A major new academic and industry reference, Sustainable Materials for Rubber and Allied Industries, has been released by CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. The 724-page volume brings together science, technology, policy and industrial practice to explore how one of the world’s most essential material sectors is transitioning towards sustainability.

The rubber industry plays a critical role in mobility, healthcare, defence, infrastructure and consumer products. Yet, for decades, most rubber compounds have relied on fossil-based feedstocks and additives. As the world confronts the realities of climate change, resource depletion and waste accumulation, the industry now finds itself at the centre of global discussions on sustainability and circularity.

This book addresses that challenge directly, not as a philosophical concept but as a practical and scientific journey. It examines the material, processing and policy transitions required to build a sustainable future for rubber and tyre manufacturing.

What the Book Contains

Structured across fourteen detailed chapters, the volume covers:

• Foundations of Sustainability and Circularity — explaining environmental, social and economic drivers shaping modern material science.
• Natural Rubber — explored as the industry's most significant renewable resource, along with sustainability challenges in cultivation and processing.
• Bio-Based and Sustainable Synthetic Rubbers — highlighting advances in monomers and green polymer chemistry.
• Sustainable Fillers, Fibres and Reinforcements — including biomass-derived fillers, recycled fibres and improved steel cord systems.
• Curing Systems, Antidegradants, Resins and Processing Aids — re-examined through environmental performance, toxicity and lifecycle impact.
• Thermoplastic Elastomers and Thermoplastic Vulcanisates — offering recyclable and energy-efficient solutions for multiple applications.
• Recycling, Devulcanisation and Circular Economy Models — reviewing the state of the art and emerging industrial-scale technologies.
• Global Regulation and Policy — outlining responsibility frameworks and sustainability compliance trends.

Throughout the book, laboratory research, practical industrial experience, and case-study insights are blended to provide a realistic and applicable reference for scientists, engineers, educators, sustainability strategists, and manufacturing leaders. The work recognises the progress already made by leading manufacturers while setting a scientific and technological roadmap for the years ahead.

The message is clear: sustainability is not merely a direction for the rubber industry — it is its future operating principle.

Short Note About the Authors

The book is authored by five recognised leaders in rubber science and sustainability:

• Professor Anil K. Bhowmick
• A globally respected polymer scientist and Research Professor at the University of Houston, formerly Professor of Eminence at IIT Kharagpur and founder of IIT Patna. He has over 600 research publications, multiple patents, numerous international awards and a distinguished record of advancing rubber science worldwide.
• Dr Rabindra Mukhopadhyay
• Director & Chief Executive of HASETRI and Director (R&D) at JK Tyre. With more than 45 years of industrial leadership, he is known for his contributions to reverse engineering, sustainable materials, circular economy practices and technology development in tyres and elastomers.
• Dr Jagannath Chanda
• Senior Research Scientist at HASETRI, specialising in sustainable composites, failure analysis and structure–property relationships, with significant contributions to academic literature and industrial innovation.
• Dr Barun Kumar Samui
• Principal Scientist at HASETRI with extensive industry experience in reinforcement textiles, composite materials and the performance optimisation of rubber products.
• Dr Riya Koley
• Postdoctoral Fellow at Polytechnique Montréal with research expertise in polymer chemistry, green additives, elastomer processing and nanomaterial-enhanced sustainable rubber systems.

Together, the authors bridge academic excellence, industrial experience and long-term engagement with global sustainability efforts — making this book both authoritative and practical for the future of the rubber and allied industries.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) published its Monthly Natural Rubber Statistical Report for August 2026, noting firmer prices in several markets. Supply constraints, stable downstream demand and persistent geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty shaped the month. Renewed conflict and disruptions to major shipping routes added further pressure.

Physical prices for major grades moved in different directions. SMR-20 in Kuala Lumpur averaged USD 2.31 per kg, up 4.25 percent from July, while STR-20 in Bangkok rose 1.40 percent to USD 2.39 per kg. RSS-3 dropped 4.18 percent to USD 2.80 per kg, but RSS-4 in Kottayam gained 0.57 percent to USD 2.92 per kg. Latex-in-bulk fell 4.73 percent to USD 1.73 per kg. Brent crude averaged USD 91.08 per barrel, driven by concerns over possible restrictions on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and wider Middle East instability, which raised energy supply risks and strengthened the oil market risk premium.

On trade, China's imports climbed 3.39 percent month-on-month, while India fell 10.18 percent and Malaysia dropped 8.24 percent; Viet Nam rose 5.08 percent. Exports advanced 5.63 percent in Viet Nam but declined in Thailand (-5.24 percent), Indonesia (-5.36 percent), Malaysia (-1.48 percent) and Cambodia (-1.88 percent).

