Xingda has become the first Chinese steel cord and bead wire maker to release a sustainability report.
The sustainability report 2021 details the goals, plans, actions and latest progress of its key sustainability initiatives, such as green products, circular economy and low-carbon operation, with key information.
With "Sustainable and High-quality Development" as the core and responsible operation as the foundation, Xingda will deliver high-quality, innovative and green products and solutions, promote green transformation of the industry, and contribute to the social development and community prosperity.
Four major areas of sustainable development:
Green products and solutions
Sustainable supply chain
Shared social values
Robust operation model
Seven substantive topics and progress of sustainable development：
1. Green products
By 2025, increase the proportion of green products in total sales to 30%
Progress in 2021: ST/UT tyre cord products accounted for 28% of total sales. The ST/UT tyre cords can reduce tyre weight, lower rolling resistance, and prolong tyre service life.
2. Tackling climate change
By 2025, reduce carbon emission per unit of product by 18% in comparison to 2020
By 2025, reduce energy consumption per unit of product by 14% in comparison to 2020
By 2025, achieve a 30% green energy ratio
Progress in 2021:
a) Carbon emission per unit of product of Jiangsu base was 1.42 tons of CO2e, down 3.73% year- on-year
b) Energy consumption per unit of product was 1.43 MWH/ton , down 1.38% year on year Meanwhile, energy consumption per unit of product of the Jiangsu base in 2021 dropped by 2.69% from 2020
c) Approved the CAPEX of 7.6MW rooftop solar power station, with an expected annual electricity generation up to 8 million kWh
3. Circular economy
By 2030, raise the proportion of recycled steel to 40%
Progress in 2021: The purchased steel wire rod contained 18.50% recycled steel
4. Responsible procurement
By 2025, include 100% of Xingda’s suppliers in sustainability assessment
Progress in 2021: 11.48% of suppliers finished environmental and social evaluation, while the evaluation ratio of major raw material and auxiliary product suppliers was 90.9%
5. Community and human capital development
By 2025, provide on average 40 hours of vocational training for each employee per year
Progress in 2021: Employees received 34 hours of training on average
6. Compliance and business ethics
By 2025, provide business ethics trainings for 100% of our employees and suppliers
Progress in 2021: 857 employees (11% in total) received anti-corruption training
7. Sustainability governance
Continuously improve information transparency and capital market performance
Progress in 2021:
a) Xingda established Sustainable and High-Quality Development Strategy Committee and the Xingda International Green Vanguard Team
b) Released Xingda's first sustainability report
c) Achieved score B for CDP Climate Change Questionnaire rating and won Bronze Medal for Ecovadis rating
Along with the report, Xingda also shared the current status of its pioneering ‘from tyre, back to tyre’ project, in which steel cord and bead wire shall be recycled from used tyres to make wire rod and then new steel cord and bead wire, so as to achieve a true circular economy. At present, Xingda is working closely with tyre recyclers, steel makers and tyre makers to assess the technical feasibility of such cycle, and look to conclude the assessment in the coming months before moving to the mass trial phase. Once completed, it will mark one of the greatest breakthroughs the industry has seen in recent years and offer a remarkable boost to the quest for circular economy by tyre makers around the globe.
Continental To Discontinue Operations At Aldora Mills Textile Plant
- By TT News
- November 22, 2025
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.
Perpetuus Unveils Commercially Viable Replacement For Toxic 6PPD
- By TT News
- November 20, 2025
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.”
Bekaert And EMSTEEL Partner For Sustainable Steel Solutions
- By TT News
- November 20, 2025
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.”
Solvay And Sapio Join Hands For Renewable Hydrogen Project
- By TT News
- November 20, 2025
In a long-term strategic partnership, Solvay and Sapio have committed to a 10-year agreement to advance renewable hydrogen production at Solvay's Rosignano plant. This collaboration – a central pillar of the Hydrogen Valley Rosignano Project aimed at cutting CO2 emissions from Solvay’s peroxides operations – will see Sapio responsible for building and managing a 5 MW electrolysis unit. The required power will be sourced from a new 10 MW photovoltaic installation that Solvay will construct on-site.
With operations scheduled to commence by mid-2026, the project is expected to yield up to 756 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually. This green hydrogen will be directly used in Solvay's manufacturing of peroxides, essential chemicals for the electronics, water treatment, and solar panel industries. The initiative has secured EUR 16 million in funding allocated by the Tuscan Region through Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). This decade-long effort is projected to reduce the site's carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 15 percent, marking a substantial step towards more sustainable industrial processes. The partnership's launch was officially celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony on 18 November 2025.
Carlos Silveira, President of Solvay’s Peroxides business, said, “Our partnership with Sapio represents a good example in how we enhance our global peroxide operations. This project is a key part of our broader strategy to support essential industries – from electronics and water treatment to energy and food safety – with more sustainable solutions.”
Alberto Dossi, President of the Sapio Group and H2IT, said, "The launch of this important project for the production of renewable hydrogen represents a major step forward in the development of the entire hydrogen value chain. With H2IT, we have set ourselves the goal of creating a collaborative ecosystem in which industry, research, policy and local communities work together for a cleaner and more sustainable future. With this collaboration, Sapio is actively contributing to building a cleaner and more sustainable world."
Mario Paterlini, CEO, Sapio Group, said, "We are extremely proud of our collaboration with Solvay: this project, funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), is concrete proof that companies can truly contribute to the decarbonisation of the planet and the growth of our country. In a world of great uncertainty like the current one, it is essential to join forces and be a point of reference for the entire ecosystem."
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