Sumitomo Rubber to debut circular carbon black in GT300 race tires

Kobe, Japan – Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) is introducing circular carbon black in some of its racing tires for the first time at round 4 of the 2025 Autobacs Super GT, scheduled for 2–3 Aug in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

The tires will be used in the GT300 class as part of SRI’s Towanowa circular economy initiative, the Japanese group reported 29 July.

The development follows work that begun in January this year with Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. to chemically recycle rubber scrap from tire manufacturing and crushed used tires. (ERJ report)

The process uses coke ovens to produce the circular carbon black, replacing a portion of the virgin material typically used in tire compounds.

SRI said the system “reuses rubber scraps and used tires, which are currently burned as a heat source, as resources,” and is expected to cut CO2 emissions.

The company plans to extend the use of rCB to certain passenger car tires within 2025.