Conveyors, Transfers, Chutes

Manufacturers launch joint venture to improve rubber sustainability

Industrial machinery manufacturer Metso has made new appointments to its executive team, including a new President for its Minerals Services business area.

Continental, Michelin and software developer Smag have launched a joint venture to develop an app that can map sustainability across the natural rubber industry.

Called Rubberway, the app aims to assess the practices and risks regarding environmental issues, social affairs and corporate social responsibility governance through the natural rubber industry.

Manufacturers will be able to use the collected data to identify and improve sustainability in their rubber supply chain.

Around six million farmers, 100,000 intermediaries and more than 500 processing plants are involved in the natural rubber supply chain.

Related stories:

Rubberway has been operational since 2017 and is already being used in some production countries, such as Thailand, Indonesia, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Brazil.

The goal of the joint venture is to reduce exploitation within the supply chain.

Continental’s investment into the joint venture could encourage other manufacturers that use rubber to help accelerate the rise of responsible practices throughout the global industry.

Smag is sharing all of its technological and sector-specific experience in digital solutions for agriculture.

The joint venture is expected to begin business before the end of 2019, subject to validation by the relevant antitrust authorities.

Send this to a friend