This year’s Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence, held at Deutsche Messe during Tire Technology Expo 2024, celebrated the very best innovations and achievements across the tire industry during the last 12 months. Comprising 13 categories, the Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence are a celebration of recent advances in tire technology and progress toward a greener and more sustainable industry, and a chance to acknowledge the personal achievements of some remarkable individuals.
Applications for the 2024 Polyurethane Innovation Award are now being accepted through June 20, 2024. This award is presented by the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) and is considered the industry’s top technical honor. Past winners of the award include 3-D printing resins, durable coatings, and waterproof foam products, demonstrating the chemistry’s versatility and benefits as well as how it is essential to many end-use products.
The award will be presented at the 2024 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, taking place at the Omni Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta, Ga. from September 30 to October 2, 2024.
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. announced the release of its 2023 DE&I Annual Report. Guided by the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, this report captures new ways Bridgestone Americas is uniting efforts across the company and highlights key milestones. This includes the launch of its new Employee Value Proposition, which unites individuals with diverse perspectives to create a world-class team where they can thrive.
Thanks to 160 energy-saving projects, Continental Tires reduced its annual energy requirements by around 150 gigawatt hours in 2023. This was achieved, for example, through the increased use of renewable energies and thermal insulation. 150 gigawatt hours equates to powering about 12,500 family homes for a year, with an average consumption of 12,000 kilowatt hours per year. Energy in the tire industry is used, for example, to generate steam, which is required for tire vulcanization. In this production step, a rubber compound is converted into flexible, elastic rubber. With more efficient steam generation, Continental has reduced its CO2 emissions by 31,000 tons in 2023 alone.
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that it is supplying its BluEarth-XT AE61 tires as original equipment (OE) to Toyota Motor Corporation for use on the automaker’s new compact SUV, YARIS CROSS, which was launched in Thailand in October 2023. The YARIS CROSS is being fitted with 215/60R17 96H and 215/55R18 95V size tires.
Continental Tire the Americas (Continental) has officially opened a new sustainably designed facility in Fort Mill, S.C., today with local and state officials, key building project representatives, and corporate social responsibility partners. The state-of-the-art, 90,000 square foot building, which sits on 33 acres in northern Lancaster County, has capacity for 350 employees and is designed and built for future expansion potential.
VMI’s theme for this year’s Tire Technology Expo was “Smart tire building … inspired by AI”. Smart solutions that optimize tire building and address the challenges our industry is facing. New advanced vision systems, self-learning AI algorithms and self-adjusting processes contributing to improved flexibility, higher accuracy and consistency.
The Wheel Group (TWG) has voluntarily halted sales for all non mud-terrain tires of its AMP Tires brand. This action applies to all sizes of AMP Terrain Pro A/T, AMP Terrain Attack A/T, and AMP Terrain Attack R/T tires.
These tires meet the TUV SUD UNECE R-117 testing standard necessary to designate the tires as all-weather tires and display the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol in the European Union. However, they do not meet the snow traction testing standards required by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or Transport Canada and, therefore, cannot display the 3PMSF symbol in U.S. and Canadian markets. The AMP Terrain Attack M/T tires are exempt from this action as they are not marked with the 3PMSF symbol.
Dow announced the launch of two new sustainable varieties of propylene glycol (PG) solutions in North America featuring bio-circular and circular feedstocks. Suitable for a broad range of applications, customers can now offer their high-performance products with externally verified sustainability benefits thanks to a mass balance approach.
The Renewable Materials Conference 2024 will take place from 11 – 13 June in Siegburg/Cologne (Germany). In just three years, the Renewable Materials Conference (RMC) has established itself as the world’s leading event on chemicals and materials based on biomass, CCU or chemical recycling – the only alternatives to fossil-based chemicals and materials. The unique concept of presenting all renewable material solutions at one event hits the mark and covers the entire value chain of the renewable carbon economy. The last conference in 2023 was attended by almost 500 participants from 32 countries, 90% of whom were from industry. 500 to 600 are expected this year.
The Rubber Division, ACS annually honors the best of the best with the most prestigious awards in our industry with their Science & Technology Awards. Recipients are selected by the Science & Technology Awards Committee, composed of distinguished experts from academia and industry. The Committee is chaired by Dr. Maria Ellul, ExxonMobil Chemical Company (Retired) and also includes the current Rubber Division, ACS Chair and Editor of Rubber Chemistry & Technology.
As one of the largest tire and automotive technology suppliers in the world, Continental Tire has a goal to develop technologies and services to connect the mobility of people and goods in the most sustainable way. With the opening of the Continental Retread Solutions Development Center in Rock Hill, S.C., Continental is keeping to that promise. The development center will focus on retread process improvements and technology development, with the goal of bringing innovation and up-to-date retread processes to Continental’s Retread Solutions Partners and the fleets they serve. The center boasts retread technologies aimed at improving the main challenges that retreading faces such as consistent hands-on training from miles away, tracking and managing carcasses, the efficiency of retreading and supporting mega fleet businesses.
