With sustainability becoming an increasingly important focus for the tire industry, manufacturers are exploring ways to improve circularity across the sector. In response, the ISCC Plus pilot project aims to develop industrial ecosystems that recover and process waste materials for reintegration into tire manufacturing, supporting more sustainable production across the supply chain.

Pirelli has announced that it has actively supported and participated in the ISCC Plus pilot to add recycled steel to the ISCC Plus materials list, working alongside Xingda, a strategic supplier and manufacturer of rubber reinforcement materials.

As part of the initiative, Pirelli contributed to the development of technical requirements and sustainability guidelines, supporting Xingda and its upstream suppliers throughout the ISCC Plus certification process.

Continue reading Pirelli supports ISCC Plus initiative to introduce recycled steel into tire manufacturing at Tire Technology International.

Chemicals company Orion has announced it is producing circular carbon black at its ISCC Plus-certified plant in the Chinese eastern coastal city of Qingdao.

The facility is making three grades of circular carbon black, Ecorax Circular 200, 210 and 215, from tire pyrolysis oil (TPO). Ecorax 200 is a hard black suitable for tires, while the 210 and 215 grades can be used for tires and mechanical rubber goods (MRG).

“This new capability in China marks a key step in offering circular carbon black grades globally,” said Orion CEO Corning Painter. “The product line extension gives us greater flexibility to meet growing demand for circular products, while maintaining the performance, consistency and quality our customers expect.”

Last year, Orion scaled up its circular capabilities in Europe, launching large volume production of Ecorax Circular 200 and 210 – both made from TPO – through a commercial reactor in Jasło, Poland.

Continue reading Orion launches circular carbon black production in China at Tire Technology International.

Chemical companies Unibio and BioVerde Tech have announced a strategic collaboration to develop biomanufacturing processes for the production of sustainable chemicals.

Under the agreement, BioVerde will use Unibio’s U-Loop vertical loop gas fermentation technology platform together with BioVerde’s genetically engineered strains of Methylococcus capsulatus. The collaboration aims to convert methane into a range of value-added chemical products through advanced microbial fermentation.

Initial development efforts will focus on intermediates – molecular entities or compounds formed during a multi-step chemical reaction that are then consumed to produce the final product, acting as bridges between reactants and products – relevant to the synthetic rubber value chain, including pathways toward bio-based butadiene, a key building block used in both synthetic rubber and engineering plastics such as ABS.

Continue reading Unibio and BioVerde co-develop methane-based manufacturing processes for sustainable chemical intermediates at Tire Technology International.

Solvay has opened its bio-circular silica facility at its Livorno, Italy plant, advancing Europe’s industrial shift toward sustainability. The investment supports the European Green Deal and the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), while strengthening Italy’s position as a center for green innovation.

The unit aims to produce highly dispersible silica (HDS) using bio-based sodium silicate derived from rice husk ash, an agricultural byproduct. This breakthrough process reduces CO2 emissions by 35% per ton of silica compared to traditional methods and creates a local circular value chain that benefits the agricultural sector, industry and communities.

“By acting now, Solvay is helping tire manufacturers prepare for future EU requirements and meet their own sustainability goals,” said Philippe Kehren, CEO of Solvay.

Continue reading Solvay launches bio-circular silica facility in Livorno to drive sustainable tire production and circular innovation at Tire Technology International.

Dunlop has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cabot to evaluate the commercial adoption of circular reinforcing carbons made with Cabot’s patented regenerated carbon technology. This circular reinforcing carbon, developed with Cabot’s Evolve Sustainable Solutions and made from reclaimed pyrolyzed tire material, is being considered for use in Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ tire production.

Cabot’s circular reinforcing carbon, using regenerated carbon technology, is a new material for Sumitomo Rubber. It is seen as a potential tool for reducing emissions and will be evaluated for mass-produced tires, while Cabot works to scale the technology to meet future demand.

Continue reading Dunlop and Cabot sign MOU to explore regenerated carbon for sustainable tire production at Tire Technology International.

Nokian Tyres has launched the Betula concept tire containing raw material made from birch bark. The renewable material made by Reselo uses the residue from the global pulp, paper and plywood industry – the Betula marks the first use of this recycled material in a tire.

The material is included in the tread compound of the concept tire, bringing the amount of renewable and recycled material content to 93% of all materials used on the tread.

The alternative sustainable material is positioned as a performance-enhancing addition. The concept tire, based on the tread design of the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 non-studded winter tire, has been tested at Nokian’s facilities in Ivalo in Finnish Lapland and in Nokia, Finland.

Continue reading Nokian Tyres unveils concept tire using performance-enhancing birch bark material at Tire Technology International.

Synthos has announced the signing of an agreement with Orlen for the sale of 100% of its shares in the company S54, which is building a new butadiene extraction unit in Płock, Poland. The agreement was signed on December 18, 2025. Butadiene is a colorless, flammable gas derived from petroleum, a crucial monomer for synthetic rubbers.

Cooperation between Synthos and Orlen on the butadiene unit began several years ago as part of Płock’s petrochemical development program. The current agreement is part of an ongoing investment reorganization. While the sale agreement reflects the need to address delays in the Olefins III project, it establishes a stable framework for continued business collaboration between the two companies.

Continue reading Synthos transfers butadiene project to Orlen at Tire Technology International.

Pirelli has set the range of compounds for the 2026 Formula 1 season. After completing an analysis following the last test session in Mexico City, the company, with FIA approval, has established which compounds will be homologated on December 15, as stipulated in the technical regulations.

The range of dry tires will consist of five compounds from the hardest C1 to the softest C5, all with similar positioning to today’s line-up. The compounds have been engineered with controlled thermal degradation to enable a variety of strategies in response to the diverse conditions found on the world championship calendar.

Continue reading Pirelli finalizes 2026 Formula 1 tire compounds at Tire Technology International.

Hankook Tire & Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rotoboost, a company specializing in thermocatalytic decomposition of methane gas, to jointly develop a low-carbon footprint carbon material for tire applications.

The companies are collaborating on technologies intended to reduce CO₂ emissions during the raw material acquisition phase, aligning with Hankook Tire’s long-term strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Carbon black, a key material in tire production, is derived from fossil-based feedstocks and is associated with high CO₂ emissions. To address this, Hankook Tire has been conducting research into sustainable alternatives, including recycled carbon black and certified carbon black, aimed at reducing emissions during the tire manufacturing process.

Continue reading Hankook Tire and Rotoboost collaborate on turquoise-hydrogen-based carbon materials at Tire Technology International.

Teijin Aramid has introduced Twaron Next, a high-performance para-aramid engineered with a clear focus on sustainability. The latest material combines strength, durability and thermal resistance with options designed to reduce environmental impact.

The material is available in two sustainability-driven variants.  The circular content variant incorporates reclaimed aramid fibers from Teijin Aramid’s production waste, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 25% compared with industry-average benchmarks.

The bio-based feedstock variant is produced using renewable feedstocks for the polymer backbone, reducing dependence on fossil-based raw materials.

Twaron Next is suitable for use in automotive components such as tires and hoses.

Continue reading Teijin launches high-strength, sustainable para-aramid at Tire Technology International.