A groundbreaking recycling facility for massive mining tyres has opened in Western Australia's Pilbara region. This marks a significant shift from burial to sustainable processing of end-of-life tyres.

The facility, operated by Tyrecycle in Port Hedland, will process more than 30,000 tonnes of off-the-road (OTR) mining tyres annually. The development represents the first purpose-built facility of its kind in Australia, serving one of the world's most active mining regions.

"As a market leader we are proud to see this first facility of its kind in the country up and running, revolutionising OTR mining tyre recycling will ensure that these massive tyres are no longer seen as a disposal challenge but instead a resource for the achievement of better sustainable outcomes," said Tyrecycle Chief Executive Officer Jim Fairweather.

The strategic location near mining operations addresses a crucial logistical challenge in transporting the enormous tyres. Port Hedland, the world's largest export terminal, was chosen after a five-year development process.

Fairweather noted strong support from mining companies in pursuing more sustainable waste management practices. "Mining companies recognise the importance of managing their waste streams responsibly, and we're here to work alongside them to deliver more sustainable outcomes," he said.

The facility aims to address a significant gap in Australia's tyre recycling capabilities. Currently, only one percent of mining tyres are being collected for recycling, while the country generates approximately 130,000 tonnes of OTR mining tyres annually. The Pilbara region alone accounts for 50,000 tonnes.

Tyres processed at Port Hedland will be sent to Tyrecycle's East Rockingham facility near Perth for final processing into products including crumb rubber for road construction and tyre-derived fuel, which offers a lower-emission alternative to coal.

Bekaert has officially announced its active partnership in the ECO2Fuel project, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing climate change and at advancing decarbonisation efforts.

Bekaert's vast experience in creating Porous Transport Layers (PTLs) has proven crucial for the ECO2Fuel project. A high-performing part of the CO₂ electrolyser system, its Nickel Porous Transport Layer adds to the 50-kW system's efficacy and efficiency. Upscaling to a 1-MW system by 2026 is a significant milestone ahead for the ECO2Fuel project.

At the vanguard of innovation, the ECO2Fuel project is expanding the capabilities of CO₂ conversion technology. The project is increasing the scalability and efficiency of sustainable fuel generation by creating one of the biggest 50-kW CO₂ stack electrolysers. The increased performance and gas reuse made possible by this state-of-the-art system's greater operating pressures are crucial in increasing the viability of carbon capture utilisation in industrial settings.

The project has effectively included cutting-edge components that improve durability and efficiency in addition to scaling up electrolyser technology. These advancements, which range from next-generation catalysts and membranes to high-performance porous transport layers, guarantee the system's dependability in trying circumstances.

By concentrating on carbon capture and utilisation (CCU), the initiative aims to produce synthetic fuels from collected CO2 in order to establish a circular economy. In addition to lowering emissions, this creative strategy enhances renewable energy sources. For sectors like steel and cement that are difficult to decarbonise, the ECO2Fuel project is important. Due to their high energy requirements and heavy reliance on fossil fuels, these industries make it challenging to reach carbon neutrality with just renewable energy. The ECO2Fuel project provides a workable way to cut emissions in these hard-to-electrify industries by turning CO₂ into useful e-fuels.

Wacker Chemie AG, a speciality chemicals company, has achieved the top score of A in the Climate Change category of the CDP 2024 annual sustainability ratings. This is Wacker’s second time in a row on the A list by the global environmental non-profit organisation.

In the most significant investor questionnaire in the world, the non-profit CDP assesses the performance and openness of organisations in the categories of Climate Change, Water Security and Forests. Every year, it gathers and evaluates data and information on environmental consequences, goals and plans on behalf of investors. Participation is entirely voluntary.

Wacker led the evaluation group of more than 24,800 businesses globally in the Climate Change area with the highest grade of A. These businesses, according to CDP, are distinguished by extensive and high-quality data that offers a thorough summary of environmental impacts and transformation goals. Wacker got an A-, just like the year before, and reaffirmed its top spot in the Water Security area.

Dr Peter Gigler, Head of Sustainability at Wacker, said, “Wacker’s top A rating confirms to customers and investors our leading position in climate and environmental protection.”

Kraton Corporation and Formosa Petrochemical Corporation have received the prestigious ISCC PLUS certification for their HSBC Joint Venture plant in Mailiao, Taiwan. Being the creator of styrenic block copolymers (SBC), Kraton is dedicated to providing clients all over the world with innovative and sustainable solutions.

