How will the collaboration with Michelin influence the future of the company? What vision do the companies share?

Michelin evaluated our recovered carbon black material in 2016. Since then, they have made significant testing of quite large volumes of our material over time to evaluate its consistency and quality. This is probably the most important parameter for any tyre manufacturer to use recovered carbon black. The interest in the technology itself started to grow as they saw that the performance of the recovered carbon black material was quite impressive. Over time, they started doing due diligence on the technology during those years. We intensified the negotiations in the early stages of 2020 and finally entered into a partnership agreement in April where Michelin invested 20 percent in Enviro. But, that was only one part of the partnership we envisioned. We also had, from the beginning, discussions about how we can provide the technology as a part of their solution to build a business model around mining tyres. This way, they could also offer their mining customers a solution for the recovery of the mining tyres. In that aspect, we negotiated regarding a joint plant project we are currently building in the Antofagasta region of Chile. We are also preparing the permitting for a plant in Uddevalla, Sweden, of 60,000-tonne ELT capacity for car and truck tyres.

In addition to that, we evaluate different technology experiences from both sides where we contribute with our experience in pyrolysis and treating end-of-life tyres in a professional way. Michelin is contributing with their extensive knowledge about developing and innovation into industrial capacity plants. What we have is a very intense collaboration on a more or less daily basis.

Going forward, we see that Michelin has a strategic ambition to replace up to 100 percent of the materials in the tyres with sustainable alternatives. Carbon black is one of the materials where we think that quite large volumes can be replaced over time. They're also involved in replacement and development of different types of oils in the tyres. From Michelin’s side, I think they have a wider interest in the recovery of all the materials in the tyres. This also aligns with our interest since we are recovering tyre pyrolysis oil and doing that quite successfully. We expect more plans in collaboration with Michelin in one way or another. Their investment in our company and the clear engagement in showing the market that they're using our material in motorcycle racing tyres in Moto E and in performance tyres for racing cars is helping us to get the acknowledgement in the market. This is important for our growth and our expansion plan.

How are you matching the quality and consistency of the recovered carbon black to virgin carbon black? Can you also please elaborate on the collaboration with AnvaPolytech, where Enviro completely replaced virgin carbon black used in Volvo's rubber components back in 2015?

We are using our patented batch process, which is a fixed batch process. The technology that we are using was developed for over 20 years to maintain control of the pyrolysis process. We can make sure that the result of the pyrolysis in the material is consistent, which means that we are not creating new carbon, as you easily do when you have a continuous process, and we are making sure that the pyrolysis process has evaporated all the volatiles out of the carbon fraction. This is very important and we control this with the system in multiple parameters that we measure during the process. We also have a significant quality control system downstream. So, in the post process of the pyrolysis, we do multiple quality checks. Before each shipment, we have ASTM standard controls for about 10 different parameters where we compare to the industry ASTM standard normally used for carbon black. There are a few ASTM measurements used for virgin carbon black that are not applicable for all recovered carbon black products, but the majority of the tests can be similar and we keep a very high consistency there. This is also one of the main achievements of the company since January 2016. We made the first commercial delivery to AnvaPolytech and they are a rubber component supplier to Volvo Cars. They have been involved with us before the commercial deliveries in the research and development of the material for rubber components. They were also involved in lots of different types of testing, where meeting the automotive standard for EPDM rubber components was a very significant part, and also got the final approval from Volvo Cars to replace the material. Since 2016, we have replaced 100 percent carbon black in those components with our material. I think it's now more than 100 million components delivered from Anva to Volvo Cars.

The gas produced during the pyrolysis process is used to fuel the machinery itself. Is there a commercial value for the gas in this market and are you exploring those business verticals?

It is a very valid question; we are producing new pyrolysis gas, and in the process, we condense out the oil, but there will be a fraction of gas that is not condensable. That gas is the excess gas that we use for the next pyrolysis phase. In our current plant at Åsensbruk, we use the excess gas and part of the oil to power the main process and the post process for heating purposes. In the new plants we will be building, for instance, one in Sweden, we plan to start production in the fourth quarter of 2023, where we will use green energy from wind, solar, water and waste to provide energy. In this case, the excess gas will be used only to heat the dryer system in the post process. Does it have a commercial value? I think some markets do; it might be used also in-turn to produce energy or electricity, but at the moment, this is not something that we are exploring further in detail.

