Cabot Corporation has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, detailing the company's advancements in 2024 and introducing a new set of objectives for 2030. The report demonstrates significant momentum, with Cabot having already met 11 of its 15 sustainability targets for 2025 ahead of schedule and anticipating further progress on the remaining goals this year.

Notable achievements from the reporting period include a community investment of USD 10 million in its local operating areas and a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by more than five percent, which surpassed the 2025 goal early. The company also reported its highest level of beneficial waste reuse in over six years, diverting significant material from landfills. In product innovation, Cabot launched the REPLASBLAK family, its first black masterbatches to receive International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS. Furthermore, the company reinforced its commitment to reducing plastic pellet loss by securing Operation Clean Sweep Europe certification for its two masterbatch facilities in Belgium.

Looking forward, Cabot has established a new framework of 2030 Sustainability Goals, shaped by a comprehensive materiality assessment conducted in 2024. This assessment involved extensive research, peer benchmarking and consultations with internal teams and external stakeholders to identify six priority areas. The resulting 2030 targets include a 15 percent reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions intensity and a 20 percent absolute reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions. The goals also encompass ambitious energy and water management targets, such as exporting 250 percent of the energy the company imports and reducing freshwater withdrawal intensity by 10 percent at sites in water-stressed regions. Additional objectives focus on lowering the average product carbon footprint by five to 10 percent and achieving a 25 percent reduction in safety incident rates.

Developed in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, the full 2025 Sustainability Report, which also supports Cabot's commitment to the United Nations Global Compact, is available for review on the company’s website.

Sean Keohane, President and CEO, Cabot Corporation, said, “Sustainability is central to who we are at Cabot and serves as the foundation for our purpose of creating materials that improve daily life and enable a more sustainable future. By leveraging advanced chemistry and innovation, we are supporting our customers in tackling complex sustainability challenges, all while working to minimise our own environmental impact across our global operations. I am immensely proud of the accomplishments our team has made to advance our sustainability priorities and look forward to building on this momentum with the launch of our new 2030 Sustainability Goals, aimed at generating positive, lasting impact for our customers, communities and the world.”

Jennifer Chittick, Senior Vice President – Safety, Health and Environment (SH&E) and Chief Sustainability Officer, Cabot Corporation, said, “As a global leader in our industry, it is our responsibility to set forward-looking goals that challenge us to elevate our sustainability performance. Our 2030 Sustainability Goals are not just benchmarks, they are a strategic framework to guide how we innovate, operate and create long-term value for all our stakeholders. Achieving these goals will require cross-functional collaboration, creativity and a shared commitment to continuous improvement. Our ability to meet them will position Cabot as a differentiated leader in sustainability, both within the chemical industry and beyond.” 

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HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS has completed and commenced operation of a 17.5-MWp rooftop solar power installation at its facility in Vietnam’s Nhon Trach Industrial Park, located within Dong Nai Province. This marks a significant step in the company’s broader effort to reshape its Vietnam operations – its largest global manufacturing base for tyre cords and technical yarns – into what it terms a ‘Smart Green Factory’. By merging renewable energy infrastructure with digital energy management systems, developed in partnership with the energy IT specialist Nuriflex, the firm is positioning this site at the forefront of its transition towards becoming a global eco-friendly manufacturing hub.

A key element of this transformation is the deployment of an Internet of Things based energy management system, which allows for real-time oversight of electricity generation and equipment performance. This digital layer not only streamlines operational efficiency but also contributes to greater equipment reliability and overall productivity gains, ensuring that the integration of renewable energy delivers tangible improvements beyond simple power generation.

With further solar installations set to be completed by August, total rooftop capacity at the Nhon Trach site will reach 37.5 MWp. Once fully operational in the latter half of the year, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS anticipates annual electricity cost savings exceeding KRW 6 billion (approximately USD 3.94 million), bolstering its cost competitiveness. The expansion is also expected to deliver meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to sustainable management practices.

Through advanced energy IoT solutions, the Vietnam subsidiary now systematically manages carbon reduction data generated from its solar power operations. This capability enables a more structured response to rising demands from major global customers – including Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental and Pirelli – for verified renewable energy usage and carbon emissions information. By strengthening its ESG performance across the supply chain, the company is leveraging its solar infrastructure and smart energy management not merely as facility investments but as strategic tools to enhance environmental responsibility and competitiveness in a market where sustainable value chains are increasingly essential.

