With India’s first integrated carbon black complex, Epsilon Carbon Private Limited will have secured raw materials supply with better yield. In an interview, Vikram Handa, MD, Epsilon Carbon, shared the company’s aggressive expansion plans with top-notch manufacturing capabilities.

With the commission of India’s first integrated carbon black plant, Epsilon Carbon Private Limited (ECPL) is upbeat on producing more quality-consistent products with better yield and lesser carbon footprint than its peers.

ECPL, India’s leading coal tar derivatives company, recently commissioned the production at its carbon black complex located in Bellary, Karnataka, which has a capacity of 115,000 tonnes per annum (TPA). The plant produces both tread and carcass grades of ASTM carbon blacks for tyre, non-tyre rubber and plastic masterbatch.

Established in 2010, today ECPL has manufacturing units in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in India. To be a leader in the carbon and coal tar industry globally, the company focuses on environment-friendly and energy-efficient processes. It currently produces coal tar derivatives such as graphite pitch, binder pitch, carbon black oil, anthracene oil and naphthalene used to make aluminium, carbon black, tyres, mechanical rubber goods, graphite and speciality chemicals and other products.

Manufacturing Advantages

ECPL’s Bellary carbon black unit is located in the JSW Steel complex, where it procures coal tar. ECPL has been operating a coal tar distillation plant for the last seven years, and one of the by-products of cold tar distillation is carbon black oil, which it sells to other carbon black manufacturers. The anthracene oil generated in the coal tar distillation process is used as a clean feedstock in the carbon black unit. “Over the last five years, many carbon black manufacturers have been buying the feedstock from us to make their products. When we saw more raw material was becoming available to us, we forward integrated to use our oil to make carbon black. We are the only carbon black manufacturer who is completely backward integrated,” says Vikram Handa, MD, Epsilon Carbon.

Carbon black is used as a reinforcement agent in tyres. Though carbon black is being replaced with silica in passenger vehicle tyres, it is still widely used in commercial tyres. ECPL produces hard and soft grades of carbon black to cater to both tyre and non-tyre applications in domestic and international markets.

One unique advantage that ECPL enjoys is the lower sulphur content in its feedstock. The company uses captive low-sulphur feedstock, which has between 0.3-0.5 percent sulphur as against feedstock with around three percent sulphur used by its peers. The ECPL plant also uses waste coke oven gas from the steel plant as fuel, and tail-gas from the carbon black unit is fed back to the steel complex for pre-heating operations.

The Handa-led company has implemented many first-time pollution control measures in a carbon black plant in India. “The water requirement is very high in carbon black manufacturing. Our plant recovers and reuses water. We have also installed bag filters to collect dust in our warehouses. We really want to set high standards for the first time in India that are accredited and recognised globally,” adds Handa.

The company has already obtained REACH certifications for its products. With the high standards, ECPL focuses on higher Cpk value to maintain consistency in the manufacturing processes that customers look for.

Poised For Growth

According to Handa, in the next four to five years, the carbon industry in India is poised to witness higher growth in line with the tyre industry’s production expansion. According to ICRA, the Indian tyre industry is likely to have a capital expenditure of over INR 200 billion between FY2022 and FY2025. Explaining the growing expectations of tyre companies, Handa says, “In general, if you see, the carbon black industry is coming closer to its customers – mainly tyre companies. For instance, many carbon black producing companies are moving to Eastern Europe – an emerging hub of tyre manufacturing companies. The same trend is expected across the globe.”

“The carbon back is a very voluminous product, shipped in jumbo bags to different parts of the world. So it is challenging to move carbon black around the globe effectively. Though it’s not a very expensive product, the cost of freight becomes a big component in the prices of carbon back. Being closer to your customers always gives an advantage on the cost front,” adds Handa.

