By Sharad Matade

As part of its sustainability efforts, Continental aims at using at least ten percent of natural rubber derived from Russian dandelion roots in its tyre and industrial rubber goods production in future.

“We have undertaken a huge research task to meet ten percent of our requirement of natural rubber from dandelion roots. It is a long-term process,” Dr Carla Recker, Head of Expertfield Materials Chemistry & Taraxagum, told Tyre Trends in an interview. “It will take decades to complement natural rubber from Hevea brasiliensis with natural rubber from dandelion plants at an industrialised level. However, the company does not intend to replace NR from Hevea brasiliensis trees.”

According to Dr Carsten Venz, Site Manager at Taraxagum Lab Anklam, “Dandelion will be an additional source of natural rubber, not a replacement to rubber trees, in the coming years.”

Continental has been consequent on the cultivation and processing of Russian dandelion as an alternative source of raw material to the rubber tree in the tropics. Last year, the company officially opened its research and test laboratory named Taraxagum Lab Anklam in Anklam, Germany, a base for its future research into the cultivation and processing of Russian dandelion, within a year after the ground-breaking ceremony held in November 2017.

“The Taraxagum Lab Anklam is the latest key milestone of our project,” said Dr Recker.

The Taraxagum project is crucial for the company. “The natural rubber from dandelion is important to develop a new alternative and sustainable supply of the raw material” Dr Venz said.

On bicycle tyres

Though the lab was opened last year, Continental started working on the dandelion rubber project in 2011, and the company has already used rubber from dandelion roots in its passenger car tyres, truck tyres and industrial rubber goods. “The latest development on production-side is that we have industrialised bicycle tyres with rubber derived from dandelions. So, you can now buy bicycle tyres of Continental made of dandelion rubber in the market,” Dr Recker said. Continental showcased its first bicycle tyre with dandelion rubber at the Tour de France this year.

Currently, the Taraxagum lab is working on dandelion research, and over the next five to ten years, it will focus on the industrialisation of dandelion rubber and increase the share for the dandelion rubber in its products.

“Continental sees the Russian dandelion as one element of our commitment for sustainable natural rubber as detailed in our Sustainable Natural Rubber Sourcing Policy published in October 2018. At least for us, the Russian dandelion is the most promising alternative source for natural rubber. There might be different sources (to get natural rubber), but that does not fit for us. The Russian dandelion can be grown in different climate zones unlike natural rubber from heave brasiliensis trees which need tropical climates to grow. Rubber trees and the Russian dandelion have the same characteristics, the same chemical structure and the same properties. It is just two plants producing the same material,” says Dr Recker. The advantage of dandelion rubber over rubber from trees is that the former has a generation succession of just three months as compared to seven years for the latter.

Since the dandelion plants can be cultivated in Northern and Western Europe, which makes transportation routes to the European production sites much shorter and contributes to the sustainable use of existing resources, thinks Continental.

However, the major challenge will be the 100 percent replacement of rubber made from trees with dandelion rubber. Dr Recker thinks, yes, technically, dandelion can replace tree rubber by 100 percent, but the more significant challenge will be the industrialisation of dandelion rubber to the level of rubber trees. “We are at a research stage. The amount of dandelion available globally is not enough to replace natural rubber commercially. To create that biological system to industrialise the natural rubber from the dandelion will take some time and we will have to be more patient,” says Dr Recker.

Research is a time and capital consuming task. Synthetic rubber is also coming into tyre production in a more significant way, but the crude oil derived commodity has historically been volatile, and even oil-producing nations are diversifying their businesses citing falling productions and growing focus on cleaner options.

Dandelion rubber is not new to the tyre industry; however, the industry does not seem much keen on dandelion plants as an alternative source for natural rubber. “Not everybody (tyre company) is willing to invest in the early research of dandelion rubber and setting up the entire bio-economy. You have to establish a full value chain from breeding to the production of natural rubber from dandelion plants, which is does not exist yet and not every market player is willing to invest in such a long-term process,” explains Dr Recker.