“Starting with our Vietnam production base, we are simultaneously promoting renewable energy transition and energy efficiency improvements across our operations. By expanding solar power facilities, we will strengthen both cost competitiveness and ESG capabilities while proactively responding to the evolving requirements of our global customers,” said an official from HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has released its Monthly NR Statistical Report for February 2026, detailing a period of significant market activity influenced by geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic changes and shifting supply-demand dynamics within the global natural rubber sector.

As per the report, global natural rubber production for 2026 is forecast to reach 15.324 million tonnes, a 2.2 percent increase from the 14.996 million tonnes recorded in 2025. February output alone is projected at 994,000 tonnes, marking a 3.4 percent year-on-year rise due to favourable weather and higher rubber prices. Despite this overall growth, production trends vary among member nations. While Thailand is expected to remain the top producer, Indonesia and Vietnam face short-term constraints from structural and agronomic issues. Meanwhile, Malaysia is advancing efforts to restore abandoned plantations, with the Rubber Production Incentive activated in Sarawak and Sabah and the Malaysian Rubber Board targeting the rehabilitation of 4,137 hectares of idle land in 2026.

Physical and futures markets saw notable price increases across major grades in February. In Kuala Lumpur, SMR-20 averaged USD 2.01 per kilogramme, a 5.13 percent monthly gain, while STR-20 in Bangkok rose 5.12 percent to USD 2.11 per kilogramme. Sheet rubber grades also strengthened, with RSS-3 increasing 7.84 percent to USD 2.35 per kilogramme and RSS-4 in Kottayam surging 10.38 percent to USD 2.34 per kilogramme. Centrifuged latex in Kuala Lumpur closed the month at USD 1.61 per kilogramme. Futures mirrored this firming trend, as the Shanghai Futures Exchange May 2026 contract averaged roughly 16,508 CNY (approximately USD 2,388) per tonne and the SGX contract averaged USD 1.92 per kilogramme, supported by strong demand and tightening supply expectations ahead of the seasonal low-yield period from February to May.

Crude oil volatility added further complexity, with Brent averaging USD 70.89 per barrel in February – up 6.43 percent from January – before spiking to approximately USD 104 per barrel in early March following military actions in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for nearly 20 percent of global oil supply. This has introduced a risk premium with implications for synthetic rubber competitiveness and natural rubber demand. Currency shifts also play a role, as the Malaysian Ringgit appreciated modestly to 3.89 MYR per USD and the Thai Baht strengthened to around 31.08 THB per USD by late February, affecting trade competitiveness. Looking ahead, rising automotive production, especially of new energy vehicles in China, India and Southeast Asia, is expected to sustain demand and support prices. However, risks persist from US-China trade tensions, Middle East geopolitical instability, weather uncertainties during the low-yield season and currency fluctuations tied to US monetary policy, all of which could disrupt supply chains and export revenues.

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Tokyo Zairyo Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Zeon Corporation, marked a significant milestone in November 2025 by establishing a new branch office in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Following the completion of all necessary preparations, this location has now commenced full-scale operations. The move represents a deliberate effort to broaden the company’s commercial reach across the Indian market while simultaneously constructing an organizational structure capable of responding with greater agility to the evolving and increasingly diverse requirements of its customers.

This southern expansion comes approximately 15 years after the company first established its Indian subsidiary, Tokyo Zairyo (India) Pvt. Ltd., with an office in Gurugram, Haryana, in 2011. By positioning a second office in Chennai, the firm now operates a coordinated network spanning the northern and southern regions of the country. Close collaboration between the two locations is intended to strengthen information services and enhance user support, leveraging both internal capabilities and external partnerships to better serve Japanese automotive parts manufacturers and processors operating throughout India.

Through this dual-office structure, Tokyo Zairyo is poised to advance its core business of purchasing and selling a broad spectrum of materials, including rubber, resins and elastomers. The synchronised operations in Gurugram and Chennai enable the company to deliver more responsive support, ensuring that clients across the Indian automotive supply chain benefit from efficient service and a reliable supply of essential materials.

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Kuraray Co., Ltd. has announced a comprehensive global price adjustment for its portfolio of Liquid Rubber products and ISOBAM alkaline water-soluble polymer. These changes, which are set to take effect on 16 April 2026, will see prices rise by at least USD 2 per kg.

The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation and essential raw materials.

This strategic move is essential for the company to maintain operational stability and continue the supply of Liquid Rubber and ISOBAM amidst the volatile market conditions.

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