A businessman from Alicante showcases the ability to meet market shifts by adapting his operations, a case study in how the rubber processing sector evolves with changing demand.
Firms in this field transformed a multipurpose product into a suite of new offerings. After shortages and tightening sanitary measures tied to the epidemic, global transportation and raw material access remained strained.
Specifically, two Novelda-based companies erected new flooring production lines aimed at fitness and wellness, while advancing the development of weight plates and dumbbells made from vulcanized rubber, produced through the recycling of discarded tires. This marked a pioneering European initiative in sustainable sports equipment.
Rubber Trade dedicated to rubber tiles for playground surfaces began a diversification journey after the Covid-19 economic downturn, steering its focus toward floors suitable for fitness activities.
Ruben Castellothe production manager for this company explained, “The coronavirus crisis pushed us to explore alternate uses of rubber, identify a market niche in domestically produced sports flooring, and devise solutions to shipping and distribution challenges that arose during the pandemic.”
Caucal Vulcanized emerged as another benchmark in innovation, specializing in reusing vulcanized rubber to craft sporting goods after the health crisis. The company now makes bumpers, dumbbells, and gym discs.
Having recently relocated its facilities from La Estación district to the El Fondonet industrial zone, Caucal Vulcanized has sharpened its production and pricing focus on vulcanized rubber weight plates and dumbbells, leveraging tire recycling to counter material shortages during the pandemic.
Borja Calderón, administrator of Caucal Vulcanizados, stated, “The firm has gained momentum as the first European enterprise to work with this material, opening a niche market with a high-quality product and close proximity amid Asian supply shortages during the pandemic.”
The rubber industry, known worldwide for producing thousands of articles for diverse uses, benefits from its notable elasticity, resilience, and resistance. It serves tire manufacturing, waterproofing, and insulation, while also enabling products that repel water and shield against heat and electricity.
During a period of scheduled civic activity, the mayor, Fran Martínez, led a delegation from the Roma-intensive government team to visit both factories, highlighting the city’s industrial diversity and the new economic activities being implemented.
The visit aimed to showcase Novelda’s recent industrial expansion and to spotlight the two companies dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and selling new rubber products. City managers Iván Ñíguez, Geno Micó, and Santi Sánchez accompanied the mayor and discussed finance, contracting, economic activities, and the water cycle.
Fran Martínez highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of young Novelda-based entrepreneurs who, even amid a pandemic, chose to diversify and explore new markets. He described this momentum as proof of a robust drive to expand and revitalize industrial spaces like El Fondonet.
Both Rubber Trading and Caucal Vulcanizados align with broader sustainability goals, including Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. The mayor emphasized that these firms, having reinvented themselves in recent years, are committing to recycling, reduced transportation, proximity markets, a circular economy, and environmentally conscious production practices.