Since Continental sees dandelion a sustaining resource for natural rubber in the future, it has made a substantial investment for the project. It has already poured in 35 million euros for the project. “Though many of our peers are investing in other resources to get natural rubber, I think we are quite unique investing like the way we are to explore alternative resources for natural rubber,” says Dr Venz.

Over 90 percent of natural rubber derives from South East Asia, a tropical region suitable for natural rubber trees. However, erratic climate behaviour is hitting production of natural rubber in this region. Natural rubber producers are also exploring other areas to grow natural rubber trees. According to Dr Recker, the research project has yet to ascertain the survival scope of the Russian dandelion in changing climates. “I believe that Dandelion will grow in all climate zones,” says Dr Recker.

Yield ratio

As of now, Continental also does not have comparable yield ratios between natural rubber from dandelion and hevea brasiliensis. “We are working on determining the output of natural rubber per acre from both resources,” says Dr Venz. “Usually, between 1 and 1.8 ton per hectare per year is produced from rubber trees, and around the same amount of production per hectare we are expecting from dandelion plants,” estimates Dr Recker.

As part of the value chain creation, the company is focusing on breeding for seed production and harvesting, root production and harvesting, and the extraction process. According to the company, growers also need some time to understand and get hands-on to harvest dandelion plants. Every year climate conditions will determine a different impact on the plants. “We will need to see how the crops will react in different climate and harvesting seasons. We are building a network of farmers in North East Germany from whom we learn and whom we can teach what we have learned,” added Dr Recker.

Fundamental design and development of tires for the mobility of the future will be unchanged; however, tires will be expected to be high performance and eco-friendly. According to Continental executives, for the mobility of the future, natural rubber will remain the core ingredient and dandelion will be one of the sustainable options to provide natural rubber. “Rubber be will be used in future to make high-performance tires, and we are exploring the option to have a sustainable source for natural rubber,” adds Dr Recker.

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Ecolomondo Corporation, a Canadian developer of sustainable tyre recycling technology, has released its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ending 30 June 2025. The period was marked by significant progress in commercialising its Hawkesbury thermal decomposition facility, particularly within the recovered carbon black (rCB) department. A major milestone was reached with the installation and commissioning of new milling equipment, a critical step for the plant to achieve full operational capacity, as rCB is its primary revenue generator.

Following the quarter's end, the company's main rCB client formally approved the product quality, leading to five consecutive purchase orders for multiple truckloads delivered between July and August. A separate US-based customer has also approved the rCB quality, with bulk purchase orders anticipated imminently.

Financially, Ecolomondo secured USD 1.5 million through private placements and finalised a significant agreement with Export Development Canada (EDC). This arrangement provides a temporary postponement of principal and interest payments on three existing loans, improving the company's working capital and investor confidence. This debt modification resulted in a gain of USD 2,495,209, which contributed to a reported net profit of USD 1,452,712, for the quarter, despite an operating loss, which stood at USD 1,042,497 for the quarter, compared to USD 443,418 for the same period of 2024.

Revenue saw substantial growth, increasing by 212 percent to USD 395,149 compared to the same period in 2024, driven by product sales and tipping fees at the Hawkesbury plant. Capital expenditures for the Hawkesbury TDP turnkey facility totalled USD 51,358,723 after accounting for depreciation, while the company’s cash and cash equivalents stood at USD 1,508,645. Over the coming 12 months, Ecolomondo anticipates utilising an additional USD 2.0 million, which will be primarily allocated to covering ongoing working capital requirements and essential capital purchases for the Hawkesbury facility.

The company also advanced its global expansion strategy, signing a definitive agreement with ARESOL, a renewable energy group, to construct four turnkey recycling facilities in the European Union. The first plant is planned for Valencia, Spain. At its Annual General Meeting, all management proposals were unanimously adopted by shareholders.

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The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), alongside 13 other European business organisations, has signed a Joint Statement urging the European Commission to ensure a strong and ambitious implementation of the Data Act.

