Robert Weibold to speak about devulcanization at TechnoBiz Rubber Week in Vienna, June 10

Meet Robert Weibold at Rubber Week 2026

Robert Weibold – an internationally renowned expert in the field of tire recycling and tire pyrolysis – is speaking about rubber devulcanization market, trends and technology providers at Rubber Week 2026 in Vienna, Austria, on June 10 2026.

About Rubber Week 2026

TechnoBiz is organizing the 5th Edition of Rubber Week 2026 in Vienna, Austria, from 9–12 June 2026 at Flemings Hotel Wien Stadthalle.

This event is positioned as an important meeting point for the European rubber industry, addressing the latest developments in applied rubber science, technology, and industry. Designed for industry professionals, decision-makers, and researchers, Rubber Week 2026 will feature specialized conferences and focused training programs, offering practical insights, knowledge exchange, and opportunities for collaboration across the European rubber ecosystem.

Conference agenda

• • 9 June 2026 | Tuesday | 9am-5pm
  • Designing Industrial Rubber Compounds: From Fundamentals to AI-Driven Optimization
  • TechnoBiz Training Program | Instructor - Dr. Hans-Joachim Graf
• • 10 June 2026 | Wednesday | 9am-5pm
  • Rubber Recycling, Devulcanization & Circularity 2026
  • TechnoBiz Conference on Rubber Recycling , Devulcanization and Circularity
• • 10 June 2026 | Wednesday | 9am-5pm
  • The Rubber Initiative® Workshop: Next-Generation Executive Leadership
  • Instructors : Michael Clayton & Dr. Matthew Thornton
• • 11 June 2026 | Thursday | 9am-5pm
  • Sustainable Rubber Compounding 2026
  • TechnoBiz Conference on Sustainable & Bio-Based Materials and Rubber Compounding
• • 11 June 2026 | Thursday | 9am-5pm Rubber Leadership 2026
  • TechnoBiz Conference on Rubber Industry Leadership & Management 12 June 2026 | Friday | 9am-5pm
  • Rubber Industry Automation & Digitalization 2026
  • TechnoBiz Conference on Rubber Industry Automation. Digitalization & Smart Manufacturing
• • 12 June 2026 | Friday | 9am-5pm Advanced Rubber Extrusion
  • TechnoBiz Training Program | Instructor - Dr. Gerard Nijman 13 June 2026 | Saturday | 9am-1pm
  • MAPLAN Factory Visit – a TechnoBiz TechnoTour

