Polymer producers have responded to the changing tyre industry expectations, their innovations take into account a more reactive functionality within polymer architecture, and this is closely matched by increasingly greater degrees of filler surface chemistry. As a result, tyre compound properties may now be tailored to meet quite specific tyre performance targets.

Tyre processing methods also underwent progressive stages of modernisation in recent years, for example, more sophisticated reactive mixing technology together with high-speed extrusion systems allowing for direct extrusion onto the building drum become established as cost effective production routes for many of the major producers.

These advancements however bring about their own conflicts, processing pathways involving multiple stages, often with the ability to rework compound or adjust rheological properties by additional time or energy input during the process are no longer viable options for most tyre producers. It has thus become necessary to achieve processability through an increasingly narrow operating window.

Formulations optimised to achieve peak tyre performance in most cases also tend towards more challenging processing characteristics. This is to be expected; the use of high and narrow molecular weight reactive polymers alongside fillers having high surface area and chemistry, often in loadings above that of the polymer are the norm. The trend towards usage of high loading of plasticiser and resinous materials to adjust tyre tread grip and traction response all contribute to a less forgiving processing nature. Often those compounds that are highly reinforced appear the most fragile during processing and poor green strength with an easily tearing or crumbly compound appearance are often-discussed processability issues. By contrast, the use of high loadings of resins and plasticisers, for example in winter or high-performance tyre formulations, results in compounds that during processing can more resemble chewing gum than tyre treads!

The use of process additive chemicals in an attempt to overcome the processing limitations observed gives rise to further conflicts; Lubricant additives might improve compound surface appearance; however, green strength will probably further reduce due to the unwanted softening effect. The same is true for release additives where lower tack unfortunately remains at a higher value than the also lowered tensile strength of the compound. Filler dispersion is often targeted by additives, however higher loading of fillers mandate equally higher additive loadings, we should more accurately discuss loading as “parts per hundred of filler” not rubber, and under the appropriately higher additive loading, the risk of interference with vulcanisation properties or even additive migration leading to surface bloom become realistic concerns.

Conflicting performance characteristics

The development team at Schill + Seilacher has recognised the need to decouple conflicting performance characteristics found within conventional process additive chemistries. As a result, innovation within our Struktol® range offers tyre compounders opportunities to achieve processability without compromise.

Reduced viscosity leading to better extruder flow properties and improved surface appearance, whilst at the same time achieving an increased compound green strength can be realised by use of Struktol HT 300, a new generation of reactive process additive.

An extract of key processing and property influence in a typical highly silica filled sSBR tread compound are highlighted in the following data.

Significantly lowered Mooney viscosity as well as better mixer batch off with reduced sticking to the mixer rotor and gate with Struktol HT 300 are observed.

An increase in compound green strength was obtained by the addition of Struktol HT 300; this is the opposite of expectation for conventional process additive chemistry, where reduced viscosity is obtained. In addition, the filler dispersion as evidenced by a reduction in the so-called “Payne Effect” as tested in uncured compound by means of RPA strain sweep, is also improved.

Lab extrusion trials, using cold feed extruder demonstrate improved surface appearance and lower compound pressure achieved by use of Struktol HT 300, both desirable processing conditions.      

Physical properties are also acceptable, with a progressive increase in tensile strength an elongation and maintenance of stiffness with loading of 6 phr of process additive, only at higher loading of 12 phr would a balancing slight reduction in process oil be required.

Compound hardness remained unchanged alongside improved wear resistance, as measured by DIN abrasion loss testing, even when using higher loading of process additive, are important aspects.

The ability to decouple the relationship between lubrication, important for improved rheological behaviour, and the maintenance of strength and stiffness in both the uncured and vulcanised condition is only possible with such new and innovative class of process additive. This departure from conventional thinking offers the tyre compounder significant degree of freedom to retain the benefits in terms of easier processability without sacrifice of key tyre performance properties.

In this example, the use of Struktol HT 300 prioritised green strength alongside reduced viscosity. By contrast, our new Struktol HT 250 decouples release from other properties, especially effective for winter tyre tread; compound stickiness is resolved without compromise of viscoelasticity.

