UPM Biochemicals and Nokian Tyres, a leading developer and manufacturer of premium tyres, are set to showcase what they claim is an industry first concept tyre partly based on UPM BioMotion Renewable Functional Fillers (RFF). 

The partnership will launch UPM’s CO2-negative Renewable Functional Fillers into a new market segment, which they say highlights the possibilities to use a lighter weight, 100 percent renewable alternative to traditional CO2-intensive fillers.

At present, almost 30 percent of tyre consists of functional fillers and materials such as primarily carbon black and precipitated silica. According to an initial test series by Nokian Tyres, replacing functional fillers with UPM BioMotion RFF, they say offers great potential for more sustainable tyres and therefore makes it a highly relevant component on the path towards sustainable mobility. 

This will also mark Nokian Tyres to become the first tyre manufacturer to incorporate UPM’s Renewable Functional Fillers into their concept tyre.

Teemu Soini, Vice-President Innovations & Development, Nokian Tyres said, “We are constantly working on innovations that advance us towards our target of increasing the share of recycled or renewable raw materials in tyres to 50 percent by 2030. Since 2022, a portion of the carbon black used by Nokian Tyres has been made from recycled materials. We see UPM BioMotion RFF as a promising renewable alternative to traditional carbon black, and in the future, we hope to see that renewable filler materials will find their way into various tire applications, complementing an increasing share of recycled content.”

Michael Duetsch, Vice-President Biochemicals, UPM added: “Our partnership with Nokian Tyres marks the exciting entry of our Renewable Functional Fillers into the global tyre markets. In successfully demonstrating their application value, it helps us to lay the groundwork for scaling our biorefinery business so that we can make a significant contribution to the sustainable transformation of the mobility sector and beyond.”

The UPM’s BioMotion RFF is among several CO2-negative solutions that is said to be produced at UPM’s Leuna facility. It is investing EUR 1,180 million (INR 103 billion) to build the world’s first industrial scale biorefinery in Leuna that will convert sustainably sourced, certified hardwood into next generation biochemicals – enabling the vital shift away from fossil-based to renewable materials across a wide range of industries. 

The first concept from Nokian Tyres containing UPM BioMotion RFF will be exhibited at the German rubber industry conference DKT 2024 in Nürnberg, Germany, from July 1-4.

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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, a global price increase for all polymer products with effect from 1 April 2026. The price hike will range from USD 440 per MT to USD 700 per MT, or as individual contract terms permit, with the exact price change varying according to the polymer type and production location.

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German specialty chemicals company LANXESS has announced a global price increase for its portfolio of functional additives for the manufacture of tyres and speciality rubbers. These changes, which are set to take effect immediately or as soon as individual contract terms permit, will see prices rise by 15 to 50 percent.

The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing geopolitical conflict, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation and essential raw materials.

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Orion S.A., a global speciality chemicals company, has announced a global price increase for its portfolio of speciality carbon black. These changes, which are set to take effect immediately or as soon as individual contract terms permit, will see prices rise by up to 25 percent.

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