In India, many carbon black producers are located near ports, which is logical to import oil feedstock to make carbon black. However, in India, leading tyre companies are situated in the South. Being a backward integrated carbon black producer and closer to the major tyre companies, ECPL will enjoy certain advantages, believes Handa. “Being strategically located in Karnataka, we can send our products to the tyre companies located in the southern part of India in a day, whereas our competitors may take two to three days.” For its customers in other parts of the country, the company will build depots and a strong distribution network. It aims at servicing global markets and has appointed over 30 partners who will assist with local service, warehousing and logistics support to provide just on-time delivery to its customers.

Out of its current total production, around 80 to 85 percent is of ASTM grades, while the rest is speciality grades. For the time being, the company will continue to focus on ASTM grades to cement its position in the market. “I think in our future expansion, we will look at niche products, but currently, we’re focused on just ASTM goods,” explains Handa.

The company currently exports to Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam and China. In its Phase- 2 expansion plans, ECPL will invest INR 3.5 billion, which will bring the total investment close to INR 9 billion, to expand its capacity by another 65,000 TPA. The company plans to further expand its capacity of carbon black to a total of 300,000 TPA. “So, engineering, environmental clearance and all these things are envisaged for a 300,000 TPA-complex, which will be the largest single-location carbon black plant in India that will bring cost efficiency and consistent quality products for its customers,” says Handa.

Right now, around 60 percent of production is consumed locally, and the rest is exported. In the future, it targets to take up local supply to 80 percent in the next three months. On the segment side, the company aims to supply around 70 percent to tyre companies and the remaining to non-tyre companies. Currently, the ratio is other way around.

Handa also stresses the need for effective collaboration between tyre companies and carbon black makers. He says his company looks at the growth synergies with tyre companies catering to demand generated due to the aggressive expansion of the tyre production. “We at Epsilon Carbon Black look at developing better products tapping into all types of demand of tyre companies in future. So it’s essential to work with tyre companies jointly. You don’t want a situation where tyre companies are expanding production, and the larger requirement of carbon black will be met through imports. And we, as a carbon black manufacturer, also do not want to be an opportunist and export our product to take price advantage. We look for long term partnerships,” explains Handa.

At the start, the company’s focus is really to qualify as a supplier to our customers. “Today, more than 1,000 customers have used carbon black. Some of them might have bought 25 kg, some 100 tonnes, but the fact is that everybody is trying a carbon black, getting used to it, qualifying it, and that opens the door to sell more to the customers hopefully,” concludes Handa. (TT)

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Tegeta Green Planet opened the Light Vehicle Diagnostics course at Tegeta Academy with a presentation for attendees aged 17 to 33. Beyond their chosen vocational field, participants learned about automotive waste management and environmental responsibility.

Shalva Akhvlediani, the organisation’s director, outlined its activities and goals while emphasising Extended Producer Responsibility. The session examined how the automotive sector connects to environmental duty and why used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries must be collected and managed properly.

Tyre management and RECSOL featured prominently. Attendees traced a used tyre’s path from collection to recycling and learned how waste becomes a source of new resources. RECSOL, Tegeta’s tyre recycling plant, is a significant infrastructure project in used tyre recycling, processing tyres into materials for various uses and supporting circular economy principles.

A core aim is a system where waste is not an endpoint but the starting point for new resources, which requires infrastructure alongside greater public awareness and information on proper disposal. For participants, the meeting linked professional education with environmental awareness, stressing that future automotive professionals should understand this responsibility early.

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Tyres Europe, alongside ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) and CLEPA (the European Association of Automotive Suppliers), has dispatched a joint communication to EU decision-makers concerning the possible broadening of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover downstream goods. The move comes as trilogue discussions approach.

Tyre producers form part of an automotive value chain already bearing carbon-related expenses for steel and aluminium manufactured within Europe. The proposed expansion would draw additional products into the mechanism’s remit before the existing framework has demonstrated its effectiveness. Resulting costs and administrative requirements would land on downstream manufacturers, tyre makers included, with signatories cautioning that a conceptually sound regulatory effort could become an operational and financial strain.

