Rubber Division, ACS has appointed Rubber Heart, a newly formed marketing, communications, PR and events start up, as its first ever European representatives to expand its presence in the region.

Both companies signed a MoU recently to spread awareness of the benefits and opportunities offered by Rubber Division, ACS to professionals working in the global rubber industry.

David Cawthra and Gail Reader, the two Directors, will act as European Representatives whose role will be to increase awareness and expand the Rubber Division, ACS community through membership opportunities that enable engagement with nearly 3,000 other rubber and affiliated industry professionals from over 1,200 organisations worldwide.

This new initiative is the vision of Executive Director and CEO of Rubber Division, ACS, Lakisha Miller-Barclay, the first woman appointed to be at the helm of the organisation in its over 100-year history. As Executive Director, Lakisha works closely with her team of Directors and Executive Committee to enhance science, technology and business across the elastomeric community.

Lakisha Miller-Barclay’s appointment at the beginning of 2020 has meant she has had to react quickly to the challenging environment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and difficult decisions were faced as to how to adapt. All training courses were moved to online and Rubber Division, ACS aired one of the first impact of Covid-19 webinars which welcomed a large European audience. A series of webinars covering topics such as failure analysis of rubber and polymer testing and processing are being offered free to Rubber Division, ACS members throughout the spring and summer.

Lakisha is very much aware how business disruption worldwide has escalated the significant pressure on global market relationships and exposed the fragility of the complex, multiple tier manufacturing supply chains within the rubber industry.

“Those involved in the rubber industry will be considering ways to broaden and create more flexible supply chains in the future and I believe that the Rubber Division, ACS community can play a significant role in connecting and driving business, particularly between the US and Europe,” says Lakisha. She continues, “We are still actively planning for our International Elastomer Conference October 20-22 this year in Knoxville, Tennessee to proceed as scheduled as we believe it would provide the global rubber industry with a meeting hub to reassess and create new business models for the future. However, our overwhelming priority is to ensure the safety, health and well-being of all involved with our event so we will be closely monitoring the evolving situation and any potential impact new developments may have on it.”

On the new partnership between Rubber Division, ACS and Rubber Heart, Lakisha comments, “I feel that this initiative to expand the Rubber Division, ACS team will help to grow our community and spread awareness of our unrivalled business networking, training and marketing opportunities through our membership and education programs, conferences and expositions. I am delighted to be working with two highly experienced and professional colleagues at Rubber Heart who have many decades of experience, great contacts and extensive knowledge of the rubber industry and its complexities.”

Rubber Heart is well placed to understand the benefits of involvement with Rubber Division, Gail Reader explains, “We have seen first-hand the benefits of Rubber Division, ACS Corporate Membership scheme during our previous employment and how it can have such an impact on making new connections, driving business forward and keeping abreast of new research and innovations. We look forward to working with the dedicated and passionate Rubber Division, ACS team to strengthen its position internationally, particularly in Europe.”

David Cawthra added, “We have always admired the professionalism and ambition of Rubber Division, ACS and its commitment to the international rubber industry. We are honoured, as our new company Rubber Heart, to represent this historic and world-renowned organisation and its interests in Europe.”

Leading global tyre manufacturer NEXEN TIRE has signed a long-term supply agreement with LD Carbon (LDC) for recovered carbon black (rCB) with an aim to boost the adoption of sustainable materials. This partnership is in line with the company's commitment to improving worldwide sustainable management standards.

In order to significantly reduce carbon emissions and encourage resource cycle, LD Carbon produces its recovered carbon black by pyrolysing end-of-life tyres in an oxygen-free atmosphere. Using recycled carbon black instead of petroleum-based carbon black is a smart move that preserves product performance and promotes environmental sustainability. The company has been using more recovered carbon black over time, and this agreement aims to hasten the shift to more ecologically friendly raw materials.

Recovered carbon black from manufacturing sites worldwide, such as those in China, the Czech Republic and Korea, will be used by NEXEN TIRE. In order to increase its global competitiveness, NEXEN TIRE is creating a circular resource structure that will provide a steady supply of recycled materials and integrate them into its global manufacturing chain. The use of sustainable materials in tyre manufacturing will be required under the European Union's proposed Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), and NEXEN TIRE is in a strong position to increase its competitiveness by proactively creating a sustainable raw material supply chain, especially in Europe, where it accounts for almost 40 percent of total sales.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, NEXEN TIRE, said, “Expanding the usage of recovered carbon black is a strategic step that demonstrates our commitment to ESG management and proactive response to global environmental concerns. We will continue to accelerate the transition to eco-friendly materials and establish a tire manufacturing system that has a low environmental effect from production to disposal.”

LANXESS, a speciality chemicals company, has achieved the top score of ‘A’ in the Climate Change category of the CDP annual sustainability ratings. This is LANXESS’s eighth time in a row in the climate category on the A list by the global environmental non-profit organisation.

In the most significant investor questionnaire in the world, the non-profit CDP assesses the performance and openness of organisations in the categories of Climate Change, Water Security and Forests. Every year, it gathers and evaluates data and information on environmental consequences, goals and plans on behalf of investors. Participation is entirely voluntary.

LANXESS led the evaluation group of more than 24,700 businesses globally in the Climate Change area with the highest grade of A, secure a spot among the top two percent of all rated companies. These businesses, according to CDP, are distinguished by extensive and high-quality data that offers a thorough summary of environmental impacts and transformation goals. Additionally, LANXESS got an A- and reaffirmed its top spot in the Water Security area.