Conference topics

• Trends in European Devulcanization Industry (Robert Weibold, Managing Director, Robert Weibold GmbH, Austria)
• Rheological In Situ Analysis of SBR Devulcanization Using Diphenyl Disulfide (Michael Drach, Head Of Development, Gerlach Maschinenbau GmbH, Germany)
• Devulcanized Rubber: Characterization, Blending Strategies, and Performance in Rubber Compounds (Prof. Ivan Chodak, Department of Composite Materials, Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia)
• Latest Developments in Slovenian Rubber Industry & Economy (Dr. Rok Prebil, Founder & Managing Director, ElastoNova, Slovenia)
• Key Milestones That Shaped Modern Rubber Product Development (Dr. Thomas Frueh, Senior Expert in Polymer Materials, and Rubber Technology, Germany)
• Czech Rubber Industry: Current Trends in Markets, Technology and Innovations (Dr. Jiří Brejcha, Principal Consultant, Brejcha Rubber Consulting)
• Keynote Speech: Global Trends in Bio-based and Renewable Raw Materials for Rubber Compounds (Prof. Ulrich Giese, Managing Director, German Institute of Rubber Technology (DIK))
• Ultrahigh-Strength, Reprocessable, and Recyclable HXNBR/ZIF-67 Rubber Nanocomposites via Dynamic Interfacial Bonding (Prof. Dongmei Yue, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China)
• Impact of Polymer Chain Architecture on Rubber Compounding and Processing (Dr. Fabio Bacchelli, Head- Global Technical Support, Versalis SpA, Italy)
• Latest Trends in Rubber Process Oils for Performance, Processing, Compliance and Sustainability (Dr. Matthias Meyer, Market Development Manager – Tyre and Rubber, H&R Group, Germany)
• Bio-Based Processing Additives in Rubber Compounding: Enhancing Process Efficiency and Sustainability (Eleonora Bader, Rubber Business Unit Manager, DOG Deutsche Oelfabrik, Germany)
• Inline Process Monitoring a Data-driven Process Control in Rubber Mixing, Benchmarking, and Deviation Analysis (Dr. Markus Hesse, Head of R&D and Process Engineering, HF Mixing Group, Germany)
• Data to Decisions: How AI and Digital Twins Are Transforming Rubber Manufacturing (Nils Hendrik Kröger, Founder & CEO, material prediction GmbH, Germany)
• Preparing Your Rubber Lab for Industry 4.0: Automation, Clean Data, and AI in Material Development (Khaled Boqaileh, CEO, LabsCubed Inc., Canada)
• Predicting Rubber Part Quality Beyond the Degree of Cure: Modelling Approaches Incorporating Processing History (Dr. Maurício Azevedo, Head of Research Group – Elastomer Technologies – Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH, Austria)
• Latest Trends in Rubber Injection Molding (Wolfgang Meyer, CEO, MAPLAN Austria)
• When Materials Get Unusual: Innovations in Elastomers for Specific Applications (Dr. Andreas Bischoff, Senior Expert in Rubber Technology, Germany)
• Applications of Dynamic Mechanical Analysis and Rheology in Rubber Compounding: Linking Materials to Performance (Dr. Christopher Robertson, Principal Consultant, Polymer Technology Services LLC, USA
• Functional Mineral Filler able to Partially Reduce Carbon Black in Technical RubberGoods (Dr. Christos Georgantopoulos, Technical Service Manager - Polymers, Omya International AG, Switzerland)
• Strategies for Sustainable Tyre, Materials Development and Compounding Approach (Dr. Francesco Romani, Head of Materials Management, Pirelli Tyre S.p.A., Italy)
• (Dr. Dirk Balkenende, R&D Head, ERIKS Sealing & Polymer Europe)
• Gen AI for Rubber Compound Development, From Scattered Data to Faster Formulation Decisions (Nour Al Bakour, Co-Founder, RubberFEX, Germany)
• Understanding Shrinkage Behavior Through Cavity Pressure in Rubber Injection Molding (Margarete Hufnagl, Researcher (Elastomer Technologies), Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH, Austria)
• AI in Rubber Compounding - From Database prediction to Industrial Formulations (Dr. Hans-Joachim Graf, HJG Consulting, Germany) Precision Dosing in Rubber Mixing Plant: Driving Quality & Sustainability (Luca Mariuzzo, Sales Director, Lawer SpA, Italy)
• From Trial and Error to Simulation-Driven Development in Elastomer Processing (Timo Gebauer, CTO, SIGMA Engineering GmbH, Germany)

TechnoBiz round table discussions

• Navigating Volatility: Geopolitics, Energy Crisis & the Future of Rubber Industry
• Are We Losing the Next Generation to Other Industries? Why?
• Circular Economy & Sustainability in the Rubber Industry: Reality, Cost Burden, or Business Opportunity?

TechnoBiz techno tour – MAPLAN factory visit

All registered delegates of Rubber Week 2026 Vienna are invited to join the TechnoTour to the MAPLAN factory on 13 June 2026. MAPLAN, with nearly 50 years of expertise, is a globally recognized manufacturer of elastomer injection molding machines and complete automation solutions for rubber and silicone products. The company is known for its advanced, energy-efficient technologies, strong focus on lean production, and high standards in quality, efficiency, and digitalized manufacturing. Its Kottingbrunn facility also reflects a strong commitment to sustainability, making it a benchmark for modern, future-ready rubber manufacturing.

Workshops and training programs

Designing Industrial Rubber Compounds: From Fundamentals to AI-Driven Optimization

• Engineering-driven compound development beyond recipes
• Optimized selection of polymers, fillers, and cure systems
• Designing for performance, cost, and processability
• Enhancing mixing, extrusion, and molding efficiency
• Ensuring smooth lab-to-production scale-up
• Using data and AI for faster optimization

The Rubber Initiative® Workshop: Next-Generation Executive Leadership

• Sustainability positioning and EU regulatory navigation for executives
• Bridging generational leadership gaps in rubber industry organisations
• Building innovation pipelines and managing R&D portfolio priorities
• Accelerating commercialisation and securing funding for innovation projects
• Converting strategic vision into operational execution and accountability frameworks
• Participants create personalised 90-day executive leadership action plans

Advanced Rubber Extrusion

• Principles of Rubber Extrusion
• Rubber Rheology and Process Engineering
• Process Layout of a Rubber Extruder
• Die Design and Flow Optimization
• Process Control and Line Setup
• Extrusion line layout
• Cooling or Vulcanization
• Booking & Finishing Operations
• Common Extrusion Defects and Root Cause Analysis
• Practical Case Studies & Troubleshooting Workshop

Registration

To learn more and register for the event, please proceed to the page of TechnoBiz.

TechnoBiz Rubber Week brochure