The fourth edition of the Recircle Awards, recognising sustainable innovation in the global tyre retreading and recycling sectors, announced its winners during a ceremony at Autopromotec 2025 recently.

The awards, organised by Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazines, received over 4,000 legitimate votes through their website, reflecting growing industry interest in sustainable practices.

Bengt-Sture Ershag, founder of Scandinavian Enviro Systems, received the Lifetime Achievement Award in The Tyre Recycling Sector. “I’m honoured to receive this award and grateful for the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to my field,” Ershag said, crediting colleagues and mentors for their support throughout his career.

The winners in the 22 categories of the 2025 Recircle Awards are as follows:

• Best Company Director: Haarjeev Kandhari (Vaculug)
• Best Retreading Accessory and Consumables Supplier: VM Rubber
• Best Retreading Equipment Supplier: Italmatic
• Best Retreading Industry Innovation: Italmatic: Crater Tire CT 4.0 Double Skiving Robot
• Best Tread Rubber Supplier: Marangoni
• Best Tyre Recycling Industry Supplier: Eco Green Equipment
• Best Tyre Recycling Innovation: Regom: ELT Sorting Technology
• Business Breakthrough Award: Rover Research
• Circular Economy Award: Liberty Tire and Walmart
• Employee of the Year: Leonardo Oliveira (Vipal Rubber)
• Retreader of the Year Award: Marangoni
• Spirit of Retreading Award: 633 Tyres
• Tyre Recycler of the Year Award: Genan
• Women’s Award for the Tyre Retreading Sector: Christina Guth (AZUR Network)
• Women’s Award for the Tyre Recycling Sector: Ifedolapo Runsewe (Freee Recycle)
• Industry Achievement Award for the Tyre Recycling Sector: SDAB for the creation of the End-of-Life Tyre Research Portal
• Tyre Industry Education Award: Univipal
• Spirit of Tyre Recycling Award: Freee Recycle
• Tyre Pyrolysis Award: Bolder Industries
• Spirit of Tread Rubber Manufacturing Award: Galgo
• Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Retreading Sector: Mario Marangoni
• Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Recycling Sector: Bengt-Sture Ershag

Mario Marangoni, Chairman of Marangoni Holding S.p.A., was also recognised with a lifetime achievement award. He described the honour as acknowledging “a journey that began in the climate of sanctions and autarchy of the Second World War and led to the introduction of recycling and reuse of tyre retreading.”

This year’s edition introduced two new categories specifically recognising women’s contributions to the sector, part of efforts to make the awards more inclusive.

David Wilson, Chairman of the Nominations Committee and editor of the organising magazines, said the voting numbers demonstrate growing sector interest in environmental innovation. “We hope these awards will continue to contribute to promoting green business and raising awareness about the circular economy,” Wilson stated.

The awards aim to highlight sustainable innovation, production processes, management and services within the tyre retreading and recycling industries, with Autopromotec serving as the primary sponsor.

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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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