JSR Corporation has been supplying an extensive range of products such as synthetic rubbers for car tyres, thermoplastic elastomers with the characteristics of both elastomers and plastics, and latex for paper coating. As part of its mid-term business plan “JSR20i9,” which started in April 2017, JSR Corporation is strengthening competitiveness for the future. It focuses on earnings drivers and profit expansion in SSBR, semiconductor materials and the Life Sciences Business.

The CASE mobility will influence the entire eco-system of the tyre industry. Requirements of tyres for the CASE mobility will be different from today, and raw material suppliers are now pushing themselves meet future demand. The tyres for the new mobility are expected to have high strength, wear resistance, with reduction of emissions. To meet these needs, the company used its proprietary synthesis technology to develop the new SBR with significantly improved mechanical strength compared to conventional SBR.  The new hydrogenated SSBR combines JSR’s unique polymerisation and hydrogenation technologies to control the number of unsaturated bonds in the material. “Through this process, it is possible to optimise the interactions among polymer molecules and minimise the stress produced in crosslinking. As a result, this new SBR has, not only approximately two times the mechanical strength of conventional SBR, but also exceeds the strength of natural rubber. Tyres using this new SBR as the tread compound rubber demonstrate more than 50 per cent better wear resistance along with low fuel consumption and grip performance compared to conventional SBR-equipped tyres,” said the company.

 “In the CASE, EV vehicle is heavier, that could also lead to higher abrasion that causes rubber microparticles pollution. This is the reason we are focusing on abrasion resistance in our polymer,’’ said Arai. Constant exposure to sunlight could reason for degradation of tyres, but the new hydrogenated SSBR prevents it, and also reduce the microplastic said Arai.

Being in production of synthetic rubber over 60 years, JSR Corporation has been a significant supplier of synthetic rubber solutions to global tyre companies.  Since JSR Corporation focuses on materials solutions, it has achieved a great deal of success with various tyres. JSR’s core technology is continuously improving polymerisation with its solid foundation of polymerisation technology, and the company’s polymer design already meets a wide variety of customer needs.

The company believes in speedy development and mass production. JSR works closely with its Tire Materials Technology Development Center at its Yokkaichi Plant to develop polymers, processes and establish mass-production technologies. It applies digital techniques for research and development and mass production technologies and utilises AI and big data to tackle improvements in speed and efficiency and achieve stable quality and mass production.  With technologically tailored solutions proposals, tyre manufacturers reduce tyre development time.

In the design and development analysis technologies, JSR uses its high-level analysis technologies to design and develop optimised materials tailored to each type of rubber compound.

Demand for low resistance tyres is growing by 10% every year, and JSR intends to cater to the demand with its functionalised SSBR solutions. According to Keisuke Miyoshi, managing director, JSR Elastomer Europe GmbH said, “The company provides the functionalised Solution SSBR that provides cutting edge technology and low rolling resistance. We plan to cater to the growing demand for low rolling resistance tyres across the globe. To cater to the growing demand for low rolling resistance tyres, the company has increased its production capacities of SSBR with plants in Japan, Thailand and Hungary.”

The total capacity of SSBR is around 220KT.

Being a supplier of a wide range of synthetic rubber solutions, JSR is into the production of a wide range of SSBR, from 1st generation to 5th generation. “Depending on the customer’s demand, we can supply different generation polymers,” said Miyoshi.

With its presence around the globe, JSR focuses on making products needed for the local requirement. The company runs a continuous product development programme based on its close communication with its customers globally.  “Japanese automakers are known for making fuel-efficient vehicles, and the same performance is also expected from tyre companies. While European automakers the required strong tyres, we leverage our technical expertise to make products suitable for the respective markets,” said Miyoshi.

JSR produces SSBR at three production sites, in Japan, Thailand and Hungary, which gives the company a unique logistical flexibility to support the global tyre industry. “We are the only synthetic rubber company which is spread globally in terms of synthetic rubber production and that gives us an edge over all our competitors. Customers may not find any difference in quality. Our strategic presence helps us to be more efficient in supplying products and service,” said Miyoshi

With six sales and technical offices in all major markets, the company promptly responds to tyre manufacturer requests timely

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Zeon Corporation has announced the development of Nipol BR1300, a novel hydrophilic styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) for winter tyres. Synthesised with a polybutadiene rubber base, the material delivers unprecedented hydrophilicity for tyre applications. Commercial production began in May 2025 at Zeon’s Tokuyama plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

As part of its strategic portfolio optimization, Zeon plans to phase out low-profitability products like ESBR-1 and NBR latex by 2026. However, it will continue manufacturing high-margin products, including ESBR-2, nitrile butadiene rubber and solution SBR. This shift underscores Zeon’s focus on advanced, value-driven rubber solutions.

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Covestro India has entered into a strategic collaboration with CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) through an innovative CSR initiative focused on developing sustainable upcycling technologies for polyurethane waste. This partnership aims to overcome existing recycling limitations by transforming discarded polyurethane materials into valuable chemical feedstocks, potentially revolutionising the material's circular economy.

