Cooper Tests Tire Builds Made from Guayule Rubber

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. reported that the tiremaker has completed tire builds using rubber derived from guayule plants and guayule related materials. The tires, which are being evaluated by Cooper’s technical team, are ongoing, but to date suggest tire performance that is at least equal to tires made of components derived from the Hevea rubber plant, said the company.

Cooper made the announcement to its consortium partners – PanAridus, Arizona State University, Cornell University, and the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture – at a group meeting in Maricopa, Ariz. Cooper works with these partners on guayule research as part of a $6.9 million Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) grant titled “Securing the Future of Natural Rubber – An American Tire and Bioenergy Platform from Guayule.”

“As the lead company in the consortium, we are extremely pleased with the progress that the group has made to advance guayule technology on all fronts,” said Chuck Yurkovich, senior vice president, global research and development for Cooper. “The team is making rapid progress toward a commercial source of domestic natural rubber, and ultimately, tires made with guayule rubber.”

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Ryan Waldron as president of the company's Americas business unit, reporting to Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Stewart. He succeeds Steven R. McClellan, who retired on April 1.

"At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results," Stewart said. "I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear's Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success."