A major focus is on identifying and introducing sustainable alternatives for raw materials that are used today to reinforce tires – in other words, materials that assure dimensional stability and performance over the tire’s lifetime. These are primarily made of steel and textiles, which make up around 18 percent of the materials used in passenger-car tires. In commercial-vehicle or specialty tires, this share can be even higher. Continental is continuously expanding its use of more sustainable materials, including recycled steel and polyester yarns made from recycled PET bottles. More sustainable manufacturing methods, such as those used in COKOON adhesion technology, are also being introduced in tire production. Furthermore, the company is using innovative alternatives across all raw material groups, such as synthetic rubber from used cooking oil, resins from bio-based waste materials and silica from the ashes of rice husks.
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