NEXEN TIRE has entered a long-term agreement with South Korea-based LD Carbon Co., Ltd. to secure a stable supply of recovered carbon black (rCB), further embedding circular economy principles into its tyre manufacturing operations.
The agreement will supply NEXEN TIRE’s facilities in Korea, China, and the Czech Republic with rCB — a sustainable material derived from end-of-life tyres through pyrolysis. This process not only diverts waste from landfill but also reduces the carbon footprint compared to virgin carbon black, while retaining the durability and performance required for tyre applications.
By integrating rCB into its product lines, NEXEN TIRE aims to reduce the environmental impact of its raw materials and strengthen long-term compliance with tightening sustainability regulations.
With around 40% of its sales generated in Europe, NEXEN TIRE is aligning its material sourcing strategies with the EU’s forthcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The new regulation is set to impose stricter sustainability benchmarks on tyres and other consumer products, making eco-material adoption a strategic imperative.
The deal with LD Carbon supports the company's objective to create a closed-loop system for raw materials, increasing its resilience in the face of regulatory change while appealing to environmentally conscious OEMs and consumers.
The use of recovered materials reflects NEXEN TIRE’s broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals, positioning the brand as a proactive player in the transition to sustainable mobility. The partnership is also expected to provide a stable foundation for further collaboration in sustainable material innovation.
Recovered carbon black is gaining traction as tyre manufacturers seek low-impact alternatives to traditional fossil-derived compounds. This deal positions NEXEN TIRE among a growing number of manufacturers embedding circularity into their supply chains, a move that could become a baseline expectation under future EU and global regulations.
Tagged with: NEXEN TIRE, recovered carbon black, rCB, LD Carbon, sustainable tyre manufacturing, circular economy, tyre materials, ESPR, ESG
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