Japan’s Zeon Corp has established a new research facility at its Zeon Chemicals Yonezawa site to develop plant-based production processes for synthetic rubber raw materials as it accelerates efforts to decarbonise its operations and support a circular economy.

The new lab will focus on advancing biofermentation and chemical reaction technologies to produce butadiene and isoprene—key building blocks for synthetic rubber—directly from plant-derived feedstocks.

“This facility will accelerate the development of biotechnology to produce butadiene and isoprene directly... to contribute to the realisation of a circular economy,” the Tokyo-based company said.

The initiative is part of Zeon’s “STAGE30” medium-term business plan, which includes a target to cut group-wide carbon dioxide emissions by 42 percent by fiscal 2030 from 2020 levels. The company has made “Promoting a transformation of monozukuri to realise carbon neutrality and a circular economy” its top strategic priority under the plan.

The research centre, completed on 23 May, spans 590.34 square metres and features laboratories with local exhaust ventilation alongside office and meeting spaces. Yamagata Prefecture partially funded it under its Business Location Promotion Subsidy Programme.

The project is also supported by Japan’s Green Innovation Fund, run by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which backs long-term industrial decarbonisation initiatives. Zeon is collaborating with Yokohama Rubber Co and several academic institutions on two key development themes, including the use of plant-based and sustainable materials for producing rubber intermediates.

Zeon said it aims to commercialise the technology for producing butadiene and isoprene from plant sources by 2034.

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Kuraray Co., Ltd. has announced a significant step in its renewable energy transition through a 10-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) between Kuraray Holdings U.S.A., Inc. and Tokyo Gas America Ltd. (a subsidiary of TOKYO GAS CO., LTD.). This agreement, which commences in October 2025, involves the procurement of renewable energy from a solar power project located in Wharton County, Texas.

Annually, the arrangement will supply Kuraray with renewable energy certificates equivalent to 300 gigawatt-hours of electricity. The company projects this initiative will yield a substantial reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions, cutting the Kuraray Group's US emissions by nearly 70 percent. Furthermore, this shift is expected to lower the entire Group's global electricity-related emissions by approximately 40 percent.

This VPPA is a core component of Kuraray's broader environmental strategy, which identifies climate action as a critical priority. The Group has established a long-term objective of achieving carbon neutrality for its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2050. To ensure meaningful near-term progress, a new interim target has been set to reduce these emissions by 63 percent by 2035, using 2021 as the baseline year.

Beyond securing external renewable power, Kuraray is implementing a multi-faceted approach to decarbonisation. This includes enhancing energy conservation and operational efficiency across its production facilities, transitioning in-house power generation to natural gas and developing carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies. The company will also collaborate with its supply chain to encourage a broader shift towards cleaner utility fuels. For advisory services related to this specific VPPA, Kuraray engaged Kinect Energy, Inc., a subsidiary of World Kinect Corporation.

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Cabot Corporation has announced a significant expansion of its manufacturing capabilities in North America, now producing circular reinforcing carbons through its EVOLVE Sustainable Solutions technology. This milestone elevates the company’s Ville Platte, Louisiana plant to the status of a key production site for these sustainable materials, alongside its existing facilities in Mauá, Brazil, and Valasske Mezirici, Czech Republic. The production of these carbons relies on a certified mass balance approach, using tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) sourced from end-of-life tyres, which is validated under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS framework.

This strategic move is a direct response to the ambitious goals of global tyre manufacturers, who are targeting 40 percent sustainable material content in their products by 2030. Cabot’s TPO-based circular reinforcing carbons are engineered to function as a drop-in replacement for traditional carbon black, enabling tyre makers to enhance the sustainable composition of their products without compromising performance or altering their manufacturing processes. By establishing production in Louisiana, Cabot is advancing its ‘make-in-region, sell-in-region’ strategy, which is designed to increase supply chain efficiency and significantly reduce transportation-related emissions for its North American customers.