Ensuring that migration and ultimately bloom within rubber compounds is kept to the lowest level is important for final article aesthetics, for tyres additional considerations arise; they are composite structures, therefore it is imperative that chemicals do not migrate across boundary layers in an uncontrolled manner, which could result in changed behaviour or interfacial adhesion failure over time. In order to limit migration, the compatibility, solubility and concentration of chemicals are carefully considered. However, one method of ensuring long-term stability involves chemically binding the additive within the vulcanisation network.

At Schill + Seilacher, we have achieved this degree of crosslinking capability for a number of new-generation Struktol process additives. Their usage allows the compounder to avoid completely the risk of migration and bloom due to additive presence.

Photographs of two vulcanised rubber sheets based on the same formulation. On the left-hand side, evidence of typical surface bloom, which may occur due to migration of a conventional process additive, on the right, containing reactive additive Struktol HT 600 as replacement, it can be seen that bloom was eliminated.

This technology also opens tremendous opportunities to “fix” process additives in place within the respective component, the role of additives withinthe cross-linking mechanism may additionally lead to vulcanisate performance characteristics.

                                                                                  One interesting tyre related example involves the development of a superior tyre curing bladder performance, here we have developed new reactive plasticisers called Struktol HT 815 and Struktol HT 820, their use is directed towards resin-cured butyl rubber. This combination of polymer and curing system provides for superior heat resistance with excellent flex fatigue resistance and is used as the basis for tyre curing bladders. Here the replacement of widely used castor oil as plasticiser with new Struktol HT 800 series product leads to a significantly improved bladder performance life, with greater stability in viscoelastic properties. Reduced stiffening of the bladder, due to lower degree of plasticiser migration translated into a much lower flex-cracking rate, especially after high temperature steam ageing.

Reactive Struktol plasticisers, HT 815 and HT 820 exhibit a significantly reduced flex cracking rate when compared to the widely used castor oil, which readily migrates from the bladder; as a result, significant extension of bladder service life is possible.

New reactive process additives, with tailored functionality to closely match the specific chemistry of polymers, fillers and cure systems are actively developed. These innovative products under the Struktol brand offer tyre compounders a more comprehensive toolkit in order to tailor compound performance to meet tyre performance demands. The conflicts of property versus processability diminish and new possibilities emerge!

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How Dr Gerard Nijman de-mystified the ‘black magic’ of tyre engineering.

In the high-stakes, multi-billion-dollar world of automotive engineering, where the screeching captures the headlines, Dr Gerard Nijman focuses on the quiet, molecular drama happening just inches from the asphalt. To the uninitiated, a tyre is a simple black circle of rubber. To Nijman, it is a visco-elastic masterpiece, a complex soup of polymers, fillers and oils that behaves according to laws of physics that many in the industry once dismissed as ‘black magic’.

Recently, the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society announced Dr Nijman as the recipient of the Fernley H. Banbury Award. It is one of the highest honours in the field, a recognition of a lifetime spent bridging the gap between the ‘black magic’ of the factory floor and the cold precision of laboratory rheology.

Now, two months after it was announced, I feel proud of being awarded and it is an acknowledgement of my contributions to rubber processing,” Dr Nijman says, reflecting on a career that has spanned nearly four decades. “However, if I consider the enormous lineup of previous winners, I still cannot realise that I am a part of it... I am probably still too humble to really enjoy it.”

THE FRIDAY EVENING CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

Dr Nijman’s journey into the world of elastomers didn’t begin with a lifelong passion for tyres, but rather with a fortuitous interruption. In 1987, he was deep into a PhD project focusing on molecular orientation in injection-moulded products. His trajectory seemed set for a traditional academic or specialised research path until a Friday evening phone call changed his life.

The caller was the P&O Manager of Vredestein, the Dutch tyre manufacturer. He was looking for a process engineer, specifically someone who understood the complexities of extrusion. For Dr Nijman, it was an opportunity to apply his theoretical knowledge to a massive industrial scale without abandoning his roots.

