As sustainability becomes central to the tyre industry’s evolution, the spotlight is now shifting from just recyclability and circularity to a newer, promising domain – bio-based materials. While global tyre manufacturers invest heavily in de-carbonisation strategies, companies like Shanghai Cheeshine Novel Materials Technology Co., Ltd. are at the forefront of pushing this transition further. With a growing portfolio of innovative, high-performance bio-based solutions, Cheeshine is betting on the increasing demand for greener alternatives. However, as industry adoption remains cautious, especially in replacing petroleum-derived materials, the road to mainstream acceptance of bio-based materials may still require both technological refinement and a stronger market-driven pull.

Sustainability, recyclability, circularity and renewable materials are the main keywords of the current tyre industry. Companies have invested millions in its efforts towards reaching sustainability goals and attaining a circular economy.

But there is also a new buzz word in town – bio-based raw materials. Cheeshine is confident that the tyre industry has developed an interest towards such materials in its quest towards a sustainable future.

Speaking exclusively to Tyre Trends, the company’s Director of Research and Development Centre, Hai Li, said, “Our goal is to support the rubber industry’s sustainable development. That’s why we’ve selected certain bio-based materials, and through modification, enhanced their properties to make them suitable for rubber applications. There’s growing demand for bio-based materials in tyres due to increased environmental awareness and the need for greener alternatives.”

Founded in 2005 in Shanghai, the company delivers different products and services to the rubber industry. Over more than a decade of growth, the company has expanded its footprint with factories and offices in Jiangsu Huai’an, Jiangsu Suzhou, Shandong Linyi, Hong Kong, Chongqing, Tianjin, India and France, serving a global customer base.

It maintains long-term collaboration with leading Chinese universities and in 2016 established the ‘Cheeshine Scholarship’ at the School of Polymer Materials, Qingdao University of Science and Technology to support innovation in research and development.

With strong research and development capabilities and large-scale production capacity, Cheeshine offers six core product categories including low rolling resistance silane, high-temperature resistant cross-linking agents, wet-skid resistant resins, adhesion promoters, special reinforcing fillers and environmentally friendly processing oils.

It currently holds 108 patents and several technologies for which it has filed PCTs. A standout example is its high dispersion precipitated silica by carbonisation, the precipitated silica via CO₂ substitution for sulfuric acid, a process that currently sets it apart as the only manufacturer with this capability.

MANUFACTURING PROWESS

The company focuses on the ‘magic triangle’, which, in the tyre industry, is referred to the balance between three critical performance factors viz-a-viz rolling resistance, wet grip and wear resistance.

Cheeshine Materials manufactures through its three factories in China and ships worldwide. Its research and development hubs are also located within the country. “We’re a research and development-driven company. Our largest development centre is in Suzhou with over 80 team members, most of whom hold master’s or doctoral degrees. We have a total of three R&D centres. Our teams work closely with clients to co-develop customised and high-performance solutions. We have two main production bases – one in Hua’an, Jiangsu Province, and another in Shandong Province,” said Li.

The company registered a turnover of USD 120 million in 2024 and serves a global base of over 500 customers. Within the tyre industry, it majorly works with the global top 10.

Li expressed pride in the company’s innovations and emphasised on the broad portfolio of rubber additives and sustainable materials. Claiming that the company has a strong market presence both in China and internationally, he provided an overview of the core offerings.

Under the category of bio-based products, Li highlighted a rubber processing oil derived from modified cashew nut shell oil, a product he claimed is manufactured in China only by his company. This oil not only improves compatibility with rubber compounds but also contributes to sustainability. Another innovation was the modified natural rubber (epoxidised NR), developed to serve as a bio-based alternative to synthetic SSBR, offering enhanced performance.

In terms of eco-friendly fillers, he pointed to the high-dispersion precipitated silica by carbonisation, which is more environmentally friendly than traditional sulfuric acid-derived silica and also improves dispersion in rubber compounds. He also mentioned a high-performance liquid rubber additive known for its excellent compatibility and market success.

For advanced functional additives, he cited the modified silane coupling agent, designed to replace TESPT and improve rolling resistance and silica dispersion and currently protected under a PCT patent. The company’s multi-functional cross-linking agent enhances durability and strength, while a line of environmentally friendly accelerators was developed to minimise environmental impact during vulcanisation.

The portfolio also includes speciality resins such as a tear-resistant resin for improved tyre durability and several wet skid-resistant resins, including AMS and modified AMS resin, hydrogenated resin, bio-based resin and modified C5/C9 resin, targeted at enhancing grip on wet surfaces. Additionally, the company produces various phenolic and formaldehyde resins for specific performance attributes like heat resistance and bonding, along with anti-reversion agents and silica dispersion agents that support high-performance compound development.

Among the company’s most cutting-edge innovations is a sulfur-free curing agent, an alternative that replaces traditional sulfur in rubber vulcanisation and enhance tyre ageing resistance and wear resistance while significantly boosting overall durability performance. This agent helps reduce tyre cracking over time and extend product life. Li noted that Cheeshine Materials is currently the only company globally manufacturing this agent and has secured a PCT patent for it.

When asked about the source of their materials, Li acknowledged that while many of the older products were petrochemical-based, the company is now strongly shifting towards bio-based alternatives including bio-oils, resins and natural rubber modifications, in alignment with the industry’s evolving sustainability goals.

MARKET TALK

While the company has a kitty of impressive offerings that might cater to the emerging and evolving demands of the tyre industry, replacing traditional materials completely is a matter that is to be taken up in the near future. Of all the raw materials that go into a tyre, replacing synthetic rubber seems to be a very vague concept for many.

Alluding to why the industry will choose modified natural rubber over SSBR, Li explained, “Modified natural rubber offers higher bio-based content, which supports sustainability goals. Through our proprietary modifications, we enhance its ageing, physical and dynamic properties, making it a strong alternative to synthetic rubber.”

