ZC Rubber recently unveiled its circular tire development strategy, adopting a full value chain circular economy and low carbon technologies to achieve carbon neutrality across its value chain by 2050. The initiative drives the tire industry’s shift from linear production to a closed loop green model, setting a benchmark for sustainable industrial development.
1. Core Goals: Carbon Neutrality by 2050 & Full Circular Economy Coverage
ZC Rubber owns well known tire brands including Westlake and Goodride. The strategy covers raw material sourcing, manufacturing, recycling, and efficiency improvement to fully implement circular economy principles.
· Long term goal: Achieve carbon neutrality across the value chain by 2050.
· Mid term target: Increase waste tire recycling and processing capacity by approximately 190% by 2030 compared with 2023 levels.
· Recycling results: By the end of 2025, the company had recycled more than 344,000 metric tons of end of life tires. Recovered steel, rubber, and carbon black are reused in production.
2. 2025 Green Investment: Over RMB 93 Million for Efficiency & Resource Breakthroughs
In 2025, ZC Rubber strengthened sustainable manufacturing with industry leading performance:
· Green investment: RMB 93.1791 million (around USD 13 million) allocated to clean production, energy recovery, and low carbon retrofitting.
· Clean energy: Total clean electricity consumption reached 162,988.76 MWh.
· Resource efficiency: Water recycling rate exceeded 97%, with strict control of production waste.
3. Smart Low Carbon Manufacturing: 5G Future Factories Cut Energy Use by ~10%
ZC Rubber built 5G enabled and cloud controlled Future Factories to empower green production:
· Smart technologies: 5G processes and cloud based control systems help reduce energy consumption by approximately 10%.
· Clean production: A comprehensive energy management system supports energy recovery and waste treatment to lower carbon emissions.
· Industry recognition: Received the First Prize in Technological Advancement from the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation in 2023.
4. Green Products & Global Footprint: Meeting Worldwide Low Carbon Demand
· Green R&D: Launched low rolling resistance, high mileage, low noise tires using silica compounds and optimized tread designs to reduce fuel consumption and emissions while ensuring safety and performance.
· Global network: Operations span Asia, Europe, and the Americas. A technical center in Hanover supports global R&D. The company serves customers through about 1,500 distribution partners in 200 countries and regions.
· European market: Sustainability is a core competitive strength of the Westlake brand, aligning with low emission and high efficiency component requirements from OEMs and strict EU environmental regulations.
5. Executive Views: Sustainability as a Long Term Transformation
Henry Shen, Senior Vice President of Zhongce Rubber Group, stated: “Sustainability is not a one off project but an ongoing transformation journey.” The company built its first recycling plant in 2005 and has advanced tire circular solutions for more than 20 years.
Martin Wells, Managing Director and President of ZC Technical Center & Global OE Business, noted that sustainability is a key competitive factor in Europe, especially for OEMs. Product development consistently integrates efficiency, performance, and environmental compatibility to meet global green demands.
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