The company recently received two ISCC certifications, one for the pyrolysis oil and the other for the carbon black. What were the challenges in earning the certifications and are there any other benchmarks that you're targeting for any other product in the future?

We are very proud to be the first to achieve the certification for the recovered carbon black. It is an important step for both the certification and for us as a company. We are already seeing some of the players in the tyre industry looking to certify according to ISCC now. This means that there will be a higher value in connection to using that type of material. There are always challenges with being certified and the most challenging maybe is to follow the certification requirements in terms of how, when and where to measure. We need to make sure that this is something that we can live up to when we are audited annually. We must also commit resources and capabilities to do this. We also needed to involve our supplier of tyre material, which, in Sweden, are Ragn-Sells. They are also audited by the certifier.

Enviro was evaluating business prospects in India. What is the current status of opening a full-size plant? Pyrolysis is banned in India across almost all states by the pollution board, and we're seeing various companies being ordered to shut down plants. Where does Enviro fit in and what are the developments?

Yes, we have been conducting meetings together with the Swedish Energy Agency, Swedish Export Organization, Business Sweden and a few other organisations including India-Sweden Innovations Accelerator and Confederation of Indian Industry in India. We have been exploring the Indian market for many multiple axles, and during the last two years, we are meeting with all the major tyre producers, both local and international. We are meeting with oil companies downstream who are potential customers for oil. We are meeting with waste treatment and tyre treatment companies locally and also making presentations to most local governments. However, we feel it is a bit too early for us to enter India on a more massive basis.

We have decided strategically that we will start with Europe followed by probably the US in the next phase. I think that will help India to monitor what is happening with the technology and how it can be a part of the system in those markets. We can then use that as a showcase for creating a sustainable and long-term system for the Indian market. We hope that this display of the system will be appreciated by the players in India to implement and also be some kind of inspiration to make that happen. In regards to pyrolysis being banned, I think it's probably a very correct decision because the pyrolysis technologies that we have seen being used in India are mainly Chinese versions where the environmental 360-degree impact has not really been considered. I think it was a very necessary decision.

The system for import and collecting for the pyrolysis industry was not really in place at that moment. But I think we can showcase together with a few of our peers in the European market that batch pyrolysis process and pyrolysis in general can be made with a very sustainable and safe technology with the highest possible emission control systems. We are hoping that by setting an example in Europe and showing both the technology and the system, maybe we will enter India in the next five years.

What are some of the constraints that you see in entering the Indian market?

I think one constraint that we are struggling with – mainly in Europe, but also in other markets – is that end-of-life tyres are viewed purely as waste materials. To really get our authorities and government regulators to understand that we are making a transition of waste materials into something that can sustainably replace fossil resources is a challenge. We are in the right direction. ISCC certification is one step.

Reach of the materials is another step. I think that transition to get aligned with the current legislation in many countries is still a hurdle. Even if it's improving, making this kind of large transition of an industry that is not really present at the moment requires financial support. Financial investors need to be willing to take a little bit of a risk to make the industry change as rapidly as it needs to. It's not enough for the tyre industry if there is one company able to provide the small volume to the market; they need multiple suppliers and large volumes to replace larger volumes of virgin material. The volume is a constraint itself. We hope, together with Michelin and other parties that we're working with, to provide larger volumes in the coming 10 years. Our ambition is to establish at least 30 plants globally in the coming decade. We also hope that our competitors are also successful in India.

What potential do you see in the Indian market, being one of the biggest automotive markets in the world, in terms of government support or the infrastructure for the products Enviro produces?

