India’s Apollo Tyres has said it will invest Rs5,810 crore to expand capacity at its manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh to meet rising demand across passenger and commercial vehicle tyre segments. The investment will be funded by a mix of internal accruals…
Zeon/Visolis advance bio-based isoprene/SAF project with agreement
Japan’s Zeon Corporation and US-based Visolis Inc. have signed a binding term sheet to further strengthen their collaboration for commercialising bio-based isoprene monomer and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as well as a final investment decision (FID) for a production facility.…
Elkem sells silicones division to China’s Bluestar for US$1 bn
Norwegian materials company Elkem has announced a definitive agreement to sell the majority of its Silicones division to its largest shareholder, China-based Bluestar, for a value of approximately US$1.02 billion. The transaction will be settled through the redemption of 338.3…
Birla Carbon launches packaging line for biobased carbon black in Italy
Birla Carbon has announced a new production line at its carbon black facility in Trecate, Italy, which will undertake the finishing and packing of Continua Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM), a circular material derived from end-of-life tyres. With this launch, Continua…
Michelin to acquire Flexitallic, expands composite solutions biz
French tyre maker Michelin has announced the acquisition of US firm Flexitallic to develop its offerings in the sealing segment, outside the tyre segment. It will be financed from available cash, for an undisclosed amount, with closing expected in H1 2026. Michelin…
Evonik expands production of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadienes in Germany/Asia
German chemicals firm Evonik says it is strengthening its global production infrastructure for hydroxyl-terminated polybutadienes (HTPB). This follows significant investments made over the past two years, including the expansion of HTPB production capacity at its Marl site in 2024 and the establishment of…
Arlanxeo launches new HNBR plant in China
Synthetic rubber firm Arlanxeo recently inaugurated its new Therban hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) plant in Changzhou, China. The new plant supports expanding Arlanxeo’s HNBR production footprint and its ability to deliver elastomer solutions to customers across China and the Asia-Pacific region,…
Farrel Pomini ups stake in recycler to commercialise tyre pyrolysis
Farrel Pomini, a member of HF Group, has acquired a majority ownership of WF Recycle-Tech, increasing its stake from a minority ownership position established in 2021. This acquisition further strengthens the companies’ collaboration and accelerates the global commercialisation of WF’s…
Kumho Tire/Lotte collaborate on autonomous driving and smart tyres
South Korea’s Kumho Tire has announced that it has signed a mutual technical improvement memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Lotte Innovate to promote the demonstration of autonomous vehicles and smart tyre technology. Through this MOU, Kumho Tire will supply tyres…
Toyo Tire utilises HF tech for R&D centre in Serbia
Japan’s Toyo Tire is expanding its tyre plant in Indija (Serbia) with an innovation centre for R&D and has awarded HF Group as a partner to contribute engineering services and mixing technology to the centre. The new innovation centre will…







