AMSTERDAM - Tires that have reached the end of the road are being harvested for carbon black and used to produce powder coatings in a new cooperation between AkzoNobel and Dutch company Black Bear.

The Cradle-to-Cradle™ certified carbon black supplied by Black Bear, which is obtained from end-of-life tires, is being used as pigment in the eco-premium products developed by AkzoNobel's Powder Coatings business. With this cooperation AkzoNobel not only uses carbon black, traditionally obtained from fossil fuels, with a vastly lower CO₂ footprint, but also helps to solve the global waste-tire problem.

"This partnership is a great example of how the supply chain can contribute to CO₂ savings," said André Veneman, AkzoNobel's Director of Sustainability. "We encourage more suppliers to work with us and collectively contribute to develop more sustainable product solutions."

In addition to announcing the agreement, the two companies will also work together to find additional applications for Black Bear's certified carbon black.