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EU project to produce biobased rubber from food waste

An EU-funded Horizon Europe initiative known as the Rubbio project is aiming to manufacture high-performance, bio-based synthetic rubbers: specifically polybutadiene (PB), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), from starch-rich bread and potato waste. Besides the production of three…

ETIC licenses EPDM tech to Yulin for China plant

Japanese elastomer engineering and plant-design consultancy ETIC has signed an EPDM manufacturing technology licensing agreement with China’s state-owned Guoneng Yulin Chemical for a new 50,000-tonne/year plant in Yulin City, Shaanxi province. The project is planned as ETIC’s third EPDM technology…

Dunlop completes investment expansion in South Africa

Dunlop Tyres’s South African subsidiary recently completed a R1.7 billion investment programme at its uMnambithi (Ladysmith) manufacturing facility and expanding production capabilities. Backed by parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) of Japan, the three-year investment equips the facility with advanced…

Mitsubishi plans colloidal silica plant at Japanese facility

Japan’s Mitsubishi Chemical is to looking at establishing an ultra-high-purity colloidal silica plant at its site in Kitakyushu, Japan, for use as a raw material for polishing agents in semiconductors. The company makes this material through an integrated manufacturing process…

Epsilon ups carbon capacity; doubles total capacity

India’s Epsilon Carbon has commissioned a 300,000 tonnes/year specialty carbon facility at Vijayanagar, Karnataka, taking its total specialty carbon production capacity to 600,000 tonnes/year. The expansion strengthens Epsilon Carbon’s position as one of India’s largest specialty carbon producers while supporting the…

Aether/Dow to research silicone tech in India

Aether Industries Ltd. and Dow Chemical International Pvt. Ltd. (Dow India) have launched an exclusive, multi-year research program to advance silicone manufacturing technology development in India. The program will leverage Aether’s R&D and pilot facilities in Surat, Gujarat, to develop next-generation…

Zeon completes bio-based butadiene demo facility

Japan’s Zeon Corp.  has completed construction of a bench-scale facility at its Tokuyama Plant (Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) to demonstrate technology for production of butadiene from ethanol derived from plant-based and other sustainable materials. Construction of the facility began in July 2025.  The…

Eneos to acquire TPC; strengthen C4 chemical business

Japan’s Eneos Holdings says it has decided to acquire US-based butadiene producer TPC Holdings through its wholly owned US subsidiary, to make TPC a wholly owned subsidiary of Eneos under its High Performance Materials Segment. The deal is expected to close in October 2026, pending regulatory approvals. The deal…