Established in 1978, Microcells (Pvt) Ltd specializes in premium rubber sheeting and flooring products, as well as eco-friendly rubber compounds. With over 45 years of experience, the company delivers customized solutions to their global client base, fostering enduring relationships through consistent quality.
Interview with Channa de Silva, Managing Director at Microcells.
A brief description of the company and its activities.
Channa de Silva: Committed to sustainable growth, we prioritize eco-friendly production practices and renewable materials in our products to minimize environmental impact.
Why Choose Us?
- Focus on Customization and Innovation
- Consistency of Quality
- On-time Delivery
- Eco-friendly Products
- Wide Range of Over 100 Products
- Reliability and Accountability
- Excellent Customer Service
In addition to the above, we uphold internationally recognized standards and certifications, ensuring transparency, safety, and excellence.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
C.d.S: Microcells specializes in three core areas: rubber flooring, rubber sheeting, and eco-friendly rubber compounds. Our products harmoniously combine functionality and cost, and cater to sectors including industrial, commercial, hospitality, agriculture, and transportation.
Rubber Flooring Solutions: Microcells’ extensive range of premium flooring options cater to many segments, including but not limited to, the following:
- Anti-Fatigue Mats
- Entrance and General-Purpose Mats
- Fire-Resistant and Welding Mats
- Kitchen and Restaurant Mats
- Electronic Static Discharge (ESD) Mats
- Contamination Control Mats
- Other Specialized Mats and Accessories
Rubber Sheeting Solutions: Microcells provides a comprehensive range of precision-engineered rubber sheeting solutions designed for various industrial applications, including gasket applications, wear resistance, electrical insulation, fire resistance and many more. Our careful selection of the base polymer and other raw materials ensure that customer’s requirements are met each and every time, but our products are generally offered under the following categories:
- Natural Rubber Sheets
- EPDM Sheets
- NBR (Nitrile) Sheets
- Neoprene Sheets
- SBR Sheets
- Specialized Technical Sheets
Eco-Friendly Rubber Compounds: We specialize in crafting masterbatch rubber compounds using sustainable materials like natural and recycled rubber, along with bio-based fillers such as coconut shell powder and rusk husk ash. Apart from these compounds, we offer masterbatch compounds based on conventional polymers. By offering semi-finished uncured rubber compounds at a reasonable price point, European companies can produce cost-effective rubber products and brand it as “Made in Europe”.
What’s the news about new products/services?
C.d.S: Microcells is at the forefront of innovation and tailor-made solutions to match the demands of our customer base. The most recent product developments completed by us in the last 3 months include:
Rubber pads for robots operating in a slippery condition: Designed for robots who clean solar panels and glass surfaces, our new rubber tread pad enhances grip on wet surfaces. Made from a special formulation to maximize the coefficient of friction, it enhances the robot’s grip on smooth/slippery surfaces, whilst ensuring the surface doesn’t get scratched.
Recycled Rubber Crumb Sheet – This eco-friendly flooring system waterproofs and safeguards surfaces from mechanical damage. Crafted from recycled rubber tire granules, it combines durability with sustainability. Rigorous testing ensures it meets industry performance and safety benchmarks.
Our R&D team is dedicated to improving our products and developing new ones. We work closely with our customers to ensure the products we supply meet their specific requirements, be it technical specifications, customized branding, or customized packaging.
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
C.d.S: Microcells serves over 80 loyal customers across multiple industries and sectors. Exporting to some 20 countries around the world, the bulk of our revenue is generated in the demanding European and North American markets, which highlights our ability to consistently deliver quality products which comply with the highest standards.
What can you tell us about market trends?
C.d.S: The rubber industry is being influenced by multiple factors in the recent past, driven by technological advancements, sustainability efforts, evolving market demands and geo-political factors.
Sustainability and Compliance: There’s a growing emphasis on using natural and recycled materials to produce eco-friendly rubber products. Raw materials should also be sourced from sustainable sources, and the European Union Deforestation Regulations (“EUDR”) which is to be implemented at the end of 2025, has direct implications to the natural rubber we source for our products. Microcells already has the capabilities to use EUDR compliant natural rubber in our products, in addition to a high percentage of sustainable, natural or bio-based raw materials. Furthermore, our ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 14064-1:2018 certifications underscore our dedication to environmental management and carbon footprint reduction.
Shift in rubber industry manufacturing footprint: Many European rubber product manufacturers have been relocating production to Asia and Eastern Europe, to take advantage of lower labor costs, reduced regulatory burdens, and access to growing markets. Asia, in particular, is a major producer of natural rubber, making it an attractive location for manufacturers seeking to reduce supply chain costs.
Technological Advancements: Innovations in manufacturing processes have led to the development of specialized rubber compounds with enhanced properties, such as improved durability, flexibility, and resistance to wear and tear. We also expect increasing levels of adoption of smart manufacturing technologies and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, reduce waste and enhance quality.
Increase in demand for technical, custom-made rubber products: The demand for such products is on the rise across various industries, driven by the need for specialized solutions that meet specific performance parameters. In our industry, we see such demand being generated by mostly anti-static, fire resistant and foam-based rubber products. At Microcells, we believe that customization and innovation is key for the development of the business and strive to offer tailor-made products based on customer’s specific requirements.
What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2025?
C.d.S: Given the fragile state of the European automotive industry (large consumer of rubber products) and the tariff-war brought on by the Trump administration in the US, we anticipate an uncertain year for the rubber industry. The rubber industry in the EU is expected to experience little growth over the next six months, but we see better growth prospects for sustainable and eco-friendly rubber products throughout 2025. The enforcement of the EUDR is expected to accelerate the adoption of compliant materials, strengthening our prospects in Europe. We also believe that Mergers, Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures in the rubber industry in Europe will increase in the next year. Cost efficiencies, risk reduction, and supply change consolidation will be the major driver for such activities.
Overall, we feel that companies that invest in sustainability, new technology, and strategic partnerships will be well-positioned to navigate the challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities in the evolving rubber industry landscape. These are generally the focus areas of Microcells as well going forward, as we look to grow our business from strength to strength.