“For this position, I did not really have to leave my comfort zone, so I decided to join Vredestein on a 50 percent basis while I completed my PhD project,” Dr Nijman recalls. At the time, the industry’s understanding of material flow was rudimentary. The ‘gold standard’ was the Mooney viscosity test – a simple measurement that Nijman knew was insufficient for the high-speed, high-heat world of modern manufacturing.

“I was fascinated by rheology and especially how the material morphology was related to the processing behaviour. At Vredestein, the common understanding of Rheology was ‘Mooney viscosity’, but somehow, I could make them clear that understanding processing means that one must understand the (thermo-)rheological behaviour and morphological characteristics of rubber compound in much more detail,” he says.

SEEING THROUGH ‘SCIENTIFIC GLASSES’

Dr Nijman attributes much of his success to a trio of mentors who helped him synthesise his disparate skills. His PhD supervisor, Prof Ingen Housz, taught him the fundamental skill of ‘looking at industrial processes through scientific glasses’. It was this ability to analyse a complex, messy industrial problem until the root cause was exposed that set Dr Nijman apart.

At Vredestein, his first boss, Albert Dijks, built his confidence by handing him immense responsibility early on. Meanwhile, Kees Hettema taught him the art of the deal – how to negotiate with customers – and Matthias Sieverding of KraussMaffei Berstorff eventually gave him the reins to lead an entire business unit.

“What I learned from all of them is that, while believing in what you are doing, you should not be afraid of answering difficult questions from your stakeholders,” Dr Nijman notes. This philosophy allowed him to navigate the friction that often exists when a scientist tries to tell a factory veteran that their decades-old ‘gut feeling’ might be wrong.

BREAKING THE SPELL OF ‘BLACK MAGIC’

In the 1980s and 90s, rubber manufacturing was often viewed as more art than science. When a production line ran into trouble, solutions were often found through trial and error. “Suddenly, problems were solved without really knowing why,” Dr Nijman explains. “It was commonly called ‘black magic’.”

Dr Nijman became one of the first engineers to replace that magic with math. He realised that the complex technological hurdles of the industry – irregular shrinkage, surface defects and inconsistent quality – could be solved through a rigorous rheological approach.

His most transformative moment came during the ‘Green Tyre’ revolution of the early 90s. Michelin had just introduced silica-based compounds, which offered lower rolling resistance and better wet grip. While industry giants like Goodyear were still scrambling to adapt, the smaller Vredestein successfully implemented the technology.

The secret weapon was Nijman’s understanding of the microstructure. He recognised that silica compounds were a different beast entirely from the traditional carbon black mixtures. “We looked at the compounds’ processing behaviour by looking to the degree of freedom of the rubber molecules moving around in their microstructure,” he says.

By understanding how silica hindered or helped the ‘relaxation’ of rubber molecules after extrusion, Dr Nijman was able to control ‘extrudate swell’ – the tendency of rubber to expand like a sponge after being squeezed through a die. Without this scientific insight, manufacturers faced uncontrolled shrinkage, leading to tyres that simply didn’t fit the rim.

THE PORSCHE 911 CHALLENGE: WHEN THEORY MEETS THE ROAD

Perhaps the most gruelling test of Dr Nijman’s career wasn’t a tyre at all, but a piece of high-performance aerodynamics: the active front spoiler for the Porsche 911 Turbo. This rubber lip had to deploy at high speeds via air bellows and retract perfectly through its own elasticity once the car slowed down.

The stakes were astronomical. Porsche demanded ‘A1 surface quality’ – meaning the rubber had to be absolutely flawless, with zero visual defects and uncompromised functionality, all while meeting the strict Start of Production (SOP) deadlines of one of the world’s most iconic cars.

“Naming it a challenge was an understatement,” Dr Nijman admits. The project required a total immersion in the material’s behaviour. Dr Nijman describes his method as almost meditative: “I try to be part of the microstructure of the rubber compound on its way from rubber slab to the shape in which it is conveyed. Then I am able to ‘observe’ my surrounding and to ‘see’ what happens with the rubber molecules in their world of fillers, process oils and chemicals.”

