Birla Carbon will present a portfolio of high-performance carbon black and sustainable carbon materials at the International Rubber Conference 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, from November 2 to 6. The company says the shift toward electric mobility is increasing demands on tire wear performance, energy efficiency and durability, while automotive rubber components must combine longer service life with ride comfort. At IRC 2026, Birla Carbon will showcase Very High Structure carbon black grades for passenger car, light truck, truck and bus tires, alongside Continua™ Sustainable Carbonaceous Materials and Sustainable Carbon Blacks intended to help tire manufacturers increase recycled or bio-based content. The company will also present carbon black grades for mechanical rubber goods and extrusion applications. For the tire industry, the event highlights a growing effort to combine performance requirements with circularity as manufacturers seek materials capable of meeting evolving regulatory and technical expectations while reducing reliance on conventional virgin carbon feedstocks.

Birla Carbon to exhibit at IRC 2026 in Nagoya

The International Rubber Conference 2026 will take place in Nagoya from November 2 to 6. Birla Carbon will exhibit at Booth B and focus on materials for tires, mechanical rubber goods and other rubber applications.

The company says Asian tire and rubber manufacturers are facing increasingly demanding material requirements as vehicle technologies, regulations and sustainability expectations evolve.

Electric mobility increases focus on tire wear and efficiency

Birla Carbon identifies electric mobility as one of the drivers increasing the importance of tire wear performance and energy efficiency.

Electric vehicles can place different performance demands on tires, encouraging manufacturers to optimize compound formulations for durability, rolling resistance and other application-specific requirements.

Very High Structure grades target tire performance

For passenger car, light truck, truck and bus tires, Birla Carbon will present its Very High Structure carbon black grades.

The company says the portfolio was developed with electric mobility and evolving requirements such as Euro 7 in mind and is intended to support improved wear performance, energy efficiency and tire durability.

Continua brings circular materials into tire formulations

Birla Carbon will also showcase its Continua Sustainable Carbonaceous Materials portfolio for tire applications.

The company positions Continua as a way for manufacturers to introduce greater recycled content into rubber compounds while maintaining the consistency and supply reliability required for industrial production.

The Continua portfolio is backed by ISCC PLUS certification.

Sustainable Carbon Blacks add bio-based and recycled content

Alongside Continua, Birla Carbon will present Sustainable Carbon Blacks containing increased recycled or bio-based content.

The company says these materials can help tire manufacturers pursue circularity goals without separating sustainability considerations from conventional product performance requirements.

Performance and circularity presented as parallel priorities

Amit Kumar, President, Asia, Birla Carbon, said the company sees performance and circularity as priorities that need to progress together.

Birla Carbon is positioning its sustainable carbon materials alongside conventional high-performance grades rather than treating circular materials as a separate product category disconnected from tire performance.

Mechanical rubber goods also part of IRC portfolio

For mechanical rubber goods, Birla Carbon will showcase carbon black grades aimed at automotive bushings and mounts.

Grades developed for bushings are designed to improve mixing and dispersion, supporting fatigue life and component durability.

Solutions for mounts combine low hysteresis, low stiffness and reinforcement characteristics intended to support durability while maintaining ride comfort.

Extrusion grades aim to reduce defects and scrap

Birla Carbon will also present clean, drop-in grades intended for extrusion applications.

The company says these products can reduce defects, scrap generation and screen-pack changes, while improving throughput and supporting fatigue resistance and service life in finished rubber products.

Simulation supports material selection

Birla Carbon says its technical teams use scientific expertise and simulation tools to help customers evaluate carbon materials for tire, industrial rubber and specialty applications.

This approach is intended to help manufacturers assess material behavior before and during product development and to select grades suited to specific performance requirements.

Asian capacity supports regional supply

The company also highlights its global manufacturing network and ongoing capacity expansion in Asia as part of its strategy to provide dependable regional supply.

For tire manufacturers, consistent material quality and secure supply are important requirements when introducing new carbon materials into large-scale production.

Circular carbon becomes more relevant to tire manufacturing

The inclusion of Continua and Sustainable Carbon Blacks alongside conventional performance grades reflects a broader shift in the tire industry toward greater use of circular and lower-carbon raw materials.

Carbon black remains a critical reinforcing material in tire compounds, while circular alternatives derived from recycled or alternative feedstocks can help manufacturers reduce dependence on conventional fossil-based inputs.

IRC 2026 links material innovation with future mobility

Birla Carbon’s IRC 2026 portfolio brings together tire durability, energy efficiency, rubber component performance and circular materials within a single product strategy.

As tire manufacturers respond to electric mobility, Euro 7 and sustainability targets, carbon material suppliers are increasingly expected to deliver both technical performance and more circular feedstock options at industrial scale.

Original announcement by Birla Carbon.

Weibold is an international consulting company specializing exclusively in end-of-life tire recycling and pyrolysis. Since 1999, we have helped companies grow and build profitable businesses.