The coalition, including numerous SMEs and Small Mid-Caps from the digital and industrial sectors of European companies, has urged the European Commission to uphold the regulation against pressure to dilute its core provisions, identifying it as a crucial framework for unlocking industrial data across the EU economy. The signatories contend that a robust implementation is vital for fostering a competitive market and unleashing innovation, particularly for smaller businesses.

The coalition highlights the Act’s benefits, which include empowering SMEs with data portability rights, protecting them from unfair contractual terms and mandating that data sharing occurs on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. A key provision requires cloud providers to facilitate switching through open standards, combating vendor lock-in. The statement expresses concern that lobbying efforts for delayed enforcement, weaker interoperability definitions and reliance on global standards without fairness guarantees threaten to undermine these objectives.

For the Data Act to be effective, the coalition insists on full implementation to open data markets to genuine competition and prevent SMEs from being excluded by legal complexity. The statement also calls for a proportionate approach, requesting practical guidance, standard contractual clauses and well-resourced enforcement authorities to support smaller companies. It notes that in certain sectors, supplementary legislation may be needed for full clarity.

The coalition concludes that strong enforcement is paramount, asserting that without it, the Act's rights will remain theoretical. They warn that any delay or softening of key provisions risks reinforcing the very market barriers the regulation was designed to eliminate. The signatories urge the Commission to ensure robust enforcement to secure a competitive and innovative Single Market for all companies.

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has been selected as the official tyre supplier for the groundbreaking FIA Extreme H World Cup, the world's first hydrogen-powered motorsport series. The company will supply its GEOLANDAR brand of tyres for the championship, which is scheduled to commence next month in Saudi Arabia. The company will also continue to supply GEOLANDAR tyres for the Extreme E off-road electric vehicle series, which holds its final event on 4–5 October in Saudi Arabia.

Central to both the Extreme H and Extreme E series is a shared mission to advance sustainability and equality. The championships serve as dynamic platforms to promote environmental awareness and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies while also enforcing a strict mandate for gender parity by requiring each team to field one male and one female driver. The Extreme H series will feature eight international teams operating the Pioneer 25, a cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cell vehicle capable of generating 550 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.5 seconds. The global significance of this new championship is expected to draw a worldwide television audience across multiple continents.

As the predecessor to Extreme H, the Extreme E series utilised the high-performance all-electric Odyssey 21 vehicle. All teams competing in the new hydrogen series will also participate in this final Extreme E event, marking the conclusion of the electric championship as it transitions towards a hydrogen future.

In alignment with the environmental principles of these series, Yokohama Rubber will provide a specially developed prototype tyre based on its GEOLANDAR X-AT model. This tyre has been engineered with a significantly increased ratio of sustainable materials, comprising 38 percent renewable and recycled content. It has also been fortified with enhanced durability characteristics to withstand the unique demands of heavy hydrogen-powered and electric off-road racing vehicles.

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Hankook Tire is advancing its future mobility leadership through strategic open innovation and collaborative design projects. This effort was showcased at the company’s recent Design Innovation Day 2025, held at its Pangyo Technoplex headquarters. The event serves as a platform to present new solutions integrating sustainability, innovation and design while reinforcing partnerships with global technology leaders.

A major focus was the unveiling of two key outcomes from Hankook’s ongoing Design Innovation Project. The first was ‘Sustainable Concept Tyre’, an embodiment of the company’s ESG vision. Developed using advanced 3D printing technology, it is constructed from renewable and recycled materials. Its distinctive organic design was realised in collaboration with Harvestance using specialised engineering software.

The second reveal was the WheelBot 2, a multi-directional mobility platform developed with robotics startup CALMANTECH. This advanced robotic wheel system, equipped with tri-axial spherical tyres, demonstrates new possibilities for movement. Its potential was illustrated through a live demonstration of the PathCruizer, a two-seater pod concept powered by the WheelBot technology.

Beyond product reveals, the event highlighted Hankook’s commitment to knowledge sharing, featuring a presentation on 3D printing advancements from LG Electronics. These collaborations are central to Hankook’s strategy of strengthening its technology leadership. Since 2012, the company has partnered with world-renowned design universities and technology firms, consistently earning prestigious international design awards and solidifying the premium stature of its global brand.

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