Xingda has become the first Chinese steel cord and bead wire maker to release a sustainability report.

The sustainability report 2021 details the goals, plans, actions and latest progress of its key sustainability initiatives, such as green products, circular economy and low-carbon operation, with key information.

With "Sustainable and High-quality Development" as the core and responsible operation as the foundation, Xingda will deliver high-quality, innovative and green products and solutions, promote green transformation of the industry, and contribute to the social development and community prosperity. 

Four major areas of sustainable development:

 Green products and solutions 

 Sustainable supply chain 

 Shared social values 

 Robust operation model 

Seven substantive topics and progress of sustainable development：

1. Green products

 By 2025, increase the proportion of green products in total sales to 30% 

Progress in 2021: ST/UT tyre cord products accounted for 28% of total sales. The ST/UT tyre cords can reduce tyre weight, lower rolling resistance, and prolong tyre service life.

2. Tackling climate change

 By 2025, reduce carbon emission per unit of product by 18% in comparison to 2020

 By 2025, reduce energy consumption per unit of product by 14% in comparison to 2020

 By 2025, achieve a 30% green energy ratio

Progress in 2021:

a) Carbon emission per unit of product of Jiangsu base was 1.42 tons of CO2e, down 3.73% year- on-year 

b) Energy consumption per unit of product was 1.43 MWH/ton , down 1.38% year on year Meanwhile, energy consumption per unit of product of the Jiangsu base in 2021 dropped by 2.69% from 2020 

c) Approved the CAPEX of 7.6MW rooftop solar power station, with an expected annual electricity generation up to 8 million kWh 

3. Circular economy

 By 2030, raise the proportion of recycled steel to 40% 

Progress in 2021: The purchased steel wire rod contained 18.50% recycled steel 

4. Responsible procurement

 By 2025, include 100% of Xingda’s suppliers in sustainability assessment

Progress in 2021: 11.48% of suppliers finished environmental and social evaluation, while the evaluation ratio of major raw material and auxiliary product suppliers was 90.9% 

5. Community and human capital development

 By 2025, provide on average 40 hours of vocational training for each employee per year 

Progress in 2021: Employees received 34 hours of training on average 

6. Compliance and business ethics

 By 2025, provide business ethics trainings for 100% of our employees and suppliers 

Progress in 2021: 857 employees (11% in total) received anti-corruption training

7. Sustainability governance

 Continuously improve information transparency and capital market performance

Progress in 2021:

a) Xingda established Sustainable and High-Quality Development Strategy Committee and the Xingda International Green Vanguard Team 

b) Released Xingda's first sustainability report 

c) Achieved score B for CDP Climate Change Questionnaire rating and won Bronze Medal for Ecovadis rating 

Along with the report, Xingda also shared the current status of its pioneering ‘from tyre, back to tyre’ project, in which steel cord and bead wire shall be recycled from used tyres to make wire rod and then new steel cord and bead wire, so as to achieve a true circular economy. At present, Xingda is working closely with tyre recyclers, steel makers and tyre makers to assess the technical feasibility of such cycle, and look to conclude the assessment in the coming months before moving to the mass trial phase. Once completed, it will mark one of the greatest breakthroughs the industry has seen in recent years and offer a remarkable boost to the quest for circular economy by tyre makers around the globe.  

Japanese chemical manufacturer Tosoh Corporation announced plans on Wednesday to construct a second chloroprene rubber production facility at its Nanyo Complex, representing an investment of approximately ¥75 billion (£460 million) to meet rising global demand for the speciality polymer.

The new facility, scheduled to begin construction in spring 2027, will add 22,000 metric tonnes of annual production capacity for Tosoh’s SKYPRENE chloroprene rubber brand. Commercial operations are expected to commence in spring 2030 at the Shunan City site in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Chloroprene rubber serves as a critical component across multiple industries, from automotive manufacturing to medical applications. The synthetic rubber’s popularity stems from its exceptional resistance to oil, weather conditions, and flame exposure, making it suitable for demanding applications, including automotive hoses, industrial belts, adhesives, and medical gloves.

The expansion comes as global demand for high-performance polymers continues to grow, driven by increasing automotive production and stricter safety requirements across industrial sectors. Medical applications have also seen increased demand following heightened awareness of the requirements for protective equipment.

Tosoh’s decision to double down on chloroprene rubber production reflects the material’s position within what the company terms its “Chemical Chain Business” - a strategy focused on value-added speciality chemicals rather than commodity products.

The investment represents one of the larger capacity expansion projects announced by Japanese chemical companies this year, signalling confidence in long-term demand fundamentals despite current global economic uncertainties.

The Nanyo Complex already houses Tosoh’s existing chloroprene rubber operations alongside other chemical production facilities. The site’s established infrastructure and logistics capabilities influenced the decision to expand at the existing location rather than develop a greenfield facility.