Commenting on challenges, Li said, “Our main challenge is the constant push to develop better products and solutions. Innovation is an ongoing effort. We’re continually working to modify bio-based materials like lignin. Many projects are ongoing, focused on improving sustainability and performance. On the cost front, we aim to keep the cost of our new products on par with conventional ones while providing the added value of sustainability.”

Li described that the business is fairly balanced between domestic and international markets. In terms of global expansion, he mentioned that growth is being driven through a network of affiliates and distributors. The company already has team members based in Paris, Copenhagen and Mumbai and are actively engaging with international partners to access new markets.

In response to questions about the shifting dynamics in Europe, particularly with some local plants shutting down, Li noted that the company is continuing to expand its manufacturing capacity in China. He cited the country’s cost advantages and strong pool of research and development talent as key factors. Looking ahead, the company plans to strengthen its presence in Europe by hiring more local technical support staff to better serve the region.

As for establishing a manufacturing plant in Europe, Li shared that there are no immediate plans to do so. However, the company may consider this move in about two or three years, particularly after the full commissioning of the new domestic plant as part of a longer-term strategy to navigate tariffs and support local demand.

When asked about the future vision, Li stated that Cheeshine Materials’ ambition is to become a true pioneer of the unexplored territories in the rubber industry. The focus remains on leading innovation and continually expanding the company’s global influence.

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Epsilon Carbon Pvt. Ltd. has announced the appointment of Munish Kumar Rathi as its new President and Business Head for Carbon Black.

With more than 25 years of extensive global leadership experience, Rathi brings a strong background in profit and loss management, multi-site manufacturing leadership, strategic planning and business transformation. His career is marked by a demonstrated ability to drive operational excellence and foster sustainable growth across various international markets.

The company is anticipating that his leadership will play a key role as Epsilon Carbon continues to expand its global footprint and accelerate innovation within the carbon black business segment. The organisation has formally welcomed Rathi to the team, expressing confidence in his capacity to guide future strategic initiatives. This move underscores Epsilon Carbon’s commitment to strengthening its leadership team in pursuit of long-term global competitiveness.

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TVS Srichakra has approved capital investment of up to INR 2.2 billion to expand production capacity at its manufacturing facilities in Vellaripatti, Madurai.

The expansion will cover the company’s two-wheeler tyre and off-highway tyre plants, with investment of up to INR 1.1 billion allocated to each facility.

TVS Srichakra said the two-wheeler tyre plant currently has capacity of about 21 million to 23.5  million tyres a year and operates at utilisation levels of around 80 to 85 percent. The company plans to add about 5 percent capacity, with completion targeted in the first half of FY2028-29.

The off-highway tyre plant has existing capacity of about 75 to 85 metric tonnes a year and operates at utilisation levels of 75 to 80 percent. TVS Srichakra plans to increase capacity at the plant by about 25 percent, with the addition scheduled for the first half of FY2027-28.

The company said the investment would be financed through a combination of internal accruals and debt.

TVS Srichakra said the expansion is intended to meet growing demand for its two- and three-wheeler tyres and off-highway tyre products.

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JK Tyre & Industries reported record consolidated revenue of INR 163.84 billion for FY26, registering an 11 percent year-on-year increase, supported by strong domestic demand and volume growth across key tyre segments.

The company’s consolidated EBITDA rose 25 percent to INR 20.89 billion, with EBITDA margin improving to 12.8 percent.

Profit before tax increased 46 percent to INR 10.43 billion, while profit after tax climbed 52 percent to INR 8.60 billion during FY26.

For the fourth quarter, consolidated revenue rose 12 percent year-on-year to INR 42.33 billion.

Quarterly EBITDA surged 42 percent to INR 5.46 billion, with margin at 12.9 percent, while Q4 PAT nearly doubled, rising 94 percent to INR 1.99 billion.

Chairman and Managing Director Dr Raghupati Singhania described FY26 as a year of robust performance, highlighting record volumes in both truck and bus radial and passenger car radial categories.

Domestic sales volumes during Q4 grew 21 percent overall. Truck and bus radial replacement volumes increased 53 per cent, while OEM demand in the segment rose 23 percent. Passenger car radial replacement volumes were up 26 percent and OEM demand increased 10 percent.

The company said growth momentum was expected to continue into FY27, supported by new vehicle launches, infrastructure development and sustained replacement demand.

JK Tyre also highlighted strong traction in electric mobility. More than 70 per cent of electric buses operating in India currently run on its tyres, while the company supplies EV tyres to nearly eight two-wheeler OEMs and has secured orders for electric passenger vehicle models including Renault Duster EV, Hyundai Creta EV and Tata Motors’ Nexon and Punch EV variants.

Its Mexico business, operated through JK Tornel, contributed nearly 20 per cent of consolidated revenue and is expected to maintain growth across Mexican, Latin American and US markets.

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has elected David Cichocki, Managing Director, Americas, and chief sales officer, Americas Consumer, at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, to its board of directors.

“I’m pleased to welcome David to our Board. His extensive experience and expertise across the tire and consumer goods industries will be invaluable as we navigate today’s complex industry,” said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and chief executive. “His proven leadership will strengthen our ability to seize emerging opportunities.”

Cichocki joined Goodyear in early 2026 and is responsible for overseeing the Americas region and leading the company’s Americas Consumer sales business.

He brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across industrial and consumer goods companies to the USTMA board.

Before joining Goodyear, Cichocki served as senior vice-president of US sales at Whirlpool, where he managed a portfolio valued at more than $10bn across retail and direct-to-consumer channels.

He also spent more than 20 years at Kraft Foods and Nabisco in a range of senior leadership roles.

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