KRAIBURG Austria is now sourcing natural rubber almost directly from small farmers in Indonesia. To this end, the retreading specialist from Upper Austria signed a contract with its long-standing partner Weber & Schaer at the German Rubber Conference DKT in Nuremberg beginning of July.
Sustainable Supply Chain for Natural Rubber
The Hamburg-based trading company is supporting the project to offer small farmers in the Gunung Mas region (Central Kalimantan) long-term prospects and an economic incentive to increase the quantity and quality of rubber continuously. Weber & Schaer works locally with Fairventures Social Forestry (FSF), the project initiator.
The social enterprise enables targeted investment opportunities in forest-based climate solutions and supports local small farmers in marketing their products. The aim is to increase the local population’s income by establishing a sustainable supply chain for natural rubber, protecting the remaining intact forest areas, and improving biodiversity and the carbon footprint. The natural rubber is sold by the small farmers directly to FSF – without the involvement of the usual middlemen. FSF, in turn, delivers to the producer, who processes the raw material into technically specified rubber. From there, it goes to Weber & Schaer, which supplies the raw material to KRAIBURG Austria. FSF wants to supply even more small farmers to participate in this programme in the future. At the same time, FSF plans to expand the inter-planting of various agricultural plants to establish climate-friendly agroforestry systems on the land.
Sustainable, EUDR-compliant Natural Rubber
KRAIBURG Austria, the family-owned company belonging to the KRAIBURG Group, has always been committed to fair dealings with suppliers, partners and employees and credible environmental awareness. “We are delighted to be the first private company to partner in this sustainable and social project,” says Stefan Mayrhofer, Managing Director of KRAIBURG Austria. “The contract, which fulfils the requirements of the ‘EUDR‘, provides for a monthly delivery of 100 tons of natural rubber. The project is subsidised via the rubber price. However, the prices for our customers will not change.” The Upper Austrians have had a business relationship with Weber & Schaer, the traditional company in northern Germany, for more than six decades. Founded in 1844, the company specialises in supplying high-quality raw materials for the rubber, plastics and adhesives industries and is Europe’s leading importer of natural rubber and latex. “We have always attached great importance to quality and sustainability,” emphasises Managing Director René Marc Weber. “KRAIBURG Austria is absolutely on an equal footing in these areas. With our agreement, we are contributing to improving the CO2 balance on the one hand and promoting both biodiversity and the well-being of local people.” New life for tyres – the sustainable, new cooperation also revitalises KRAIBURG Austria’s claim.