One of the opportunities is the growing automotive market. There is also a foundation of industry there in India for a long time. There is a tradition to produce tyres with a lot of knowledge, research and development around tyres and rubber materials, which I think is a very interesting potential itself. The competence around the materials in India is significant. I think the size of the market itself is an opportunity. If you choose to see the immaturity of the collection system as an opportunity, which I do, I think there is a lot of potential to establish from ground-up, a workable system with different stakeholders where I think local and national government needs to play a role, but it needs to be still on market conditions. I think the model that we will be showcasing in Europe will be attractive for both the government and local private stakeholders like the tyre industry and rubber industry.

In a broader sense, what is the future for the company and what are your goals? What are you excited about?

There are very clear targets from the tyre industry since they are consuming more than 70 to 80 percent of the carbon black material in the world. We have very clear targets for replacing fossil-originated materials with recovered or sustainable materials. We are very excited about the volume potential we see there. We have started to take steps in that direction with multiple tyre producers. The regulation in Europe and other countries to reduce the fossil content in oil products and chemical products is very positive for us. ISCC is a very important tool for the market to implement recovered and bio-based materials which have tax incentives. These enable us to launch our expansion plan, which, as I mentioned, is for the next 10 years to open 30 plants globally. We are excited that we are now in the position to work in establishing one plant with Michelin in Chile and in parallel a plant in Sweden with more or less the same time scheduled to start production. In the pipeline, we have several very interesting projects building up.

Are there other manufacturers or automotive players that are satisfied with the level of quality in your recovered carbon black? Are there any projects in the pipeline?

We have seen the interest significantly increasing in suppliers to the automotive industries and to other core manufacturers since we got the ISCC certificate for our products. But I think that we could better market what we have achieved together with Volvo in order to really get the other car brands into using more of our material. I think we have some homework to do there, because what we do is too little known to them at the moment. So there is work to be done there. We know we can achieve it. We should focus on letting them know what we can do. We are working with some other automotive manufacturers not only for the recovered carbon black but also to help them achieve their zero-emission objectives. So that could be related to oil, carbon black, steel and potentially other materials such as carbon fibre, for instance. (MT)

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Linglong Tire, the Chinese manufacturer, is to invest an estimated USD 270 million in a new tyre factory in Egypt, as part of a strategy to expand its footprint across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The company has established Linglong Tire Egypt Co, Ltd to run the Shandong Linglong Tyre Co Overseas (Egypt) Investment and Construction Project. The registered name remains subject to confirmation by local authorities, which are reviewing a missing company registration certificate.

The factory will be built in Borg El Arab, 45 km south of Alexandria, on a site covering approximately 251,460 square metres. Construction is expected to take two years and will include the plant itself, along with civil buildings, infrastructure, landscaping and other support works.

Once operational, the site is expected to produce about 6m car tyres a year, generating annual sales of approximately USD 175  million and a net profit of around USD 35 million.

Linglong said the investment was designed to serve both the Egyptian market and its core markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where the automotive sector has grown steadily in recent years. Egypt's location, at the intersection of Asia, Africa and Europe and close to the Suez Canal, was cited as a factor in the decision, alongside access to local ports and logistics networks that could help lower supply-chain costs.

The Egyptian plant would complement Linglong's existing production sites in China, Thailand and Europe, adding capacity to a global network that already includes five factories in China and one each in Thailand and Serbia. The company said the project supported a wider strategy involving automation, research and development, and more sustainable production methods.

The investment still requires approval from the relevant authorities in China and Egypt. Linglong said the project could be modified, delayed or discontinued if the necessary permits were not obtained.

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Liberty Tire Recycling facilities throughout North America took part in the Recycled Materials Association's (ReMA) annual Safety Stand Down Week, underscoring the company's sustained dedication to worker safety and well-being. Teams set aside regular duties to engage in training sessions, hazard awareness conversations and reviews of established best practices aimed at reinforcing a safety-first culture.

The week's programming spanned the company's entire network and featured toolbox talks, site-specific safety discussions, CEO-sponsored facility inspections with managers and employees and examinations of safe operating procedures. These activities gave workers room to spot potential hazards, offer observations, raise questions and strengthen the systems underpinning a safer workplace.

Beyond this annual event, Liberty maintains year-round safety measures that include regular stand downs, five-minute safety talks, near-miss reporting, safety work orders, Liberty Learning LMS training, engineering upgrades, standard operating procedures and employee development programmes. Joining industry peers in the ReMA initiative let the company reaffirm continuous improvement across every facility.

