Birla Carbon launches a new Continua™ SCM production line in Italy, boosting circular material supply and advancing global sustainability goals.
Birla Carbon has announced the commissioning of a new dedicated production line at its carbon black manufacturing site in Trecate, Italy, marking an important step forward in the company’s global sustainability strategy. The newly established line has been designed specifically for the finishing and packaging of Continua™ Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM), a next-generation circular material produced from end-of-life tires. With this investment, Birla Carbon is set to significantly increase the availability of high-quality, consistent Continua SCM in large commercial volumes, ensuring long-term supply reliability for customers across global markets.
The launch reflects Birla Carbon’s ongoing commitment to advancing circular economy solutions within the carbon black industry. Continua SCM is recognized as one of the most consistent and high-performing circular materials currently available and is capable of replacing a portion of conventional carbon black across a wide range of rubber and non-rubber applications. By scaling production through the Trecate facility, Birla Carbon is strengthening its ability to meet growing customer demand for sustainable materials without compromising performance or quality standards.
John Loudermilk, President and Chief Executive Officer of Birla Carbon, described the new production line as a landmark development for the company. He emphasized that Continua SCM exemplifies how innovation and collaboration can drive sustainability at an industrial scale. The raw material for Continua SCM is sourced from Circtec’s advanced tire pyrolysis facility in the Netherlands, while the final processing and packaging are carried out at Birla Carbon’s state-of-the-art Trecate site. This cross-industry partnership demonstrates how integrated value chains can help convert waste into valuable resources.
Loudermilk further highlighted that the new line supports Birla Carbon’s long-term environmental goals. The company aims to reintroduce 300,000 tons of end-of-life tires back into industrial use each year by 2030, a critical milestone on its journey toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Trecate expansion plays a key role in translating these ambitions into tangible outcomes.
From a customer perspective, the new production line enhances access to Birla Carbon’s expanding portfolio of circular solutions. John Davidson, Chief Sales, Marketing, and Sustainability Officer at Birla Carbon, noted that the increased availability of Continua SCM allows customers worldwide to incorporate higher levels of sustainable materials into their products while maintaining the performance, reliability, and regulatory compliance they expect. He added that the expansion underlines Birla Carbon’s commitment to supporting customer sustainability objectives at scale.
Continua SCM is offered in multiple grades, including Continua 8000 SCM and its variations, serving industries such as tires, mechanical rubber goods, and plastics. The product range provides several advantages, including reliable supply at large volumes, blending flexibility for optimized formulations, increased recycled content, reduced homologation costs, and consistent quality aligned with regulatory requirements.
Birla Carbon’s strategic partner, Circtec, further strengthened this circular ecosystem with the launch of its tire pyrolysis facility in the Netherlands in January 2026. Together, these developments position Birla Carbon as a key enabler of circularity and sustainable innovation in the global carbon black and materials industry.
