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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Japanese chemicals maker Zeon Corporation raised its full-year operating profit forecast after first-quarter earnings more than doubled, driven by robust demand for battery materials and optical films.

The Tokyo-based company, which produces speciality plastics and synthetic rubbers, posted operating income of 12.1 billion yen ($83.3 million) for the three months to June 30, up 136 percent from the previous quarter and 59 percent higher year-on-year.

Net sales declined 2 percent to 103.1 billion yen from a year earlier, affected by yen appreciation and lower elastomer prices reflecting declining raw material costs. However, sales volumes of optical films and battery materials increased during the period.

The company revised its full-year operating income forecast upwards to 30.5 billion yen from a previous estimate of 28 billion yen. However, this still represents a 9 percent decline from the prior year. Full-year sales are now expected to reach 415 billion yen, up 4 percent.

Zeon maintained its annual dividend forecast at 72 yen per share and said it is proceeding with a share buyback programme of up to 10 million shares or 10 billion yen for the current fiscal year.

The speciality materials business, which includes optical plastics, films and battery materials, generated operating income of 7.4 billion yen in the first quarter, jumping 40 percent year-on-year. Sales in the division fell 3 percent to 29.3 billion yen, partly due to timing differences at overseas affiliates related to the Chinese New Year.

Demand for battery materials remained steady, supported by China’s electric vehicle subsidy policies, whilst shipments to the United States energy storage systems market began during the quarter. The company said European EV sales showed signs of recovery, though inventory adjustments were prolonged.

In optical films, shipments increased due to expanded market share in large-sized televisions, whilst demand remained steady for tablet and smartphone applications.

The elastomer business posted operating income of 4.2 billion yen, up 12 percent from a year earlier, though sales were flat at 58.1 billion yen. The division was affected by weak overseas demand and lower selling prices caused by falling raw material costs.

Zeon also announced plans to sell a portion of its investment securities between August 2025 and March 2026, expecting to book a gain of approximately 10.9 billion yen to improve capital efficiency. The move is expected to reduce its cross-shareholdings ratio to around 11-12 percent of net assets by the end of the fiscal year.

The company said it had completed a reorganisation in June, transferring its chemicals business to the speciality materials division to accelerate decision-making and maximise profitability.

For the second half of the year, Zeon cautioned that optical film shipments are expected to decline due to panel production adjustments and seasonal mobile device demand. However, it described the adjustment as temporary with growth anticipated in fiscal 2026.

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Continental is redefining adventure riding for a new generation with the launch of the TKC 80², a complete re-imagining of its legendary TKC 80 tyre. After four decades, this isn't a simple update but a fundamental redesign crafted for today's powerful and heavy adventure motorcycles. It answers a clear call from riders who are increasingly drawn to uncharted paths, yet refuse to sacrifice performance on the journey there. The TKC 80² is engineered to be an uncompromising partner for this dual-purpose lifestyle.

Its performance begins with a cleverly engineered tread. The pattern uses larger, strategically shifted blocks that create more biting edges for superior grip in dirt, sand and gravel. This design also actively resists clogging, ensuring consistent performance where other tyres might pack up with mud. Stability is enhanced through a larger contact area, inspiring confidence whether carving a paved corner or navigating a rocky trail. The logic even extends to direction: the front tread is angled to dig in during braking, while the rear is designed in the opposite way to maximise acceleration traction without excessive digging.

Beneath the tread, a new carcass provides the backbone. It is specifically calibrated for a balanced 50/50 use, offering the robust stability needed for a loaded bike at high speeds or on demanding off-road sections while also improving ride comfort through optimised damping. An advanced rubber compound tackles the classic trade-off, delivering aggressive grip across diverse surfaces while also promising remarkable longevity and wear resistance. This is complemented by RainGrip technology, which instils confidence by maintaining secure handling when the weather turns cold and wet.

Built for epic journeys on every continent and backed by robust puncture protection, the TKC 80² is for those who ride without limits. To fit a broad spectrum of modern travel enduros from brands like BMW, KTM and Ducati, it will be produced in multiple sizes. With its distinct new sidewall icon, the Continental TKC 80² will be available at specialist retailers starting in Spring 2026.

Raphael Michels, Product Manager for Motorcycle Tires at Continental, said, “Our new flexible rubber compound adapts perfectly to the micro-roughness of the asphalt, providing excellent grip. At the same time, we’ve worked intensively to resolve the conflict between on- and off-road performance in the best possible way. The tyre tread combines maximum flexibility for safe wet grip with high block stiffness for stability and mechanical grip.”

Christoph Ettenhuber, Head of Business Field Motorcycle Tires at Continental, said, “With the TKC 80², we’re setting new standards in terms of versatility, robustness and off-road performance. The combination of innovative tread design, new rubber compound and optimised carcass offers adventure riders maximum safety, control and riding pleasure on a wide variety of terrains.”

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Bridgestone has confirmed a January 2026 launch for its new premium sports motorcycle tyre, the BATTLAX RACING STREET RS12, in North America. Developed under the concept ‘From Circuit to Street,’ this road-legal tyre is engineered to deliver the highest level of dry grip within the BATTLAX lineup by directly incorporating technologies refined in competitive racing.

The RS12 features a specialised compound derived from race tyre development, which works in concert with a newly designed tread pattern. This pattern’s optimised groove ratio enhances overall tyre rigidity and increases the contact area during cornering for superior grip. A significant innovation for the front tyre is the introduction of the HE-MS BELT structure, a technology previously reserved for top-tier global motorcycle races. This flexible belt system equalises contact pressure to provide a further boost in traction.

By integrating these endurance-racing technologies, the RS12 achieves comprehensive performance improvements on the circuit, with a primary focus on dry conditions. The result is a notable reduction in lap times compared to its predecessor, the RS11. Furthermore, the synergistic combination of its compound, pattern and structure ensures that the high grip level is consistently maintained over multiple laps, resisting performance degradation. This gives riders confidence and a more engaging experience across diverse riding scenarios, from aggressive sport riding on dry pavement to tackling winding roads and dedicated track days.

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 India's Rubber Board has donated floor cleaning equipment valued at Rs 10 lakh to Kottayam Medical College as part of the Central Government's cleanliness initiative.

The equipment, comprising a scrubber dryer floor cleaning machine and a vacuum cleaner, was handed over at a ceremony held at the medical college on Sunday.

M Vasanthagesan IRS, Executive Director of the Rubber Board, presented the equipment at a meeting presided over by V N Vasavan, Kerala's Minister for Co-operation, Ports and Devaswom.

The event, conducted under the Centre's 'Swachhata Action Plan', also recognised cleaning workers at the medical college.

Dr Varghese Punnoose, Principal of Kottayam Medical College, Dr T K Jayakumar, Superintendent of the institution, and Dr Binoi K Kurien, Secretary in-charge of the Rubber Board, addressed the gathering.

The Rubber Board, a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, oversees development and regulation of India's rubber industry.

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