The India Rubber Expo (IRE), Asia’s largest rubber expo, has developed into one of the most eagerly awaited events in today’s rubber industry landscape. The three-day event was held on March 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, 2024 at the Bombay Exhibition Center, NESCO in Mumbai, India. The 11th edition of IRE 2024 represents a significant milestone, offering a plethora of notable features including the exhibition space for IRE 2024 has doubled to 30,000 sq mts of exhibitor booth area, a significant increase from the approx. 14,000 sq mts of exhibitor booth space at IRE 2019. Domestic Reverse Buyers Sellers Meet. Conference with reputed national & international speakers.
The SR-200 HD is primarily designed for tire shredding applications. It can also be utilized for other applications, including high-volume municipal solid waste, wood pallets, industrial and commercial waste, and many more. As a result of the stringent waste treatment policies in place, there is a growing global demand for competitive pre-shredders. The introduction of the SR-200 HD presents significant opportunities for industries in the Middle East, Australia (due to full-tire export bans from Australia and steel export bans from the Middle East) and Europe, where an increasing need for advanced recycling solutions is evident. Primarily targeting large-scale recyclers and cement plants that require high-capacity machinery.
Prior to Davis-Standard, Brian amassed 30 years of extensive experience in procurement and supply chain management, holding key procurement leadership roles with Duracell Inc, Robert Bosch, and the Marmon Group, among others. Brian also teaches courses at Elmhurst University in Supply Chain in Greater Chicago. Brian holds a BA in Business and Education from Illinois State University and an MS degree in Supply Chain from Elmhurst University. With a proven track record of optimizing procurement strategies and driving operational efficiency, Brian will play a vital role in Davis-Standard’s ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional value to its customers and stakeholders.
Continental was awarded three wins at the Tire Technology International (TTI) Awards for Innovation and Excellence this year. The German manufacturer took home the top prize of “Tire of the Year” for its new AllSeasonContact 2. In developing the tire, the manufacturer focused on the needs of vehicles of all driving types and produced a tire with safe handling, and impressive grip in all weather conditions. Continental also won “Environmental Achievement of the Year – Tire Design” for the UltraContact NXT, for striking the optimal balance between sustainability, safety, and efficiency. The third award is the “Tire Concept of the Year” for the Conti CityPlus. This state-of-the-art tire technology increases the total energy efficiency of a tire by up to 10 percent. The results are lower CO2 emissions from passenger cars with combustion engines and longer driving ranges for electric vehicles. The awards were presented at the Tire Technology Expo at the Hanover Exhibition Centre in Germany on March 19.
Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) announced it will return to AGG1 Aggregate Academy & Expo in Nashville, Tenn., to officially debut its new V-STEEL Z TRACTION (VZT) construction tire, the company’s latest 25’’ product innovation for loader and grader applications. At AGG1, Bridgestone will also spotlight its full lineup of engineering solutions, a suite of best-in-class services aimed at helping customers achieve lower total cost of ownership.
The conference will be held April 8-9, 2024 in Findlay, Ohio with the theme: Delivering Durability Across the Rubber Supply Chain
The final program features 17 presentations, including several additional presentations which were not previously announced.
David Weisman, L.L.C. introduced its latest Horizontal Conveyorized Special Weave SRG Infrared Clamshell with Modular Clamshell Preheat and Curing Oven Systems designed for customers to cure a wide range of extruded rubber and silicone flat and profile products processed horizontally. The system features ceran glass face, uniform temperature, electric infrared heaters with excellent product coverage, complete controls, an exhaust system, a special weave belt conveyor system and a complete pneumatic clamshell oven enclosure. System can be used as a stand-alone complete horizontal conveyorized cure oven system or in conjunction with extrusion equipment and/or incoming and outgoing conveyors.
Cabot Corporation announced the global launch of its new PROPEL® E8 engineered reinforcing carbon black designed to provide superior tread durability at low rolling resistance for high-performance tire tread applications. This new product addresses the unique challenges posed by the heavier weight and higher torque of electric vehicles (EVs) compared to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The PROPEL E8 grade complements Cabot’s existing solutions within the PROPEL E series, which are also suitable for use in high-performance tires.
Akron, OH – The Rubber Division, ACS announces the following Learning Opportunities for April. April 4 – Webinar: Maintaining High
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company recently launched the new three-star RL-5K Off-the-Road (OTR) tire for large wheel loaders and wheel dozers. The RL-5K is Goodyear’s newest radial OTR tire in the 45/65R45 tire size and is constructed to withstand the air pressure necessary to deliver an increased three-star load capacity, which translates to a 16% increase in load carrying capacity.1 The RL-5K with three-star capacity also features a deep, 250-level durable tread to deliver cut resistance and traction in severe underfoot conditions.
