Bekaert achieves ISCC PLUS certification for steel tire reinforcement, pioneering certified materials in the tire industry
Bekaert has received ISCC PLUS certification for its steel tire reinforcement products. This milestone underscores Bekaert's commitment to sustainability, innovation, and collaboration with tire manufacturers to accelerate the adoption of high recycled content tire reinforcement materials.
From Bekaert standard to global recognition
The Bekaert Recycled Content Standard previously served as an important industry benchmark, enabling suppliers and customers to implement traceability systems and more sustainable practices in steel tire reinforcement. This foundational work contributed to ISCC's decision to expand its certification framework to steel products. While the Bekaert standard will continue to be recognized during the transition period, ISCC PLUS now provides a globally recognized certification ensuring consistency, transparency, and traceability across the entire supply chain.
Structured certification pathway
Until recently, steel for tire reinforcement was outside the scope of ISCC PLUS. Through close collaboration among Bekaert, ISCC and TÜV NORD (serving as the certification body), a structured certification pathway for high recycled content for tire cord and bead wire has now been established.
The certification process was conducted in close cooperation with TÜV NORD, which audited Bekaert's Burgos plant as part of the pilot phase. TÜV NORD's technical validation ensures that the ISCC PLUS framework can be reliably applied to steel-based products, paving the way for broader adoption across the tire industry.
Setting a new standard for certified steel tire reinforcement
The certification milestone positions Bekaert at the forefront of shaping the future of certified tire reinforcement, driving industry-wide adoption, and creating joint value with tire manufacturers. For tire manufacturers, the use of ISCC PLUS-certified materials enables credible sustainability claims, reduces the complexity associated with multiple certifications, and supports compliance with evolving regulatory and market requirements. At the same time, customers continue to benefit from Bekaert's reliable and robust supply chain, now strengthened by certified sourcing.
"Achieving ISCC PLUS certification demonstrates our leadership in certified steel with high recycled content for tire reinforcement," said Annie Xu, President Rubber Reinforcement at Bekaert. "We are proud to have worked closely with ISCC and TÜV NORD to shape this framework, which will help our customers stay ahead of sustainability and regulatory expectations."
An ISCC representative added, "We welcome the successful completion of the certification process for steel tire reinforcement under ISCC PLUS. This demonstrates that the ISCC framework can be applied to additional material categories while maintaining our established requirements for traceability and verification."
"Working with Bekaert and ISCC on this pilot certification was an important step toward applying ISCC PLUS principles to new material categories like steel. We are delighted that we were able to contribute our expertise to this process and help ensure that certified traceability and sustainability assurance can also be effectively extended to industrial materials now," says Samir Beqqal, Head of Carbon Traceability Business Entity Sustainability TÜV NORD CERT."