Global production is projected to rise 0.6 percent to 15.039 million tons in 2026 from 14.952 million tonnes in 2025, after revisions to Thailand's 2025 output and updated 2026 estimates for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Weather, including erratic rainfall and drier Southeast Asian conditions, affected output. August 2026 production was estimated at 1.396 million tonnes, down 4.51 percent from 1.462 million tonnes a year earlier. Demand is forecast to grow 0.4 percent to 15.356 million tonnes in 2026 from 15.301 million tonnes, with the largest consumption gains expected in China, Malaysia and Cambodia. Prospects depend on vehicle sales, tyre production, shipping conditions and weather-related supply disruptions, while steady EV-linked demand supported modest growth led by China and India. The ringgit traded between RM4.02 per USD and RM4.09 per USD, and the baht between 32.68 and 33.34. The SHFE January 2027 contract averaged 18,109 CNY per tonne, up 7.78 percent month-on-month, while the SGX November 2026 contract averaged USD 2.24 per kg, up 4.32 percent.

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HS HYOSUNG has formalised a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State Government of San Luis Potosí, with the signing taking place at the World Trade Center Mexico City. The event formed part of the Korea-Mexico Business Forum, held alongside the Korean economic delegation's visit to Mexico.

Attending officials included Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's Secretary of Economy, and Mario García Valdez, Secretary of Economic Development of San Luis Potosí. The two sides confirmed their shared resolve to back the company's local investment and regional growth. Separately, HS HYOSUNG's leadership met bilaterally with Secretary Ebrard to elaborate on its strategic vision and investment plans.

The agreement sets out a phased expansion of HS HYOSUNG's investments in San Luis Potosí beginning in 2027, with the goal of creating a major advanced materials production hub that bolsters supply for North American and wider global markets. The company's advanced materials span tyre cord, a flagship world-leading product, along with mobility, energy, aerospace and defence applications. Its North American operations, spanning Mexico and the United States, turn out tyre cord, airbag materials and mobility interior components for global leaders such as General Motors and Goodyear, underpinned by a highly dependable global supply chain.

Nak-yang Sung, CEO, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS, said, “This investment goes beyond establishing a simple manufacturing base – it reflects our strategy to turn Mexico into a pivotal hub connecting North America with global supply networks. We are also committed to strengthening local supply chains and creating high-quality jobs to contribute directly to the region's industrial ecosystem.”

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Kumho Petrochemical Group is steering its business towards research-driven, higher-value outputs as oversupply and soft demand continue to weigh on the worldwide petrochemical sector. The Seoul-based group outlined plans to boost spending on speciality chemicals, sustainable materials and novel production methods, a push intended to lift profits while building a foundation for future expansion.

Underlying the move is a deliberate evolution in the group's identity, from a bulk materials vendor to a provider of technology-backed solutions that address shifting customer requirements and stricter environmental rules. A central element of that effort involves widening the speciality lineup, exemplified by added capacity for solution styrene butadiene rubber, a synthetic rubber that enhances durability, rolling resistance and tread wear in high-performance electric vehicle tyres.

Environmental initiatives form another pillar. Facilities built by the company can trap approximately 76,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, while separately developed technology turns recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene sourced from scrapped household appliances into automotive-grade interior components that satisfy performance standards and generate fewer emissions than conventional methods. The group has also joined forces with POSCO Future M and BEI on anode-free lithium-metal battery development.

Parallel technology-focused programmes are underway at affiliated units. Kumho P&B Chemicals is formulating water-based epoxy resins that curb volatile organic compound releases while incorporating more bio-based inputs to reduce carbon intensity. Kumho Mitsui Chemicals is advancing bio-based polyurethane systems and electric vehicle materials, alongside debottlenecking work to add 100,000 tonnes of annual methylene diphenyl diisocyanate capacity. Kumho Polychem, meanwhile, is targeting ethylene propylene diene monomer through low-temperature polymerisation paired with energy-efficiency improvements.

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Birla Carbon has confirmed a price increase of up to 15 percent for its Speciality Materials products across Asia, scheduled to take effect on 1 October 2026. The company pointed to significant and sustained rises in feedstock costs, driven partly by ongoing geopolitical instability and disruptions in global feedstock markets, as the reason behind the adjustment.

Although Birla Carbon pursued operational efficiencies, supply chain optimisation and disciplined cost management to soften the impact, the scale and persistence of the cost escalation left a price adjustment unavoidable. The company's sales teams will engage customers directly to explain the details and help them navigate the transition.

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