Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 28^th November 2025 – Premium tyre manufacturer Hankook has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ROTOBOOST, a Finnish company specialising in thermocatalytic decomposition of methane gas, on 20 November 2025 in Shanghai, China. The collaboration aims to jointly develop low-carbon footprint materials for tyre applications, aligning with global net-zero emissions and circular economy sustainability goals.

Hankook entered into this agreement with ROTOBOOST to collaboratively develop technologies aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions during the raw material acquisition phase, supporting its long-term management strategy to achieve “2050 Net-Zero (greenhouse gas neutrality)”. The signing ceremony was attended by Hyuncheol Kim, COO of Hankook Tire China, and ROTOBOOST CEO Kaisa Nikulainen, who reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the sustainable materials value chain.

Carbon black, one of the core materials used in tyres, is a fossil-based raw material with high carbon dioxide emissions. To reduce CO₂ emissions generated during tyre manufacturing processes, Hankook has been actively conducting research into sustainable carbon black materials, including recycled carbon black and certified carbon black.

In particular, the “turquoise hydrogen carbon materials” to be jointly developed through this MOU are carbon materials manufactured during the process of producing hydrogen by decomposing methane gas in a high-temperature reactor. As a circular material that generates significantly lower CO₂ emissions, they have recently gained attention, especially within the automotive and tyre industries, which require lower CO₂ emissions.

Through this collaboration, Hankook will pursue joint objectives that include optimising the material properties of turquoise hydrogen-based carbon materials, validating their performance in tyre composite materials, and reducing greenhouse gas emission intensity by more than 50% without compromising product performance. In addition, the company plans to establish a quantitative verification framework based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) to transparently validate carbon-reduction effects across the entire production cycle – from raw material sourcing to manufacturing.

Hankook is contributing to the establishment of a circular economy within the tyre industry by accelerating the development of sustainable raw materials through strategic partnerships with major domestic and global institutions and companies. Prior to this MOU, the company began participating in May as a beneficiary company in the government-funded national research project on “large-scale turquoise hydrogen production technology,” and in January, it initiated a joint development project with Solvay Silica to produce circular silica using industrial waste sand and mine waste.

Last year, through the “Tire-to-Tire Circular Economy Model” consortium, the company successfully achieved its first mass production application of three ISCC PLUS-certified carbon blacks derived from pyrolysis oil made from end-of-life tyres. Hankook also commercialised the industry’s first chemically recycled PET tyre cord in Korea by jointly developing the EV-dedicated “iON” tyre with SK Chemicals and Hyosung Advanced Materials.

Hankook plans to continue enhancing the sustainability of the tyre industry by reducing its dependence on petroleum resources, preventing the depletion of natural resources, and consistently lowering carbon emissions through strategic partnerships with global companies.

Caption: The signing ceremony was attended by Hyuncheol Kim, COO of Hankook Tire China (right), and ROTOBOOST CEO Kaisa Nikulainen.