More and more tyre manufacturers are climbing aboard the eco-friendly bandwagon. Every week seems to see the launch of yet another fuel-efficient tyre. The latest company to aim for the green market is Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. The Japanese company has been selling its low rolling-resistance tyres on the domestic market for sometime, but as from 2010 its tyres will also be available in Europe.

Korean car-manufacturers Kia has selected Michelin tyres to be fitted on all additions to their cee’d range of vehicles. The deciding factor in their selection was Michelin’s dedication to the production of tyres that are fuel-efficient. Kia intend to develop the cee’d range with an eye to lowering the vehicle’s environmental impact.

The partnership between Kia and Michelin dates back to 2006, and is based on shared concerns about the environment and safety issues. Kia claim that the tyres could contribute to a reduction in fuel consumption of about 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres driven, and a reduction in CO2 emissions of five grams per kilometre. The synergy between the two companies stems from the desire to meet three criteria - superior mileage, greater fuel efficiency and enhanced safety.

Goodyear has announced that it has begun a joint project, with Danish company Genencor, to produce a bio-based substitute for the production of Isoprene. The venture is aiming to develop an alternative source for the production of Isoprene, which will reduce reliance on oil-derived products.

The new product, to be called Biolsoprene, will remove the tyre industry’s dependence on petroleum-based isoprene monomer. With current oil prices being so variable, this will introduce an element of stability that has been lacking in recent years. It could also have significant ecological advantages as Biolsoprene could be used for the production of synthetic rubber.

Genencor claims that the global market for isoprene could amount to as much as US$2 billion per annum in the next few years. Biolsoprene, as a renewable alternative to more traditionally produced isoprene, could take a significant percentage of this market. This seems likely if, as the company claims, the new product is also priced very competitively.

Genencor will produce the Biolsoprene and supply it to Goodyear, but they also anticipate further sales to other sectors in need of high-purity isoprene. The two companies have been investing in the project for over a year, and the Danes intend to invest a further US$50 million over the next three years in order to bring the project to commercial fruition. Further investment will then be necessary to facilitate pilot plant and infrastructure, and the company expects to be able to commission its first manufacturing facility by 2012.

For the tyre manufacturers this represents an ideal opportunity to address the problem of the rising cost of raw materials. A spokesperson for Genencor said, “We truly see this as a unique opportunity that is consistent with our culture of innovation and industry leadership”. Goodyear’s chief technology officer, Jean-Claude Kihn, added, ‘Since synthetic rubber is a critical component to our products, we are very excited to be working on this renewable alternative with Genencor”.

The project is another illustration of the imaginative way in which the leading tyre manufacturers are addressing the economic and environmental problems posed by the current world situation.

Last April Bridgestone launched a new range of fuel-efficient tyres called Ecopia. Bridgestone claimed that the tyres could reduce rolling resistance by 30 percent. Although the tyres attract a price premium of some 20 percent over comparable competition, sales on the domestic market have encouraged Bridgestone to offer the tyres on a world-wide basis.

The main competition for Bridgestone’s “eco-tyres” will come from Michelin’s Energy Saver range, which was launched globally in early 2008. The Bridgestone tyre increases fuel economy by about five percent. The Michelin tyres are promoted as reducing fuel consumption by 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres driven.

Some weeks ago we reported on Pirelli’s search for five “Star Drivers” to compete in the 2009 World Rally Championship. Following his success in this year’s African Rally Championship, 25 year-old John Williams has been selected by Pirelli as the first of their new stars for the future.

Williams, who competed this year in a Volkswagen Polo S2000, was thrilled by the news, saying, “This is the fulfilment of a dream and a magnificent opportunity for me to show what I can achieve at World Rally Championship level”.

Pirelli’s senior marketing director, Peter Tyson, stated, “In Williams, we have found the first young talent to launch onto the world stage through the Pirelli Star Driver scheme. Allowing young drivers to emerge from their domestic championships and supporting their careers is a source of great satisfaction for us. This investment in the future of the sport is what makes the Pirelli Star Driver scheme so important and relevant today”.