Industry analysts note that the three-year construction timeline reflects the technical complexity of chloroprene rubber production, which requires specialised equipment and stringent safety protocols due to the chemical processes involved.

The expansion aligns with broader trends in the Japanese chemical industry, where companies are increasingly focusing on high-margin speciality products to offset competitive pressures in traditional commodity chemicals from lower-cost Asian producers.

Epsilon Carbon, a leading global manufacturer of carbon black, has launched N134, which it claims is a specialised ‘Hard Grade’ carbon black known for its superior abrasion resistance and durability.

At present, the high-quality N134 grade is being imported due to the lack of consistent quality and supply chain issues in the Indian market. As a result, the tyre makers have to modify their formulations using other grades of carbon black, which it shared often leads to reduced performance.

But now, Epsilon Carbon has become the first company in India to install a dedicated manufacturing unit designed for N134 grade hard carbon. The company is expanding its existing Vijayanagar Carbon complex facility to produce 215,000 tonnes of carbon black.

This will not only ensure consistent supply of N134 carbon black for tyre makers in the country, reduce import dependency, but also open up export potential to markets such as Europe and USA. Epsilon Carbon will also focus on integrate advanced processing techniques to ensure batch consistency for durability and performance.

Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Carbon, said, “This is a proud moment for us and for India’s carbon black manufacturing sector as the high quality N134 black will significantly reduce import dependency and provide tire manufacturers in India and abroad with a reliable, high-quality product. Our goal is to match global standards while building India’s capability to serve premium markets.”

Lummus Technology, a leading provider of process technologies and energy solutions, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with InnoVent Renewables to collaborate on the global licensing and deployment of InnoVent’s continuous tyre pyrolysis technology.

Under the proposed agreement, Lummus will become the exclusive licensor for InnoVent’s proprietary pyrolysis process, which transforms end-of-life tyres into valuable outputs, including pyrolysis oil, gas, recycled carbon black and steel. Additionally, Lummus will offer integrated technology packages that combine InnoVent’s pyrolysis system with its own downstream processing solutions, enhancing the value of fuel and chemical products derived from waste tyres.

InnoVent’s technology provides a fully scalable, end-to-end solution for converting discarded tyres into renewable fuels and high-value petrochemicals, covering everything from pre-processing to purification. The company currently operates a commercial-scale facility in Monterrey, Mexico, with an annual processing capacity of up to one million passenger tyres, and has the capability to expand further.

Leon de Bruyn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lummus Technology, said, “This is another significant step in expanding and strengthening our portfolio for the circular economy. By combining InnoVent’s tyre recycling technology with Lummus’ global licensing and engineering expertise, we will be addressing the global challenge of waste tyres and creating new pathways for sustainable product development.”

Vibhu Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, InnoVent Renewables, said, “Partnering with Lummus has the potential to accelerate the global deployment of our technology and help us address the environmental and public health challenges of one billion end-of-life tyres that are disposed of annually. Together, we can transform waste into valuable resources, reduce carbon emissions and support the transition to a more sustainable future.”

Continental is accelerating its efforts to make tyre production more sustainable, with the German tyre manufacturer expecting the share of renewable and recycled materials in its tyres to rise by up to three percentage points in 2025.

The average share stood at 26 percent in 2024, and Continental said it anticipates a further increase this year due to the expanded use of materials such as synthetic rubber derived from renewable sources, recycled PET polyester, recycled steel, and silica made from rice husk ash — a by-product of rice production.

“We are systematically increasing the share of renewable and recycled materials in our raw material portfolio. In five years, we aim to surpass the 40 percent mark,” said Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires. “To achieve sustainable mobility, we are constantly searching for even more environmentally friendly materials. After extensive testing, we integrate them into production as quickly as possible.”

The company has set a goal of using over 40 percent renewable or recycled materials in its tyres by 2030, without compromising on performance or safety.

A key pillar of this transformation is the adoption of mass balance-certified materials. This approach, certified under ISCC Plus, enables Continental to mix certified and non-certified materials during production while maintaining strict accounting procedures to ensure traceability.

The company has already secured ISCC sustainability certification for its tyre plants in Lousado (Portugal), Hefei (China), Púchov (Slovakia) and Korbach (Germany). Continental is also scaling up its use of recycled steel, silica from rice husk ash, and PET yarns made from recycled plastic bottles via its proprietary ContiRe.Tex process.

Other sustainable innovations include COKOON, an adhesive coating system co-developed with Kordsa that replaces formaldehyde and resorcinol in bonding textile components with rubber. Continental also continues to explore alternative additives derived from renewable sources to improve the tyre vulcanisation process.

“We have developed a comprehensive portfolio of diverse, more sustainable materials and are continuously integrating them into all our products after extensive testing,” Almeida said. “In doing so, we ensure that there is no compromise in safety or performance. With this portfolio, we are getting closer and closer to our ambitious, long-term sustainability goals.”