Carbios is back with a partnership in the automotive tyre industry

French biotech company CARBIOS has entered a significant commercial partnership with Indorama Ventures, the global leader in polyester production, to supply recycled PET monomers for use in technical textile filaments. These filaments, produced by Indorama, will be used by Michelin in tyre reinforcement — marking CARBIOS’s entry into the industrial r-PET filament market. The agreement marks a new phase in CARBIOS’s industrial deployment strategy. It follows recent steps toward pre-commercialisation of its Longlaville production facility, where recycled monomers are to be produced using the company’s proprietary biotechnologically refined enzymatic PET recycling process. The facility, however, has faced delays in its launch timeline, reflecting broader operational challenges in CARBIOS’s transition from pilot to industrial scale.

Production was planned to begin in 2026, but the delay of up to nine months announced at the end of last year may have led to the decision not to extend the contract of former CEO Emmanuel Ladent, which was due to expire in December 2024. This resulted in a further several months of interim management and the appointment of Vincent Kamel as the new CEO in spring of this year. Therefore, this deal comes at a time of internal change for the company, raising questions around continuity and strategic leadership. Since his appointment, Vincent Kamel has focused on reinforcing industrial and commercial partnerships, aiming to stabilise operations and demonstrate the viability of CARBIOS’s unique recycling technology.

“The agreement with Indorama Ventures marks an important step in the execution of our industrial roadmap,” said Kamel. “It reflects the confidence of our partners in CARBIOS’s ability to deliver high-quality recycled materials at scale, not just for consumer packaging, but now for more demanding applications in mobility and textiles.” Indorama Ventures will be responsible for repolymerising CARBIOS’s recycled monomers and producing r-PET filaments suitable for high-performance industrial fabrics. Michelin, a longstanding collaborator with both firms, will integrate these materials into its tire production process. The collaboration is in line with Michelin’s goal of achieving 100% renewable and recycled materials in its products by 2050.

“The use of enzymatically recycled r-PET in tires is a significant step in our journey towards circularity,” said Fabien Gaboriaud, Director of Circularity at Michelin Group. “Through partnerships like this, we can transform complex waste into durable, high-performance materials.” Renato Boaventura, Global Market Head Mobility at Indorama Ventures, emphasised the broader strategic context: “This alliance underlines our joint ambition to lead the shift towards a more circular and sustainable polyester industry.” Despite recent turbulence, CARBIOS continues to position itself as a frontrunner in enzymatic recycling. With further agreements reportedly under discussion and Longlaville’s opening anticipated sometime in 2026, this latest move signals renewed momentum — though execution at industrial scale remains a key test ahead.