Natural Rubber Shortage: The Threat to the Automotive Industry

Natural rubber is one of the most commonly used materials across multiple industries today, as it possesses distinct features that make it very versatile and purposive. The automotive industry in particular utilises rubber in a lot of different ways. Not only is it used for tyres but also brake pads, window seals, airbags and more.

The automotive sector is facing a natural rubber shortage due to climate change and the ongoing disease among the world’s rubber trees. Many scientists have said that in the next few years, this could mean the end of natural rubber being used for specific industries.

Why is natural rubber under threat?

Global supply & demand imbalance

The global semiconductor shortage sent ripples across many industries, which supply chain managers are fighting hard to deal with. This ripple effect has spread to the automotive industry too and car manufacturers are now on high alert because of the growing threat of scarce natural rubber resources, which has increased significantly over the last couple of years due to the pandemic.

Raw materials and labour shortages, extreme weather and COVID

A Munich-based Institute for Economic Research (lfo) found that 71.2% of German companies working in the rubber and plastics industry have been facing raw material supply shortages in the last three months, more so than any other German industry. Germany is just one example.

Multiple factors are responsible for the global supply and demand imbalance: the effects of extreme weather around the world, pandemic-induced labour shortages in many countries across Southeast Asia where natural rubber is produced, and a very high demand for medical gloves.

The global economy depends on Asia to supply 90% if its rubber – the US alone imported $140 million worth of natural rubber from SE Asian countries in March 2021.

Shipping line issues, disease and countries stockpiling supply

According to Bloomberg reports from 2021, the global supply of natural rubber has put car manufacturers in a tough spot. Bloomberg identified multiple contributing factors: issues with shipping lines, diseases affecting the plants which supply the world with natural rubber, and countries stockpiling supply (China was among the countries accused of this).

The world’s largest rubber producer and exporter, Thailand, has struggled with persistently low prices for natural rubber for many years, even before the pandemic. As a result, farmers have had to tap more trees to compensate for the lower income, giving them little incentive to plant more.

Supply of rubber gloves had already tightened during the pandemic, and has tightened further by the depletion of natural elements due to floods, drought and leaf disease in the world’s top natural rubber producing countries.

Rubber products for the automotive sector

Rubber seals

Coruba uses silicone rubber for automotive sealing and protection, as rubber seals for cars need the combined properties of strength, resistance and durability. We offer rubber extrusions, made from high-quality EPDM, including car boot profiles and door seals. Resistance to temperature changes and the weather assure excellent durability.

Rubber sheeting

If you need an abrasion-resistant sheet material, for applications such as snow plough rubbers and scraper blades, then our Coru152 sheeting fits the bill perfectly. Ideal for applications where ozone and weather resistance are required, Coru1456 is 100% high-grade black EPDM Rubber 60° shore that is also suitable for use with some mineral oils.

Rubber matting

As the ideal automotive flooring solution, our general-purpose Coru545-5 rubber matting has a multi-directional checker plate pattern on one side, boosting its non-slip properties even when wet. An economically priced alternative to vehicle flooring, Coru500 has a fine-ribbed pattern, providing enhanced non-slip properties, which can easily withstand all kinds of weather conditions.

Why not check out our entire line-up?