The rubber economy is currently witnessing an upward trend and the global rubber demand is set to touch $50 billion, and in this context, speakers at a rubber conference in the city on Friday, wanted the rubber manufacturers to make the material sustainable and environment-friendly.

Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), inaugurating the 24th rubber conference on Friday, said that everyone knows rubber is used in several products but recently during a recent visit to his home State of Bihar, he said he was surprised to know about a dam having been commissioned with rubber material.

He congratulated the Indian Rubber Manufacturers Research Association (IRMRA) for organizing the conference and said three autonomous institutions - Central Pulp and Research Institute (CPPRI), IRMRA and National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM), managed by DPIIT - must work together for making a sustainable rubber manufacturing industry. He also praised the office-bearers of IRMRA for bagging a big project, valued at more than ₹100 crore, but could not be discussed at present. He said this project would be of strategic importance for the country.

R. Mukhopadhyay, president, IRMRA, said the objective of the conference and exhibition is to bring in the classic innovations in sustainability and circular economy by aligning with the trending technology from various sectors. The event provides a unique platform to cover the complete spectrum of the industries involved at every stage of the product life-cycle.