To solidify the foundation for these offerings, Cabot has substantially grown its global network of ISCC PLUS certified sites, which now totals 14 facilities. This expanded certification encompasses 12 sites dedicated to its reinforcing carbons portfolio across Europe, the Americas and Asia, plus two additional masterbatch and compounding sites in Europe. This robust, globally distributed network ensures that Cabot can provide its customers with third-party certified, sustainable solutions that deliver consistent performance and verifiable traceability at an industrial scale.

Aatif Misbah, Vice President and General Manager, Sustainable Solutions, Reinforcement Materials segment, said, “As a leader and innovator in our industry, we are continuously enhancing our technology and manufacturing footprint to enable our customers to meet their sustainability objectives – now and into the future. With the expansion of our manufacturing footprint for circular reinforcing carbons under the recovered category of our EVOLVE Sustainable Solutions technology platform, we are well-positioned to continue to deliver scalable solutions that help drive progress towards a more sustainable world. As we advance in our own sustainability journey, we will continue to refine our efforts to ensure our offerings support the dynamic priorities of the industry.”

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Gummiwerk KRAIBURG GmbH & Co. KG has introduced a new portfolio of high-performance FKM compounds, marketed as KRAIBURG Fluor. This new series is engineered to meet the rigorous demands of technical applications where exceptional resilience to high temperatures and aggressive chemicals is paramount. The materials deliver an optimal balance of superior performance and cost-effectiveness.

These compounds provide outstanding resistance to heat, ozone, UV radiation and a wide range of corrosive media, claims the company. This robust profile ensures the longevity and reliability of components, even when subjected to the most severe operating environments. The versatility of KRAIBURG Fluor makes it suitable for numerous critical sectors. In the automotive industry, it is ideal for O-rings, fuel system components and various seals. The chemical industry can utilise it for seals that handle aggressive substances, while the aerospace and oil and gas sectors benefit from its high-temperature sealing capabilities and compatibility with fuels and lubricants.

Available standard in black, with other colours offered upon request, the materials come in various forms for further processing. These include calendered sheets and plates, endless feeder strips, extruded strips and granules. Manufacturers can utilise conventional techniques such as compression, transfer and injection moulding, as well as extrusion for specific types. Furthermore, the entire KRAIBURG Fluor series is fully compliant with major regulatory standards, including REACH, RoHS and strict limits on PFHxA.

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In a significant expansion of their existing recycling partnership, Alcoa Australia and Tyrecycle have commenced a new programme to repurpose used conveyor belts from Alcoa’s mining operations. The first reel of used belt was successfully delivered to Tyrecycle’s East Rockingham processing plant, marking a pivotal step in addressing a major waste stream. This initiative builds upon the companies' established contract for recycling off-the-road tyres and forms a core component of Alcoa’s broader corporate strategy to minimise, recycle and reuse waste generated by its Western Australian activities.

The ambitious programme will see approximately 32 kilometres of used conveyor belt transported to the facility over several months. In its initial phase, the collaboration aims to recycle 80 reels of belting. Tyrecycle will process an estimated 100 tonnes of this material weekly, transforming it into rubber crumb. This output will supplement the more than 300 tonnes of Alcoa’s used tyres the company already recycles annually. The primary focus of the recycling process is to reclaim the steel wire embedded within the belts and to convert the rubber into a versatile crumb product.

This crumb is destined for a wide array of practical applications, serving as a valuable additive in road construction bitumen, and as a raw material for creating surfaces for sports fields and playgrounds, adhesives and various moulded rubber goods. Tyrecycle emphasises a circular economy vision, aiming not just for repurposing but for eventually integrating recycled material back into the manufacturing of new conveyor belts. Since its inauguration, the East Rockingham facility has been instrumental in providing Western Australian mining operators with solutions to decarbonise their supply chains. This partnership with Alcoa simultaneously supports regional employment and advances shared environmental goals by diverting substantial rubber waste from landfill and giving it a productive new life.

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