John Loudermilk, President and CEO of Birla Carbon, reaffirmed the company’s plan to scale up Continua™ SCM as a key part of its portfolio. Speaking at the Reuters Sustainability Europe 2025 conference in London, he said it could make up 10% of total products.
Advancing Circularity with End-of-Life Tire Recycling
Developed from end-of-life tires, Continua™ SCM is Birla Carbon’s flagship circular material designed for industrial-scale production with consistent quality and technical excellence. This sustainable innovation enables manufacturers across industries to improve the circularity of their products without sacrificing performance.
Rising Demand for Sustainable Alternatives
“Global carbon black demand usually grows with GDP, but sustainable products are rising much faster,” Loudermilk said. He added that Birla Carbon aims to replace up to 10% of global carbon black use with circular materials like Continua™ SCM, made from end-of-life tires.
Collaborative Ecosystem for Circular Growth
Loudermilk emphasized the importance of collaboration and supportive frameworks to realize this vision. He called for stronger regulatory support, strategic partnerships with tire pyrolysis technology providers, and deeper engagement with customers to accelerate the adoption and scale-up of circular materials worldwide.
Versatile Applications with Lower Carbon Footprint
Continua™ SCM can partly replace carbon black in products such as tires, rubber goods, coatings, inks, and plastics. Moreover, using this circular material helps manufacturers cut carbon intensity without compromising performance or reliability.
Pursuing a Broader Sustainability Agenda
In addition to Continua™, Birla Carbon is advancing bio-based carbon black and exploring cutting-edge technologies in carbon capture and conversion. As per the press release, these efforts align with the company’s broader aspiration to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Birla Carbon aims to boost yield, optimize resources, and drive sustainability in the carbon materials industry through continuous innovation and efficiency improvements.
