Sumitomo Rubber Singapore, a natural rubber procurement company for the Sumitomo Rubber Group, recently participated in ‘Project Tree,’ an initiative led by Itochu Corporation to improve the sustainability of the natural rubber industry. 

Through participation in this project, the company aims to improve the traceability and sustainability of the natural rubber supply chain.

Natural rubber is a natural resource that is vital in modern society, with about 70 percent of global natural rubber consumption going towards the production of tyres. However, approximately 85 percent of global production relies on smallholders, mainly in Southeast Asia such as Thailand and Indonesia. The existing agricultural practices used by smallholders have limitations and there is also concerns about illegal logging, human rights issues and traditional farming techniques among others.

As part of its responsibility, the Sumitomo Rubber Group states it has been actively engaged in various efforts to improve the sustainability of its business activities. One of the most important of these efforts is working toward achieving sustainable natural rubber, which is the primary raw material in its main product: tyres. 

The Group says it promotes initiatives including carrying out risk assessment/reduction activities using application software that enables the mapping of natural rubber supply chains.

By participating in Project Tree, it expects to further drive initiatives that will help improve traceability and sustainability of the supply chain. Through this project, it aims to promote activities to support smallholder farmers, such as activities to identify/mitigate smallholder farmers’ risks associated with sustainability and their capacity building for yield increase. In addition, it will also strive to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation by using blockchain technology and through the ‘Tree + (plus) rubber’ procurement, which provides excellent traceability.

It was in March 2023, Sumitomo Rubber unveiled its unique circular economy concept for the tyre industry called ‘TOWANOWA’. The Towanowa features a two-ring structure, with a ‘Sustainable Ring’ consisting of five processes in the value chain and a ‘Data Ring’ linking big data collected from each process. The aim is to provide new value by sharing/using data between the two rings.

Furthermore, it targets sustainable raw material procurement for natural rubber in the ‘Material Development & Procurement’ process of Towanowa. 

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Taiwan-based performance materials company CHIMEI has secured a distinguished A rating in the CDP Climate Change assessment for the second consecutive year, positioning it within the leading four percent of global organisations evaluated in 2025. This recognition from the prominent environmental disclosure platform underscores the company’s sustained excellence across critical areas such as climate governance, comprehensive risk management and transparent emissions reporting. CHIMEI’s performance demonstrates tangible progress in lowering product emissions intensity, driving self-managed reduction projects and rigorously measuring greenhouse gas outputs in accordance with international standards.

Central to the company’s strategy is its ‘Clean & Green’ vision, which directs a thorough low-carbon transformation. This commitment is operationalised through internal carbon pricing, optimised manufacturing processes and a shift towards renewable energy. CHIMEI further ensures accountability by obtaining third-party verification for the carbon footprints of its entire product range. The pursuit of sustainability extends beyond its own facilities, as the company actively promotes the use of sustainable materials and fosters collaborative decarbonisation efforts throughout its value chain.

Looking forward, CHIMEI is dedicated to engaging with customers, suppliers and partners to advance shared climate objectives, including its ambitious 2050 net-zero target. By continuously investing in innovative technologies and eco-friendly solutions, CHIMEI aims to be a catalyst for industry-wide change, supporting the transition toward a more resilient and low-carbon future for all.

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Kraton Corporation, a leading global producer of speciality polymers and high-value bio-based chemicals derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has achieved International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS for its manufacturing facility in Panama City, Florida, United States. This independent certification tracks sustainable materials via a mass balance approach. The achievement allows Kraton to issue a formal ISCC PLUS Sustainability Declaration with shipments of its biobased polyterpene resins, providing its customers with the documentation needed to validate the renewable content in their own products.

The Panama City site becomes the company’s fourth production plant to gain this certification, building upon a commitment that started with the certification of its Sandarne, Sweden, facility in 2021. By securing these certifications across its network, Kraton strengthens its leadership in supplying circular and renewable solutions. This effort supports broader industry shifts, as customers can now more seamlessly integrate verified, sustainable materials into their supply chains and end products.

