Turning end-of-life tires into new resources for wall paint: BASF and Cromology advance circular coatings

• A circular styrene‑acrylate binder forms the basis for the long‑established Tollens interior wall paint
• Using chemically recycled feedstocks derived from end-of-life tires reduces fossil resource consumption and carbon footprint
• Available in stores under the name Tollens Maxiline+ from March 2026

Ludwigshafen, Germany, and La Défense Cedex, France – May 20, 2026 – BASF and Cromology announce a new step forward in circular economy solutions for the coatings industry. Cromology, the French paint manufacturer, will now integrate sustainable raw materials by sourcing the chemically recycled acrylic binder Acronal^® Ccycled^® from BASF for use in its Tollens interior wall paints.

This innovation enables the transformation of end-of-life tires into recycled resources for decorative paint (via a mass balance approach), combining circular resource use with identical product quality.

The binder, produced using chemically recycled feedstocks derived from waste tires, will be used in the new Tollens interior wall paint Maxiline+, available in France from March 2026. Known since 1748 for its expertise in colour and durability, Tollens continues to evolve by integrating more sustainable solutions into its product portfolio.

“This innovation allows us to combine high-performance decorative paints with a tangible reduction in environmental impact - without compromising on quality or application,” said Philippe Hosotte, Chief Innovation & Product Development Officer at Cromology. “It is a concrete step in our ambition to accelerate the use of circular raw materials across our products and contribute to a more sustainable construction ecosystem.”

Through this collaboration, BASF and Cromology contribute to reducing waste and lowering reliance on fossil resources, supporting the transition towards a more circular value chain in the coatings industry.

“Our Acronal^® Ccycled^® binders are well suited for high-quality interior wall paints. By using chemically recycled feedstocks, we conserve fossil resources and enable our customers to achieve a significantly reduced CO₂ footprint* with identical product quality,” stated Dr. Robert Heger, Vice President Business Management Polymer Dispersions for Architectural Coatings & Construction for EMEA at BASF.

ChemCycling^®: Substituting fossil resources with recycled raw materials

Technology partners convert end-of-life tires into a secondary feedstock, pyrolysis oil, via pyrolysis technology. In the ChemCycling^® process, this oil is fed into BASF’s Verbund production at the start of the value chain, replacing fossil feedstocks.

Using a third-party audited mass‑balance approach, the share of the recycled feedstock is attributed to selected products manufactured in the Verbund. The resulting Ccycled^® binders are independently certified according to REDcert² and have the same properties as conventionally produced products. These materials offer identical performance and quality to conventional products, allowing seamless integration into demanding paints.

To provide transparency on the certified chain of custody of the mass balance approach, Tollens paint Maxiline+ has also been certified according to REDcert².

For a 10‑litre container of the new Tollens paint, the amount of pyrolysis oil used corresponds to approximately two end-of-life tires — a tangible illustration of circularity in action.

This partnership marks an important step towards scaling circular solutions in decorative paints and reflects both companies’ commitment to reducing environmental impact across the value chain.

Further information on BASF’s ChemCycling^® process can be found here: ChemCycling^®.

*Product carbon footprint (PCF) refers to cradle-to-gate emissions and is calculated according to applicable methodologies. PCF reductions are assessed case-by-case in comparison with the conventional BASF product.

Media contacts

BASF                                              Cromology     
Kathrin Heineking                           Anne-Elise BOSC
Phone: +49 174 3196683               Phone: +33 6 68 81 10 09
kathrin.heineking@basf.com          anne-elise.bosc@cromology.com

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 108,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €60 billion in 2025. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com. For further information about dispersions for Architectural Coatings in EMEA, please visit: Dispersions for architectural coatings | BASF

About Cromology

Cromology, a subsidiary of DuluxGroup (Australia’s leading paint company) and Nippon Paint (the world’s 4th largest paint group), is a major player in the European decorative paint industry. Operating in 7 countries (Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, and Switzerland), Cromology employs 3,100 people and has nearly 370 company-owned stores, 5 research laboratories, 9 production sites, and 6 logistics platforms. In France, with almost 300 stores and 2,100 employees, Tollens and Zolpan exemplify Cromology’s commitment to providing innovative and sustainable solutions to both professional and individual customers. Thanks to its CSR efforts, Cromology earned the EcoVadis Bronze Medal in 2025. Further information at: Cromology | Cromology

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