THE DIGITAL TRAP: A WARNING TO THE NEXT GENERATION

As Dr Nijman prepares to retire at the end of this year, he looks at the current state of engineering with a mix of admiration and concern. Today’s engineers have access to powerful simulations and AI that Dr Nijman could only dream of in 1987. However, he warns that these tools can be a double-edged sword.

“Engineers tend to believe the results of such simulations are true without critical interpretation,” he says. “In the world of rubber, where chemistry and physics are constantly shifting during the heat of production, a computer model can only go so far. A rubber compound behaves truly visco-elastic. This is not something you can ignore.”

He has observed a shift where younger engineers prefer to solve problems via the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) rather than walking the shop floor. To Dr Nijman, the smell of the rubber and the heat of the extruder are essential data points that a laptop cannot capture. “Both must be done to successfully solve the production problem.”

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: THE FINAL FRONTIER

Dr Nijman isn’t using his retirement to slow down; instead, he’s refocusing on the industry’s biggest challenge: sustainability. He believes the next decade of tyre technology won’t just be about grip or speed, but about energy.

“Both tyre manufacturers and extrusion line suppliers should focus more on how to save energy and how to recover heat,” he asserts. He points out a glaring blind spot in current research: while everyone wants ‘sustainable’ compounds, few are looking at reducing the viscosity of the rubber itself – the single biggest factor in how much energy a factory consumes to shape a product.

Reducing scrap and optimising heat recovery, he argues, will require a deeper cooperation between research institutes and manufacturers. “There is still a lot more to be explored scientifically,” he says.

THE LEGACY OF A ‘HUMBLE’ EXPERT

For those entering the field today, Dr Nijman’s advice is simple: love the work, or leave it. But if you stay, never stop asking ‘why’.

“Pursue to deeply understand the problem before you start solving it,” he counsels. “Rubber processing and tyre manufacturing is very exciting... especially if you love being on the shop floor and, at the same time, if you are able to continuously interpret your observations.”

As he prepares to accept the Banbury Award, Dr Nijman remains the same engineer who once spent his Friday nights thinking about molecular orientation. He has spent his career making the complex simple – so simple, in fact, that he measures his success by a unique metric.

“It helped me a lot to realise to explain very complex situations in a way that my mother-in-law would understand,” he says. “That is how I could realise breakthroughs.”

The ‘black magic’ of rubber is gone, replaced by the lifelong work of a man who decided to step out of his comfort zone and look at the world through scientific glasses. Dr Gerard Nijman didn’t just engineer tyres; he engineered a more precise, sustainable and understood future for the entire industry

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HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS has completed and commenced operation of a 17.5-MWp rooftop solar power installation at its facility in Vietnam’s Nhon Trach Industrial Park, located within Dong Nai Province. This marks a significant step in the company’s broader effort to reshape its Vietnam operations – its largest global manufacturing base for tyre cords and technical yarns – into what it terms a ‘Smart Green Factory’. By merging renewable energy infrastructure with digital energy management systems, developed in partnership with the energy IT specialist Nuriflex, the firm is positioning this site at the forefront of its transition towards becoming a global eco-friendly manufacturing hub.

A key element of this transformation is the deployment of an Internet of Things based energy management system, which allows for real-time oversight of electricity generation and equipment performance. This digital layer not only streamlines operational efficiency but also contributes to greater equipment reliability and overall productivity gains, ensuring that the integration of renewable energy delivers tangible improvements beyond simple power generation.

With further solar installations set to be completed by August, total rooftop capacity at the Nhon Trach site will reach 37.5 MWp. Once fully operational in the latter half of the year, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS anticipates annual electricity cost savings exceeding KRW 6 billion (approximately USD 3.94 million), bolstering its cost competitiveness. The expansion is also expected to deliver meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to sustainable management practices.

Through advanced energy IoT solutions, the Vietnam subsidiary now systematically manages carbon reduction data generated from its solar power operations. This capability enables a more structured response to rising demands from major global customers – including Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental and Pirelli – for verified renewable energy usage and carbon emissions information. By strengthening its ESG performance across the supply chain, the company is leveraging its solar infrastructure and smart energy management not merely as facility investments but as strategic tools to enhance environmental responsibility and competitiveness in a market where sustainable value chains are increasingly essential.