There will be two new faces in Arburg’s management team in the course of 2024: On 1 July 2024, Steffen Kroner will take charge of the Finance, Controlling, IT and Human Resource Management division, which was newly created at the beginning of the year. In addition, Gerhard Böhm, Managing Director Sales and After Sales, will retire in the course of the year, and his successor has already been appointed.
TBC Corporation has announced that Shingo Aso has joined the company as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development. He will lead corporate development initiatives, mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances and new business development.
The modern plant with an initial capital investment of $380M will be built on a 150-acre site. Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2024 and the facility is set to begin production in early 2027 with a planned annual output of 5 million tires.
RDAbbott is sharing initial updates from its “75 Acts of Kindness” campaign, a year-long effort to mark the company’s 75th Anniversary. Robert David Abbott, a Southern California entrepreneur with a passion for education and the local rubber industry, founded the business that bears his name on December 14, 1948. Today, RDAbbott remains true to its founder’s generous spirit and is inspiring others to participate in philanthropic efforts that serve the various needs within its local communities.
Jeff began his career in the motorcycle industry in 1991. As an industry veteran, Jeff owned an aftermarket store and has extensive experience in parts, service, and sales at a multi-line store in Delaware. He recently spent 15 years at Western Powersport as a Sales and Marketing advisor in the mid-Atlantic region.
Jeff will be responsible for the Northeast Region, covering the states of Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine.
Enova has granted Elkem and Ferroglobe a grant of 17 million NOK, for a pre-study to continue the development of a joint carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Rana, Norway. The project, if finally realized, will capture 95% of CO2 from the two plants, a total of 520.000 MT, for permanent storage, as well as recover all excess energy from both plants.
According to the recent report published by Allied Market Research, the global green tire industry is anticipated to display a noteworthy CAGR of 8.7% from 2022 to 2031. Green tires, modified to integrate silica into their composition, are designed to reduce rolling resistance for an environment-friendly future sustained long-term while enhancing energy efficiency and safety. The addition of silica to tire materials improves performance, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and promotes sustainable mobility. This contrasts with traditional tire materials such as styrene-butadiene rubbers, semi-aromatic polyamides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The increase in accessibility of automotive sector toward green tires drives the growth of the global green tire industry, supported by strict government regulations and rising consumer awareness of environmental impacts.
Bridgestone announced its Firestone Liberia natural rubber growing and processing facility earned the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS recognition. The Firestone Liberia facility is the world’s first natural rubber farm to achieve the ISCC PLUS certification.
The Firestone Liberia facility earned the ISCC PLUS certification for its efforts in reducing environmental impacts, utilizing resources efficiently and enhancing its capacity to adapt to, mitigate and build resilience to climate change. The certification also recognizes the farm for the implementation of good agricultural practices, ensuring proper working conditions, complying with local regulations and fostering effective management practices to facilitate ongoing growth and improvement.
Corteco is aiming for further expansion in Southeast Europe. That is why the independent aftermarket unit of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has unveiled its new warehouse in Turkey. It will ensure much faster deliveries of premium spare parts to local customers in the future. At the same time, the new warehouse marks another step forward in enhancing sustainability, as transport routes to the customers will now be much more efficient. Corteco will also launch a dedicated sales office in Serbia to strengthen customer relations there
These price adjustments are implemented in response to rising labor costs, global inflation, and continuously elevated energy expenses over the past 18 months. Despite certain mitigating factors in raw material costs, there have not been sufficient price reductions to offset the overall financial pressures. Primarily impacting products produced in Europe, North America, and Japan, the price increase will impact most of Sun Chemical’s pigments portfolio.
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions exhibits its technical solutions in elastomers, high-performance plastics and composite materials at Global Industry 2024 in Paris, France, from March 25 to 28, 2024.
The 250,000 square foot Toyo operation opened in 2001 and manufactured anti-vibration rubber, joint boots, and other products for automobile manufacturers in North America. Significant investments were made from 2014 through 2018 as the operation purchased Aida straight-side stamping presses up to 330-tons, Orii uncoilers and feeders, Nissei plastic injection molding machines, a Therma-Tron-X electrostatic coating line, vertical rubber molding machines, and a Moriyama compounding line, all built and installed during that time. The full equipment offering will be available for bidding via a two-part public auction. Day-1 will feature Toyo’s core production equipment and will be held live online via a “studio webcast” on April 2nd, starting at 10:00am (CST).
The March 2024 issue of Rubber World Magazine is now available online. Articles include: Utilization of AI driven solutions for
Goldsmith & Eggleton LLC (G&E), a Ravago company, announced the completion of a year-long improvement plan for its carbon black masterbatch (CBMB) plant. These improvements have been designed to minimize the handling of carbon black and rubber in the mixer, improve ergonomics, and increase batch-to-batch consistency. The improvements to the plant are part of a long-term strategy to offer the marketplace with innovative polymer solutions with a focus on sustainability and a circular economy. In 2023 G&E achieved QA-CER system 2 certification.