ultimately making its continued operation unviable. The company's immediate priority is to provide comprehensive support to the affected staff through career counselling and local employment resources.

Despite this specific closure, Continental is reinforcing its substantial commitment to the US market through continued and significant capital investment. In the past decade alone, the company has directed around USD 1.5 billion into its American manufacturing footprint. This is evidenced by recent projects, such as a major expansion of the ContiTech plant in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and the construction of a new, company-owned tyre distribution centre in the Dallas-Fort Worth area scheduled to open in early 2026.

The company's enduring presence in the country remains robust, with a workforce of over 8,800 people spread across its Tires and ContiTech sectors. Its tyre manufacturing plants located in Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi and South Carolina possess a combined annual production capacity of more than 16 million tyres. The closure of the Aldora Mills facility is therefore presented as a necessary step to safeguard the overall health and future performance of Continental's broader operations across the Americas.

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In a significant development for environmental science and the rubber industry, Perpetuus Advanced Materials has announced a viable solution for eliminating 6PPD-quinone, a highly toxic byproduct of 6PPD, a chemical commonly used in tyres and synthetic rubbers. This breakthrough is particularly urgent given the established link between 6PPD-quinone and acute mortality in coho salmon, a crisis identified in 2020 that has since spurred global regulatory concern. The company’s innovation provides both a direct manufacturing replacement and a method for environmental remediation.

The core of the solution is an amine functionalised graphene masterbatch, engineered using the company's proprietary plasma-functionalised graphene nanoplatelets. This advanced material operates through a novel mechanism where the amine groups act as radical scavengers, effectively stabilising the rubber and rendering the use of 6PPD entirely obsolete. By preventing the formation of the toxic 6PPD-quinone at its source, this technology addresses the root cause of the pollution. The masterbatches are supplied as pre-mixed sheets or blocks, allowing for straightforward integration into existing manufacturing processes for tyres and a wide array of other synthetic rubber products, including hoses, seals and industrial belts, without requiring any operational changes.

To tackle the existing environmental contamination, Perpetuus has concurrently developed a suite of modular filtration systems designed for stormwater management. These units, which include drain cartridges and bioreactor modules, utilise graphene nanoplatelets to capture pollutants. They are enhanced by a proprietary artificial intelligence platform that provides real-time monitoring of filter saturation and pollutant levels, offering a critical tool for protecting vulnerable waterways and urban runoff zones during the transition to reformed tyres.

Produced on a continuous plasma platform ensuring consistent quality, the masterbatch not only replaces 6PPD but also consolidates numerous other mix ingredients and additives, thereby simplifying production and improving workplace air quality. With over 10 years of specialisation in graphene-enhanced elastomers, Perpetuus is now actively pursuing regulatory approvals and industrial partnerships to accelerate the widespread adoption of this comprehensive environmental solution.

John Buckland, CEO, Perpetuus, said, “This is no longer about mitigation. We’ve replaced 6PPD. Our amine functionalised GNPs deliver the same anti-degradant function as 6PPD but with zero toxic quinone by-products. This isn’t theory. It works in formulation and scales now. This isn't a patch; it’s a permanent replacement. By removing 6PPD at the source, we remove the risk of 6PPD-Q entirely. The science is proven. The solution is scalable. The environmental need is urgent. The only question left is whether regulators and manufacturers are ready to act. This is the moment to eliminate 6PPD for good and replace it with something better.”

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Bekaert and EMSTEEL have forged a strategic partnership centred on the manufacturing and commercialisation of high-value, sustainable steel products utilising steel produced within the UAE by EMSTEEL. The agreement was formally signed at the Middle East Iron & Steel Conference & Exhibition in Dubai, with senior leadership from both organisations in attendance, including Group CEOs Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi of EMSTEEL and Yves Kerstens of Bekaert.

The alliance will see the two companies extend their cooperation into several key areas. A major component involves technical collaboration, where Bekaert will provide its expertise and offtake intention to support EMSTEEL's strategic initiative to upgrade and substantially expand its wire rod product portfolio in the near future. Furthermore, the partners will jointly assess opportunities for downstream investments. These potential investments are designed to allow EMSTEEL to diversify its offerings with more advanced, value-added products. For Bekaert, this creates a pathway to manufacture its renowned Dramix steel fibre reinforced concrete solutions using locally sourced UAE steel.

A shared objective of this partnership is to actively promote the advantages of sustainable construction materials and solutions throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council markets, leveraging EMSTEEL's position as the UAE's largest steel manufacturer and Bekaert's global leadership in steel wire transformation and coating technologies.

Yves Kerstens, Group CEO, Bekaert, said, “Today’s MoU is intended to serve various ambitions we have in common with EMSTEEL. This includes focused strategy execution in a region with vast growth opportunities, a strong innovation drive and explicit sustainability excellence.”

Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO, EMSTEEL, said “This agreement reflects EMSTEEL’s commitment to advancing the capabilities and global reach of UAE-made steel. By combining our manufacturing strength and sustainability leadership with Bekaert’s world-class expertise in material science and advanced steel solutions, we are creating new pathways for innovation, value creation and low-carbon growth.”

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