During 2009 Williams will compete in Portugal, Italy, Greece, Finland, Spain and the UK.

The Laugfs Rubber Corporation, of Sri Lanka has added Europe to its burgeoning export market. The company already has distribution centres in Australia, Canada, North America and the Middle East, and has just completed its first shipment to Europe.

The company, based in Colombo, is developing its export market for solid tyres. Production started last year at the plant acquired from the Sri Lanka Rubber Export Manufacturing Corporation. Initially production stood at 15 tonnes of tyres per day, but this is set to increase to 100 tonnes per day by the beginning of 2009.

Sri Lanka is a major producer of rubber, and the Laugfs company will soon be exporting 200 containers of solid tyres per month.

South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has signed a deal with Pirelli to act as the company’s spokesperson world-wide. Pistorius, who is sponsored by Pirelli, will feature in their future advertising campaigns. The South African, who runs on carbon fibre blades, holds the world record for the 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres. The Italian tyre specialists believe that Pistorius can fulfil the role in their promotional campaigns that was once successfully filled by Carl Lewis.

Mario Tronchetti Provera, of Pirelli, said, “Pistorius is an extraordinary person. We are happy to be able to give him our support. For Pirelli, he could represent our new Carl Lewis; his story witnesses to the fact that will, passion and technology can vanquish any obstacles, improving the lives of many.”

Pistorius said the deal is “another sign that barriers are in the eyes of the beholder.”

Tyre giants Michelin have announce the launch of a joint venture between them and Venturi Automobiles of Monaco. The venture will result in the production of a new electric vehicle.

According to Venturi, the project will allow Michelin to highlight its latest technology on a high-performance vehicle, and enable Venturi to produce an innovative and futuristic car that is also environmentally friendly.

The result of this joint venture will be unveiled on 2nd October, at the Paris Motor Show.

Good news for the beleaguered tyre industry, executives in the Bangladeshi rubber industry have announced that they intend to double rubber production over the next 12 years. Currently the country has a production capacity of 30,000 tonnes, but they will double that in an attempt to meet demand on the export market.

Local news reports quote Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman’s announcement that Bangladesh is starting to export rubber to Turkey, and it is hoped that they will get certification from Bridgestone. According to Dr Rahman, “Bridgestone’s certification may take the Bangladeshi rubber industry to a new height”.

This is good news for the world’s tyre industry. The laws of supply and demand have forced prices up over the last year, but this situation will be eased as this new source comes on line. In addition, Bangladesh’s rubber is relatively cheap at about half the price of rubber from other sources.

The vice-president of the Bangladesh Rubber Garden Owners’ Association, Motahar Chowdhury, has been critical of his government’s failure to support the emerging rubber industry, and their lack of interest in what could be a lucrative export market. He stated, “Government has neither set up any administrative wing to help the sector, nor formulated any policy for the industry”.

Bangladeshi rubber will be a welcome addition to the global market.

Robert Bosch, a PhD student at South Africa’s Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, has discovered a method of reducing the reliance on zinc oxide as a catalyst in the production of tyres.

This is a significant contribution to tyre technology as the industry currently uses 600,000 tonnes of zinc oxide every year. This is a highly toxic substance, which is poisonous to aquatic life-forms, and accumulates in the environment. Bosch has discovered a chemical compound catalyst (RNPX) that is environmentally friendly, and which will reduce the use of zinc oxide by two thirds.

According to Bosch, “We knew we were on to something after the first year of research in 2005, having done some trials with local companies. We realised RNPX was better and more cost-effective and there was no way this product was not going to be accepted by companies.”

Tyres produced using the new compound are currently undergoing road tests in Europe. Bosch is now employed as technical director of a company called Rubber Nano Products, and he expects it to take two years for the tyres to become commercially available. Rubber Nano Products are now engaged in discussions with a global manufacturer about commercial distribution.