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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Solvay is expanding its global circular economy strategy by converting its Asian production of highly dispersible silica (HDS) to use certified circular raw materials. Beginning in 2026, its plants in Qingdao, China, and Gunsan, South Korea, will transition to using ISCC+ certified waste sand. This major initiative is projected to make over half of the region’s HDS output circular, directly aiding tyre makers in their goal of incorporating over 40 percent sustainable materials by 2030.

This transition provides tyre manufacturers with a cost-effective, high-volume circular Zeosil silica that integrates seamlessly into existing processes without the need for reformulation. The move builds on the successful conversion of Solvay’s Livorno, Italy, facility to using rice husk ash and reflects a coordinated, global shift towards circular sourcing. It also supports the broader sustainability goals of Solvay Silica, including the adoption of low-emission technologies like electric furnaces to minimise the carbon footprint of its products worldwide.

By pioneering circular silica from diverse feedstocks and regions, Solvay is fostering more resilient and sustainable supply chains through innovative partnerships across the entire value chain.

An Nuyttens, President of Solvay’s Silica Business unit, said, “Solvay’s circular silica helps improve fuel efficiency and EV range, offers long-lasting wear benefits, improves safety, while advancing sustainability. This is more than innovation - it’s a reinvention of how we source, produce and collaborate across the value chain.”

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Following the formal approval of its foundational design, Sinopec has announced the construction of a new green, high-end rubber materials facility in Tianjin, China. The project, which was initially revealed in 2023, represents a total investment of CNY 2.452 billion (approximately USD 344.65 million). Its production output will include 100 kilotonne per annum (ktpa) of solution styrene butadiene rubber and an equal volume of nickel-based butadiene rubber.

Operated by Sinopec’s Beijing Yanshan branch, the venture will be funded through a combination of 70 percent bank loans and 30 percent company capital. The initial construction phase, focused on piling work for processing units, storage areas and auxiliary facilities, is valued at CNY 28 million (approximately USD 3.94 million) and scheduled for completion within 31 days.

This new rubber plant is an integral component of the larger Sinopec Nangang high-end materials industrial cluster, which also features a recently completed 1.2 million tonne-per-year ethylene complex. Encompassing a 277,004 sqm site with a built area of 43,522 sqm, the facility is projected to become operational in 2027.

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Elkem ASA, a global leader in advanced silicon-based materials, has announced a significant advancement in silicone sustainability with the successful validation of a new mechanical recycling process for High Consistency Rubbers (HCR). This innovation provides a scalable method for recycling crosslinked HCR waste and reintroducing it into new product formulations. The process achieves re-incorporation rates of over 50 percent while maintaining the excellent mechanical properties required for high-performance applications. This breakthrough demonstrates how material engineering can enable a more circular economy for silicones, helping to reduce waste and the carbon footprint while meeting rising market demand for sustainable solutions.

This mechanical recycling process expands Elkem's comprehensive silicone recycling strategy, which now encompasses both chemical and mechanical pathways. The ability to integrate multiple recycling technologies allows the company to tailor its approach based on the type of waste material, specific carbon reduction goals and the performance needs of the final product.

The development is a key outcome of the open innovation project ‘RENOV’ (Recycling & Reincorporation of Elastomer Materials), focused on creating technologies for recycling and reincorporating crosslinked elastomer waste. The project, supported by the French environment agency ADEME, unites Elkem with industrial partners Hutchinson and Nexans, as well as several CNRS-affiliated laboratories. A primary objective is to evaluate market acceptance and identify the most promising commercial and environmental applications for mechanically recycled HCR.

High Consistency Rubbers are valued for their exceptional strength, thermal stability and electrical insulation properties, making them critical components in industries ranging from electric vehicles and aerospace to medical devices and electronics. Elkem will present samples of the recycled material and detail this new technology at the K 2025 trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 7–14 October 2025.

Joséphine Munsch, R&T sustainability leader at Elkem, said, “This breakthrough demonstrates the power of purpose-driven innovation aligned with market expectations. After two years of development, we are proud to present a first proof of concept for mechanical recycling of HCR, opening the door to new industrial applications and reinforcing our ambition to leverage pragmatic, science-driven solutions to lead and accelerate the transition to a circular economy for silicones.”

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ContiTech, a group sector of Continental, has officially launched production at its new USD 90-million hydraulic hose manufacturing facility in Aguascalientes, Mexico. This significant investment is a strategic move to reinforce local supply chains, boost regional production capacity and position innovative fluid power solutions closer to its customer base across North America.

The new 900,000-square-foot plant will produce high-performance hoses for numerous industrial and mobile applications, serving vital sectors such as construction, agriculture, mining and energy. It has been designed to operate in a tightly coordinated network with ContiTech’s existing facility in Norfolk, Nebraska. This dual-plant strategy enhances production flexibility, improves operational efficiency and allows the company to be more responsive to evolving customer demands by strategically balancing technology, volume and lead times.

This expansion underscores ContiTech's long-term commitment to growth in key markets through substantial investment in local infrastructure and talent. Production at the Aguascalientes site will be gradually increased, with the first customer deliveries anticipated to commence in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Philip Nelles, Member of the Continental Executive Board and CEO of the ContiTech group sector, said, “The start of production in Aguascalientes marks a key milestone in ContiTech’s journey towards being a more agile, regionalised partner to our customers. At ContiTech, we build on 150 years of materials expertise. While our portfolio is broad and diverse, all our solutions are grounded in the same strength: high-performance materials that are mission critical, innovative and engineered to perform. Whether they connect, convey or cover, our products play essential roles across industries and applications.”

Andreas Gerstenberger, CEO of ContiTech USA and Head of Business Area Industrial Solutions Americas, said, “We are ready to lead in this segment. This new plant reflects our commitment to both innovation and proximity. With our customers increasingly looking for responsive and innovative solutions, we are proud to deliver with local production, advanced technology and a skilled workforce. More than just expanding our footprint, this investment is about creating mutual value with our customers, partnering closely to help them succeed in their own markets. By placing customer needs at the centre of everything we do, we aim to be their first choice for material-driven solutions, now and in the future.”

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