Rubber compounders: Europe’s leading players in 2024

View the full listings section from ERJ’s latest annual survey of the European custom compounding sector.

News from survey respondents: Building for the future

European compounders are focused on leveraging new growth opportunities, as evidenced by their replies to the ERJ Compounding Survey 2024

Comet

We are completing an investment for a new building for the silicone compound business and a new automatic warehouse for finished compounds; this new investment should be on stream at the end of 2024. 

Hexpol Compounding

In-house devulcanisation line at our Lesina Czech Republic plant is planned to ramp up as of December 2024. We are advancing Hexgreen compounds with min.10% sustainable raw materials, which are now commercially available in Europe. 

Mixer SpA

The company’s plans include business expansion in China and India and increased focus on medium voltage cable compounds.Mixer has recently launched the EKOgraa product line, featuring moisture-curable compounds, which “are designed, formulated, and produced using a completely reinvented process.” The “innovative approach creates unique moisture-curable compounds [that] enhances efficiency and consistency for cable manufacturers.” 

Pelmar / TGL

TGL has “drastically reduced its compounding capacity and we are using sub-contractors in Israel and Italy.  It has proved more efficient and cost-saving, particularly on masterbatches and bulk compounds. Our main mixing plant was sold to a company in Sri Lanka.  They are quite successful operating the plant, providing their own requirements and also sell to smaller rubber plants.”

“We increased substantially the use of RCB  20% and ground rubber powder 15%. We noticed that more tire and rubber companies turn to sub-contracting compounding to specialised custom compounders and even to competitors.” 

PMG

“We are developing new materials linked to the automotive market, but which aim more at hybrid, full electric or alternative fuel vehicles. Furthermore, PMG is increasingly [involved] in the oil & gas market where it is developing [new] high-performance materials that offer customers greater performance.” 

Rekor

The company is planning a production building expansion as well as a PCR press investment.

Sanok Rubber

The company has plans for “the diversification of its portfolio of applications and further improvements in technology and offerings.” There is an increasingly “strong focus on data-driven innovations and also geographical sales development.”

Sigea

Diversification of our customers and expansion of our product range. Made an investment to increase the filtering capacity of the compounds.