Hubert Fink, member of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG, said, “With our solutions and expertise, we are making a significant contribution to sustainable development. At the same time, we are helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals. CDP's renewed top rating underscores our commitment to climate protection and shows that we are on the right track.”

Bansal Wire Industries (BWIL)  unveiled its largest manufacturing facility in Dadri, bolstering India’s push to expand its manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. The 37-acre plant increases BWIL’s total manufacturing sites to five, with one in Bahadurgarh and three in Ghaziabad. The company’s production capacity has risen to 6 million metric tonnes per annum from 2.4 million tonnes previously.

The advanced facility produces specialised wires for diverse sectors, including agriculture, automotive, construction, power transmission, and general engineering. For the automotive industry, the plant manufactures steel wires, hose wires, and low-relaxation pre-stressed concrete steel strands used in bullet trains and metro systems.

The Dadri operation integrates industrial-scale processes with sustainability practices, including rainwater harvesting, solar power generation, acid-free wire cleaning and energy-efficient machinery. An on-site effluent treatment plant and landscaped areas are also featured. A new section for speciality wires was added this quarter, with IT/OT (Internal/Outer) wires coming soon.

Manufacturing Capabilities

The plant produces high-carbon steel wire, valued for its wear resistance and strength, making it suitable for door panels, vehicle frames, bushings, springs, and other automotive components. The facility also manufactures bead wire, a low-carbon wire with properties including weldability, ductility, high strength, fatigue resistance, adhesion to rubber, and malleability. Visible at the edge of a tyre, bead wire secures the tyre to the rim. Some wires receive zinc coating to increase corrosion resistance.

The bead wire production process follows multiple stages: procuring high-carbon steel rods, drawing high-tensile steel wire, passing through a lead bath, washing in an HCL tank, drying via heat treatment, applying zinc and copper coatings to form brass, wiping excess coating, cooling with chemical additives, collecting the wires and reducing them to thin filaments for those wires.

Each wire is drawn differently based on customer requirements before passing through Chinese and Indian furnaces. A 30-metre furnace operating at 980-1000°C restores wire properties after initial processing. After cleaning the HCL tank, zinc and copper coatings are applied. The chemical and subsequent stages occur in air-conditioned environments to maintain wire properties during separation into filaments. The 0.2mm filaments are combined to achieve 1.6-2.4mm thicknesses for commercial and TBR (Truck, Bus, and Radial) tyres.

The Dadri plant also produces hose wires and steel cords that enhance tyre strength, performance and stability. Additionally, it manufactures stainless steel wires that provide aesthetic appearance, corrosion and staining resistance, and low maintenance costs for automotive applications.

Business Performance

As a diversified wire manufacturer, BWIL reports 89 percent client retention and 20-25 percent year-on-year sales growth. Exports constitute 10-15 percent of total sales, with 75 percent destined for US and European markets. Pranav Bansal noted that despite China’s dominance in steel exports, India shows "tremendous positivity” for steel and stainless-steel wires.

He dismissed concerns about US reciprocal tariffs, explaining that with exports limited to 10 percent, the company maintains growth above 20 percent. BWIL’s revenue increased 52 percent in Q3FY25, and profits rose 171 percent.

Regarding price fluctuation, Pravin Bansal said, “We follow a cost + business model at BWIL. While the prices of steel change every month, the prices of stainless steel undergo change daily. The prices are revised as soon as there is a change, ensuring that there is no lag across 90 percent of products.”

He added, "Business works on quantity terms, not on revenue. Instead, revenue is a function of raw materials, and we’ve never given too much attention to the former.” However, he acknowledged that some automotive product prices fluctuate quarterly, creating a lag for products like bead wires and suspension spring wires, with costs passed on in subsequent quarters.

Expansion Plans

Pranav Bansal outlined the company's growth strategy: "Our business model is such that we can keep investing as per the needs of our customers. We don't need to wait for a specific capacity to be established before commencing business; we can expand on a to-go basis.”

For FY26, BWIL plans a 42-acre Sanand, Gujarat plant focused on low carbon and stainless steel wires. The INR 800-900 million facility will include 0.18 million tonnes of backward integration capacity and 60,000 tonnes of new wire production.

Currently serving 5,000 customers with 4,000 SKUs, BWIL's long-term strategy involves developing products with zero price fluctuation, which Pranav Bansal describes as "most helpful for the company’s supply chain cycle."

The company contributes to India's electric vehicle sector, which recorded sales of 1.94 million units by end-2024, with Tata Motors leading the market. BWIL's steel cords and specialised wires offer high tensile strength with reduced weight for EV applications. The company also produces copper-coated and aluminium-stranded wires for electric vehicles.

 Natural rubber prices declined in March amid significant market volatility, according to the latest monthly report from the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC).

The industry body said in its Monthly NR Statistical Report for March 2025 that the downward trend was attributed to multiple factors, including the postponement of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), changes in US tariff policies, and falling oil prices.

Despite strong demand from China in early 2025, market sentiment was dampened by growing concerns over new US tariff measures, which analysts say could reshape global rubber trade flows.

The ANRPC, representing major producing nations including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, projected global natural rubber production to grow by a modest 0.4 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, global demand for natural rubber is forecast to increase by 1.5 percent this year, supported primarily by expansion in the electric vehicle market, according to data compiled from ANRPC member countries.

This growth comes despite concerns of a potential global economic slowdown and complications arising from new US trade policies that could hinder international trade.

Natural rubber, a critical raw material for tyre manufacturing and various industrial applications, has faced increasing price pressures as automotive production forecasts remain uncertain in key markets.