Marubeni investing in German 'refined' recovered carbon black maker

Tokyo – Marubeni Corp. has agreed to invest an undisclosed amount in a German recovered carbon black (rCB) startup, which will "further refine" the reinforcing filler for use in tires.

In a statement 15 Feb, the Japanese group said it had concluded an agreement to acquire shares of Munich-based RCB Nanotechnologies via an underwriting of a third-party allotment for new shares.

RCBNano is currently constructing a plant to produce 'next-generation rCB2.0', which further purifies the rCB produced by the pyrolysis of end-of-life tires.

Headed by former Pyrolyx CEO Niels Raeder, the startup is collaborating with Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics to develop technology for separating ash-content from rCB.

The patent-pending method developed by Fraunhofer IBP is based on a wet chemical (hydrothermal) treatment of the already thermally treated raw rCB.

According to RCBNano’s website, ash is “almost completely extracted and converted into usable products,” including silicon dioxide and zinc-based products to be used tires and other applications.

RCBNano’s process will involve buying raw rCB from different suppliers and refining it into “high-quality products”, the website added.

In its statement, Marubeni said RCBNano and Fraunhofer IBP had developed a technology to produce rCB2.0 to “a world-leading standard.”

The developers, it added, had previously achieved “outcomes in the semi-commercial production of rCB2.0.”

“RCBNano’s rCB is 100% capable of serving as a replacement material for virtual carbon black,” stated Marubeni.

Using funds from the transaction, RCBNano will proceed with the construction of an initial plant, which is expected to commence stable supply of rCB2.0 to clients by the end of 2024.

The plant, according to Marubeni, will be “the first commercial operation of an rCB chemical purification plant worldwide.”

Launched in 2020, RCBNano is led by a number of former Pyrolyx executives, including Niels Raeder, who founded the now defunct rCB producer and led it as CEO for more than 10 years.

RCBNano's managing director Jan Diercks was also a co-founder of Pyrolyx AG and was responsible for commercial business development and sales for the company.