Ultimately, the company’s pursuit of such certifications aligns with a larger transition towards a more sustainable and circular economy, demonstrating how specialised chemical producers can enable tangible environmental progress through verified chain-of-custody systems.

Lana Culbert, Kraton Pine Chemicals VP of Marketing, said, “Our SYLVARES™ and SYLVATRAXX™ brands feature a portfolio of high-performance polyterpene resins. They are widely recognised for their use in adhesives and tyre applications, yet their versatility extends to other industries, like agriculture, with more opportunities ahead. While we can measure bio-based content of our pine chemicals using Carbon-14 analysis, certifying our Panama City facility under ISCC PLUS strengthens supply chain transparency, supporting the growth of the circular economy.”

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Solvay has inaugurated its new bio-circular silica facility at its plant in Livorno, Italy, a strategic investment that underscores Italy’s industrial leadership in green innovation. The facility directly anticipates evolving EU sustainability rules for tyres and supports the ambitious environmental goals of Solvay’s customers. By establishing this operation, Solvay positions itself as a proactive partner in achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal and upcoming product regulations.

The site manufactures highly dispersible silica using an innovative process that transforms rice husk ash, an agricultural byproduct, into a valuable bio-based raw material. This method creates a local circular economy, benefits the agricultural sector, and reduces associated CO₂ emissions by 35 percent compared to conventional production.

This initiative is a cornerstone of Solvay's global strategy to transition all its silica production to certified circular raw materials by 2026. While the Livorno site is the first to use rice husk ash, other global plants will utilise different local waste streams. For the tyre industry, adopting this circular silica already enables tyres to contain up to 15 percent recycled or renewable content, providing significant progress towards the sector’s 2030 material targets.

Beyond compliance, the silica produced is essential for developing energy-efficient tyres that lower rolling resistance, thereby reducing fuel consumption and extending electric vehicle range. The Livorno facility thus reinforces Solvay's market leadership in sustainable silica and highlights Italy’s vital role in the company’s broader portfolio of green investments, including projects in green hydrogen and circular soda ash.

Philippe Kehren, CEO, Solvay, said, “By acting now, Solvay is helping tyre manufacturers prepare for future EU requirements and meet their own sustainability goals. Livorno is a tangible example of how we turn circular economy principles into industrial reality, enabling progress for generations.”

Jana Striezel, Head of Purchasing at Continental Tyres, said, "Solvay has managed to transform an agricultural byproduct into a high-performance material on an industrial scale. We are looking forward to integrating more and more rice husk ash silica as a recycled material in our tyre production and are very satisfied with its performance. We are keen on innovative, renewable and recycled materials because they support our ambitious sustainability roadmap.”

An Nuyttens, President of Solvay’s Silica business, said, “Livorno sets a benchmark for circular innovation in Europe and beyond. Our goal is clear: wherever Solvay produces silica, we will integrate circular materials to reduce environmental impact and support our customers’ sustainability objectives.”

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Ecolomondo Corporation, a Canadian developer of sustainable technology for recycling scrap tyres, has announced that its Hawkesbury facility reached a key operational milestone during the week of 12 January 2026, by successfully completing a record five double processing batches. This progress signifies a major step forward as the company advances towards full commercial production at the plant. Utilising its proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process (TDP) and a new automated Human-Machine Interface system, the facility maintained consistent operations and produced high-quality recovered materials.

The week’s activity led to the recycling of an estimated 9,375 scrap tyres, processing a total of 150,000 pounds (approximately 68,038 kg) of rubber feedstock. From this, approximately 60,000 pounds (approximately 27,215 kg) of recovered carbon black and 75,000 pounds (approximately 34,019 kg) of tyre-derived oil were generated, alongside syngas used to power the process itself.

As a Canadian leader in tyre recycling technology, Ecolomondo views these results as a strong validation of the scalability and reliability of its proprietary TDP system, underscoring the ongoing ramp-up at its Hawkesbury TDP facility. This consistent performance enhances the company's position in the circular economy, turning a challenging waste stream into valuable industrial commodities and demonstrating the commercial viability of its innovative approach.

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