With the Mailiao accreditation, Kraton now has more certified SBC production locations in Asia in addition to Europe and North America. Using the mass balancing technique with ISCC PLUS-certified butadiene, styrene and isoprene, the Taiwan factory can now create up to 100 percent ISCC PLUS-certified renewable SBC under the CirKular+TM ReNew Series.

Offering ISCC PLUS-certified renewable polymers, the CirKular+ ReNew Series adds to Kraton's current line of CirKular+ products that promote the circular economy. In comparison to fossil-based solutions, the ReNew Series provides a drop-in solution that lowers the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint (including biogenic carbon). Kraton offers a sophisticated in-house life cycle assessment (LCA) programme and product carbon footprint modelling capabilities to suit particular client demands in addition to its unique range of sustainable solutions.

The CirKular+ Compatibilization Series and Performance Enhancement Series, which were introduced in 2020, provide high-performing, creative solutions for circular economy and plastics upcycling projects. By taking a comprehensive approach to the product lifecycle, CirKular+ assists clients in making the switch to circular design with recycled and renewable feedstocks, enhancing product performance and reducing carbon emissions.

Pedro Lopes, Global VP – Strategic Marketing, Product Management and Supply Chain, Kraton, said, “The certification of the Mailiao facility underscores Kraton’s dedication to advancing the circular economy and providing customers with sustainable, innovative solutions as the global industry leader. Our well-established global monomer supplier network enables us to offer multiple solutions with up to 100 percent ISCC PLUS-certified content, tailored to customer needs for bio-circular, circular and bio-based waste. Kraton is committed to supporting the transition to renewable materials, reducing carbon emissions and enabling a more sustainable future.”

The automotive retail sales in January 2025 grew by 6.63 percent YoY, a growth much better than previously anticipated by most industry observers. A total of 22,91,621 vehicles were sold across segments, which includes 15,21,862 two-wheelers (+4.15 percent YoY), 1,07,033 three-wheelers (+6.86 percent YoY), 4,65,920 passenger vehicles (+15.53 percent YoY), 93,381 tractors (+5.23% YoY) and 99,425 commercial vehicles (+8.22% YoY) according to the latest data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).

“The auto retail sector kicked off 2025 on a promising note, aligning with FADA’s earlier survey projections that expected January to range from flat to moderately positive. Indeed, overall retail sales posted a robust 6.6 percent YoY growth, reinforcing the industry’s optimistic start. Our observations indicate that each vehicle category – two-wheeler, three-wheeler, passenger vehicle, tractor and commercial vehicle – witnessed positive momentum, pointing toward sustained consumer confidence and steady market recovery,” said C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA.

In the two-wheeler segment, urban sales outpaced rural sales on the back of new model launches, marriage season demand and improved financing as key growth drivers. However, concerns about rising interest rates, rural liquidity challenges and market uncertainty still linger.

The passenger vehicle segment saw some spike on the back of ‘2025 model year’ sales, as the previous year models do see significant discounting.

“Commercial Vehicle sales increased by 8.22 percent YoY and surged 38.04 percent MoM, with urban markets climbing from 50.1 percent to 51.2 percent share and outpacing rural growth (9.51 percent vs 6.89 percent). While higher freight rates and passenger carrier demand provided a boost, many dealers cited low cash flow, strict financing policies and sluggish industries (like cement and coal) as major hurdles. Sentiments in rural regions remained notably subdued, compounded by limited new products. Overall, the sector shows cautious optimism but faces persistent headwinds,” added Vigneshwar.

Going forward, FADA maintains a cautious optimism for February, with dealers having a mixed sentiment ranging from an uptick, flat to even a drop in sales.

The tailwinds include continuing marriage season, fresh product launches and strategic promotional activities to sustain customer footfalls. This will be aided by improved inventory management, better financing options from select lenders and backlogged orders in certain segments (such as commercial vehicles) add to the sense of guarded confidence. With supportive policies and a post-budget lift in consumer sentiment, many believe February could see a stable or slightly elevated sales curve.

On the other hand, the headwinds expected include shorter working days, pockets of weak rural liquidity and inflationary pressures. Then there is the strict lending criteria, costlier vehicles and subdued demand in certain industrial sectors to further weigh on overall performance.