This collaboration underscores both organisations' commitment to environmental innovation, leveraging NCL's advanced research infrastructure and Covestro's market leadership to address critical gaps in plastic circularity. Current polyurethane recycling methods, predominantly mechanical with some emerging chemical processes, face substantial challenges including material degradation, high energy consumption and hazardous byproduct generation. The project seeks to develop commercially viable chemical recycling solutions that maintain material integrity while minimising environmental impact.

Polyurethanes, widely used in furniture, automotive parts and insulation, present unique recycling difficulties due to their complex molecular structure. Most end up in landfills after use, creating significant sustainability challenges. By combining Covestro's industrial expertise with NCL's seven decades of chemical research excellence, the partnership aims to create breakthrough upcycling technologies.

Avinash Bagdi, Director & Head of Sales & MD Solutions India & Projects – Tailored Urethanes, said, "This partnership strengthens our commitment to finding innovative solutions for polyurethane waste and directly supports Covestro's vision of becoming fully circular. By developing effective methods to upcycle polyurethanes, we're taking concrete steps towards creating a more sustainable future in line with our corporate vision of driving the transition to a circular economy."

Dr Ashish Lele, Director of NCL, said, "CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory is excited to partner with Covestro (India) in this groundbreaking initiative to develop novel chemical upcycling methods for polyurethane waste. The conventional and electrochemical strategies we're developing address the critical limitations of current recycling technologies and align perfectly with our shared vision of a circular economy. This collaboration represents a significant step towards sustainable plastic management in India and globally, with potential to transform polyurethane waste into valuable chemical resources."

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Zeon Corporation has begun building a pilot facility at its Tokuyama Plant in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, to test a new method for efficiently producing butadiene from plant-derived ethanol. The demonstration plant, expected to start operations in 2026, will supply butadiene for manufacturing trial batches of polybutadiene rubber, bringing the company closer to commercialising this sustainable production process.

This project is a key part of a joint initiative between Zeon and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. to develop eco-friendly methods for producing butadiene and isoprene from renewable sources, with full-scale adoption targeted for the 2030s. Under the collaboration, Zeon will produce butadiene rubber at the new facility, while Yokohama Rubber will use the material to create experimental tyres and conduct performance testing. The data collected will help refine the technology ahead of larger-scale trials. The companies aim to finalise the production process by 2030 using an expanded pilot plant, with plans for industrial-scale commercialisation by 2034.

A ceremonial groundbreaking event took place on 10 July 2025, with 33 attendees, including local government officials from Yamaguchi Prefecture and Shunan City, construction partners and Zeon executives such as Chairman Kimiaki Tanaka and Tokuyama Plant Manager Akira Honma. The gathering included traditional safety prayers for the construction phase, marking the official start of this sustainability-focused industrial project.

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Continental is increasing its use of renewable and recycled materials in tyre production, aiming to exceed 40 percent by 2030 while maintaining high safety and performance standards. In 2024, these materials accounted for 26 percent of tyre composition, with a projected 2-3 percent increase in 2025. Key to this shift are carbon black and silica – essential fillers that enhance durability, grip and braking performance.

Silica, a critical component for optimising grip and minimising rolling resistance, is traditionally derived from quartz sand. However, Continental now obtains silica from rice husks, an agricultural by-product of risotto rice production. This innovative approach not only repurposes waste but also requires less energy than conventional methods. Partnering with manufacturers like Solvay in Italy, Continental integrates rice husk-derived silica across its entire tyre portfolio. Silica has been a game-changer in tyre technology for decades, significantly improving safety and energy efficiency. Its use in tread compounds has contributed to a nearly 50 percent reduction in braking distances while also lowering rolling resistance, thereby reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

Carbon black, another vital material making up to 20 percent of a passenger car tyre's weight, is being sourced through sustainable alternatives. Continental employs three innovative methods: bio-based carbon black from tall oil (a paper industry by-product), recycled carbon black from pyrolysis oil derived from end-of-life tyres and a direct recovery process that extracts carbon black from used tyres via pyrolysis. The company collaborates with suppliers like Orion Engineered Carbons and Tokai Carbon, utilising different carbon black variants tailored to specific tyre components, such as sidewalls and treads. Through the mass balance approach, Continental substitutes fossil-based raw materials with bio-based or recycled alternatives without altering existing production processes.

Additionally, Continental has partnered with Pyrum Innovations to advance tyre recycling through pyrolysis, a process that recovers carbon black from end-of-life tyres for reuse. While currently applied in forklift tyres, efforts are underway to adapt this recycled carbon black for broader tyre applications, ensuring compliance with performance and safety standards. These initiatives underscore Continental’s dedication to sustainable innovation, demonstrating how eco-friendly materials can enhance both tyre performance and environmental responsibility across the value chain.

Jorge Almeida, head of Sustainability at Continental Tire, said, “Innovation and sustainability go hand in hand at Continental. Using silica from the ashes of rice husks in our tyres shows that we are breaking completely new ground – without compromising on safety, quality or performance.”

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