Published: 5/20/2025
(Akron, Ohio) – May 20, 2025 - Smithers, a leading provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services, announces that the company has recently joined the
Circular Rubber Platform, a community of rubber specialists and companies focused on the topic of improving the recycling and reuse of rubber products.
Founded in 2023, the Circular Rubber Platform strives to make connections between member companies, provide education on rubber circularity, and increase the use of
biobased and recovered raw materials. The ultimate goal is continuous progress toward a circular rubber economy, which minimizes waste and extends the lifecycle of rubber materials, without compromising performance or reliability.
“The complex nature of performance expectations for rubber products can present challenges for companies seeking to
incorporate circularity into their design and manufacturing processes,” said Josh Guilliams, Vice President of Consultancy, Smithers. “Many of these companies can benefit from strong partnerships with testing experts who can help
validate new and innovative solutions—which is exactly what Smithers provides.”
Smithers has a long history of supporting the rubber industry through participation in committees, workgroups, and university partnerships.
“At Smithers, we prioritize our clients’ needs above all else, which means getting involved in research and initiatives that support their goals,” states Jim Popio, PhD, Vice President, Smithers Materials Science and Engineering Division. “We are looking forward to collaborating with our fellow Circular Rubber Platform members and helping the industry move the needle toward our shared sustainability goals.”
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About Smithers:
Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Smithers is a multinational provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services. With laboratories and operations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Smithers supports customers in the transportation, life science, packaging, materials, components, consumer, cannabis, dry commodities, and energy industries. Smithers delivers accurate data, on time, with high touch, by integrating science, technology, and business expertise, so customers can innovate with confidence.
About Circular Rubber Platform:
The Circular Rubber Platform is an online community of rubber specialists and companies, that come together on the topic of rubber circularity. We source the latest developments in rubber recycling and biobased raw materials and share them centrally on the platform and during interactive webinars. In project teams, we tackle industry challenges together like silicone waste mapping and technical rubber recycling.