Safety is treated as a shared responsibility and an ongoing journey. Liberty Tire Recycling, a leader in tyre recycling and circular economy solutions, expressed appreciation to all participating team members for keeping safety central to daily operations while supporting ReMA's broader push for industry-wide safety excellence.

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DT Swiss has refreshed its mountain bike (MTB) wheel range with redesigned asymmetric alloy rims, following more than 10 years of leadership in the alloy MTB segment. The EX 511, XM 481 and XR 391 have each received updates featuring premium aluminium alloy, welded rim joints, wider horns to limit tyre damage and a humped tyre contact surface for better support, yielding stronger and more durable rims.

Across the range, every new rim now uses an asymmetrical profile that balances spoke tension more evenly and extends wheel life. Distinct construction traits are tailored to cross-country, all-mountain and enduro use, so riders can select a rim suited to their preferred discipline.

The EX 441 is built for unplanned lines, combining its asymmetric shape with wider horns and an optimised structure for stability and impact resistance. It comes in multiple sizes with either 28 or 32 spoke holes.

For mountain exploration, the XM 431 pairs a strong aluminium build with a refined profile and wider horns for greater impact resistance, plus a redesigned contact patch for improved lateral tyre support; it is offered in 27.5 or 29 inches. The XR 421, meanwhile, uses a lightweight asymmetric, flatter construction with a 28 mm inner width optimised for tyres up to 2.7 inches, giving cross-country riders confidence and speed lap after lap.

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Bridgestone Americas has entered a three-year partnership with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), becoming the organisation’s Official Tyre and the exclusive tyre supplier for the SCCA Club Spec programme. The agreement deepens Bridgestone’s presence in grassroots motorsports, spanning autocross, track days and time trials while reinforcing its commitment to accessible competition.

Under the arrangement, Bridgestone will equip vehicle platforms intended to reduce the technical and financial obstacles facing newcomers to motorsports. The company’s championship-winning Potenza RE-71RZ tyre will support established categories such as Solo Spec Coupe, Club Spec MX-5 and Club Spec Mustang. It will also serve as the spec tyre for the Club Spec Cayman class, scheduled to debut in 2027.

The Potenza RE-71RZ, an extreme 200TW summer performance tyre, was engineered specifically for grassroots racing, delivering rapid lap times and responsive control. Bridgestone performance tyres, including the new model and its predecessor, the Potenza RE-71RS, posted strong 2026 results. They captured 75 percent of class wins, more than 350, and 70 percent of class podiums across 21 of 24 national SCCA Solo events, while accounting for 70 percent of eligible entries, surpassing 3,300 competitors. At the SCCA Solo National Championships, the tyres represented 55 percent of total event entries and 80 percent of eligible street tyre classes. They won 36 of 41 classes, earned 103 trophies and set the event’s fastest overall index time by 0.7 seconds. In SCCA time trials, they claimed 97 percent of podium finishes and set 19 class lap records.

Looking forward, the two organisations plan to collaborate on educational programmes, trackside support and member experiences. The partnership will back initiatives including Track Night in America and SCCA Women on Track, underscoring Bridgestone’s aim to combine innovative tyre technology with broader access to high-performance driving.

David Colletti, President of Consumer Original Equipment Tires, North America, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, said, “Bridgestone and the SCCA share a core commitment to making motorsports accessible, educational and fun. Partnering as the Official Tire of the SCCA and SCCA Club Spec furthers our investment in the heart of the racing community while enabling us to deliver peak Potenza performance every single weekend.”

Heyward Wagner, Vice President of Rally, Solo and Experiential Programs, said, “SCCA is honoured to partner with Bridgestone and welcome the brand back into our community. Bridgestone was a tremendous supporter of SCCA Solo competitors 20 years ago, and many of our members still remember the impact the brand made. That history has paved the way for genuine excitement across SCCA to reunite with Bridgestone, celebrate that shared history and build on it through programmes that support accessible, competitive and fun motorsports experiences for drivers at every level.”

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