“Starting with our Vietnam production base, we are simultaneously promoting renewable energy transition and energy efficiency improvements across our operations. By expanding solar power facilities, we will strengthen both cost competitiveness and ESG capabilities while proactively responding to the evolving requirements of our global customers,” said an official from HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has released its Monthly NR Statistical Report for February 2026, detailing a period of significant market activity influenced by geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic changes and shifting supply-demand dynamics within the global natural rubber sector.

As per the report, global natural rubber production for 2026 is forecast to reach 15.324 million tonnes, a 2.2 percent increase from the 14.996 million tonnes recorded in 2025. February output alone is projected at 994,000 tonnes, marking a 3.4 percent year-on-year rise due to favourable weather and higher rubber prices. Despite this overall growth, production trends vary among member nations. While Thailand is expected to remain the top producer, Indonesia and Vietnam face short-term constraints from structural and agronomic issues. Meanwhile, Malaysia is advancing efforts to restore abandoned plantations, with the Rubber Production Incentive activated in Sarawak and Sabah and the Malaysian Rubber Board targeting the rehabilitation of 4,137 hectares of idle land in 2026.

Physical and futures markets saw notable price increases across major grades in February. In Kuala Lumpur, SMR-20 averaged USD 2.01 per kilogramme, a 5.13 percent monthly gain, while STR-20 in Bangkok rose 5.12 percent to USD 2.11 per kilogramme. Sheet rubber grades also strengthened, with RSS-3 increasing 7.84 percent to USD 2.35 per kilogramme and RSS-4 in Kottayam surging 10.38 percent to USD 2.34 per kilogramme. Centrifuged latex in Kuala Lumpur closed the month at USD 1.61 per kilogramme. Futures mirrored this firming trend, as the Shanghai Futures Exchange May 2026 contract averaged roughly 16,508 CNY (approximately USD 2,388) per tonne and the SGX contract averaged USD 1.92 per kilogramme, supported by strong demand and tightening supply expectations ahead of the seasonal low-yield period from February to May.

Crude oil volatility added further complexity, with Brent averaging USD 70.89 per barrel in February – up 6.43 percent from January – before spiking to approximately USD 104 per barrel in early March following military actions in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for nearly 20 percent of global oil supply. This has introduced a risk premium with implications for synthetic rubber competitiveness and natural rubber demand. Currency shifts also play a role, as the Malaysian Ringgit appreciated modestly to 3.89 MYR per USD and the Thai Baht strengthened to around 31.08 THB per USD by late February, affecting trade competitiveness. Looking ahead, rising automotive production, especially of new energy vehicles in China, India and Southeast Asia, is expected to sustain demand and support prices. However, risks persist from US-China trade tensions, Middle East geopolitical instability, weather uncertainties during the low-yield season and currency fluctuations tied to US monetary policy, all of which could disrupt supply chains and export revenues.

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Tokyo Zairyo Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Zeon Corporation, marked a significant milestone in November 2025 by establishing a new branch office in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Following the completion of all necessary preparations, this location has now commenced full-scale operations. The move represents a deliberate effort to broaden the company’s commercial reach across the Indian market while simultaneously constructing an organizational structure capable of responding with greater agility to the evolving and increasingly diverse requirements of its customers.

This southern expansion comes approximately 15 years after the company first established its Indian subsidiary, Tokyo Zairyo (India) Pvt. Ltd., with an office in Gurugram, Haryana, in 2011. By positioning a second office in Chennai, the firm now operates a coordinated network spanning the northern and southern regions of the country. Close collaboration between the two locations is intended to strengthen information services and enhance user support, leveraging both internal capabilities and external partnerships to better serve Japanese automotive parts manufacturers and processors operating throughout India.

Through this dual-office structure, Tokyo Zairyo is poised to advance its core business of purchasing and selling a broad spectrum of materials, including rubber, resins and elastomers. The synchronised operations in Gurugram and Chennai enable the company to deliver more responsive support, ensuring that clients across the Indian automotive supply chain benefit from efficient service and a reliable supply of essential materials.

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