Endorsing the mechanism’s aims, the signatories nonetheless urge a proportionate scope that shields the entire value chain from carbon leakage while preventing that risk from being pushed further downstream. They advocate extending the mechanism only where a material carbon-leakage danger is evidenced, and request that policymakers ease compliance demands, including via more fitting default values mirroring real production routes.

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NEXEN TIRE has extended its partnership with Zalgiris, reinforcing its commitment to basketball in Europe, particularly across the Baltic region. The renewal builds on a relationship that began in 2024 and reflects the company’s broader strategy of linking its brand to performance, innovation and mobility.

The tyre maker has pursued sports partnerships as a way to connect with fans, sharing in the passion and excitement of supporting favourite teams during major matches and memorable moments. It also values the teamwork, dedication and collective achievement that define team sports, using such ties to build authentic connections and deepen engagement in key European markets. Its collaboration with clubs including Zalgiris and FC Bayern München forms part of this approach.

Under the extended agreement, NEXEN TIRE will gain greater visibility among sports fans in the region. The partnership offers branding opportunities at Zalgirio Arena, such as synchronised on-screen advertising and promotion on LED stands near the court, in a position visible on television during EuroLeague and LKL home games.

The arrangement also includes a hospitality programme allowing NEXEN TIRE to welcome guests and business partners at Zalgiris home fixtures. Through the strengthened alliance, the company aims to share its passion with more fans while raising brand awareness across the region.

Ricky Lee, Managing Director, NEXEN TIRE Poland, said, “Our cooperation with Zalgiris has developed positively since 2024, and we are pleased to extend and strengthen this partnership. Basketball has a particularly strong following in the Baltic region, making Zalgiris an important partner as we continue to grow our presence and engage with fans. We look forward to supporting the team throughout the season and doing our best to create positive experiences for both the players and their passionate fans.”

Paulius Jankunas, President, Zalgiris, said, “We are delighted to continue our cooperation with NEXEN TIRE and build on the partnership we started two years ago. NEXEN TIRE brings extensive experience in sports marketing, and we are proud to work together on creating meaningful projects and experiences for our fans. We look forward to another successful period of cooperation and to welcoming NEXEN TIRE’s guests and partners to our games and events.”

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres through wholesale and franchise operations, has widened its tyre portfolio through the addition of four new lines under the Multi-Mile Tyres banner. Serving as a value step-up brand, Multi-Mile gives dealers a strong mix of broader product coverage and improved consumer advantages crafted to drive better retail margins, helping retailers offer greater value while lifting profitability. With this expansion, the portfolio now reaches over 85 percent of the vehicle market, offering dealers more ways to satisfy customer demand.

Among the additions are tyres built for rugged and mud terrain use, boasting self-cleaning treads that push out mud and stones alongside dependable traction both on and off the road. Also joining the range are commercial and C-metric speciality tyres tailored to heavy-duty regional and long-haul trucks, together with all-weather tyres that hold the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake severe snow rating and are made for high mileage and consistent year-round use.

A prominent name in the replacement tyre segment, Multi-Mile carries cutting-edge touring, high-performance and broad-line tyres suited to passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs. Meanwhile, the upgraded Mile After Mile Protection Plan warranty now delivers broader coverage, adding three-year roadside assistance, a three-year road hazard protection plan and a 60-day ride guarantee on top of its extensive treadwear warranties.

Rachel Tibor, Chief Marketing Officer, TBC Wholesale, said, “For more than 70 years, Multi-Mile products have offered cost-efficient, reliable and durable tyre options that enhance safety and performance. With this expanded portfolio, Multi-Mile strengthens its position as a value step-up brand, giving dealers more opportunities to meet evolving consumer needs while offering a product mix designed to support stronger retail margins. We’re continuing our longstanding tradition of supplying the right products at the right time for every type of vehicle and application.”

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