New partnership with Solid Plant® - Biesterfeld receives distribution rights for Europe
Hamburg, 26.06.2025 – Achieving greater sustainability while maintaining consistent quality and stable production costs is a challenge for the rubber industry – especially due to the central importance of fillers such as carbon black and silica. With Hemplizit® from Solid Plant®, a more sustainable alternative is now available. The purely plant-based, chemically unmodified product, made from hemp shives, can be integrated into existing rubber compounds such as butyl innerliner compounds (BIIR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). Its use can reduce the proportion of carbon black or silica by up to 50 percent, thereby lowering the overall CO2 content without compromising the material’s technical properties. Biesterfeld holds the distribution rights in Europe.
Hemplizit® HPE (High Performance Eco): Consistent technical properties with a natural product made from hemp shives
Fillers such as carbon black significantly enhance the strength, durability and performance of many technical rubber products - and are difficult to replace. This is now possible with Hemplizit®: The powder, made from industrial hemp shives, is a pure natural product in compliance with the REACH regulation. Its high hemicellulose content and the structured nature of the product improve its integration into the rubber matrix. Which type of Hemplizit® is best suited for an application depends on its specific surface area. It determines how well the filler bonds with the rubber matrix and how the strength and durability of the material changes. The larger the specific surface area, the more contact points exist between the filler and the rubber: For HPE 30 this is 132-146 m2/g (BET according to ISO 9277). It can be used in proportions of 7-25 phr. HPE 50 has a specific surface area (BET according to ISO 9277) of 120-140 m2/g and can be used in proportions of 10-35 phr.
Versatile use in various rubber compounds
Tests show that Hemplizit® HPE can be used flexibly, both as a proportionate substitute for carbon black and as a supplementary additive (on-top solution). In test mixtures such as BIIR innerliner mixtures, 10 phr of HPE 50 was used either as a replacement or in combination (on-top) with N660 carbon black. Even when both approaches were combined (resulting in 20 phr), diffusion behavior remained stable, despite slight reductions in tensile strength and elongation at break. Only minor increases in viscosity and hardness have to be accepted. Extended vulcanisation times can be offset by adjustments in the cross-linking system. In another test series using SBR compounds, replacing 10 phr of carbon blacks N330 and N550 led to improved abrasion resistance and slightly increased tear resistance, with almost unchanged physical and dynamic properties. These benefits were also observed when used as an on-top addition, although increased viscosity, higher hardness and slight reductions in strength should be expected. Possible applications include conveyor belts, tire innerliners, shoe soles and seals.
Franziska Tödter, Product Manager Rubber at Biesterfeld, emphasises: ‘We want to actively support the rubber industry and its circular economy with more sustainable solutions in our rubber portfolio. Our aim is to advise our customers on innovative and more resource-efficient alternatives that also ensure high technical performance. Hemplizit® makes exactly that possible. In Solid Plant®, we have found a partner who, like us, is committed to advancing the topic of sustainability. We appreciate the trust placed in us and are delighted to include Hemplizit® in our portfolio.’
Remzi Turhan, Head of the Research and Development Department at Solid Plant® adds: ‘Sustainability was a key factor in the development of Hemplizit® HPE. Hemp is not only a renewable resource, but also a natural soil purifier. Its ability to support phytoremediation, i.e. absorbing and binding pollutants in the soil, helps regenerate contaminated soils, while its low weight helps to reduce the overall mass of the end product. These unique properties convinced us to integrate hemp into Hemplizit® for a lighter, more environmentally friendly material solution. Together with Biesterfeld, we are bringing this innovation to the market to further promote more sustainable alternatives.’
About Biesterfeld SE
Biesterfeld SE is the holding company of the Biesterfeld Group, one of the international leading distribution and service companies in the field of plastics, rubber and specialty chemicals. Founded in 1906 in Hamburg, Germany, today the group has more than 1100 employees across more than 50 locations in Europe, South America, Asia and Africa and generates an annual revenue of 1.38 billion EUR (FY 2023). The fully family-owned company focuses on specialized market know-how, application-based technical advice and services and offers comprehensive product portfolios across numerous industries in the business units Standard Polymers, Engineered Polymers, Performance Polymers, Rubber, HealthCare, Industrial and Consumer.
About Solid Plant
Solid Plant GmbH is an innovative GreenTech company based in North Rhine-Westphalia, specializing in the development and industrial scaling of biobased fillers made from industrial hemp. The company offers sustainable alternatives to fossil-based fillers such as carbon black and silica for the rubber, plastics, and construction industries. Its solution combines high technical performance with measurable CO₂ reduction, supporting industrial clients in decarbonizing their products. Solid Plant follows a consistently circular approach: from raw material cultivation and processing to industrial application, all processes are designed to be resource-efficient and regionally integrated. Together with strong partners from industry, research, and the energy sector, the company is building a new plant-based value chain. Solid Plant stands for climate-friendly industrial innovation made in Germany.
