“Going Green,” “sustainability,”“alternative fuels,” and “alternative energy sources” – these are terms andphrases we have all been hearing a lot lately; but how do they apply to thetire industry?
How can the term “green tires”even be relevant?
“Going Green” typically means thata manufacturer is committed to:
1. Environmentally friendlydesigns.
2. Improving manufacturingoperations to reduce their eco/carbon footprint.
3. Producing eco-friendlyproducts.
Several tire manufacturers are, infact, moving in this direction. Yokohama, for instance, has its new“Environmentally Conscious Designs” initiative which seeks to help combatglobal warming through increased resource recycling, reducing energyconsumption in their manufacturing processes. Yokohama is also working on a new“dream rubber” which will be able to be recycled repeatedly.
At the other end, Michelin ismanufacturing their “HydroEdge” line of tires which they claim is the longestlasting and most fuel efficient tire in its category. Michelin’s EnergySaverConstruction is a unique combination of rubber compounds and tire architecture,the result being a tire which is more fuel efficient.
But the technology that intriguesme most is “Super Nano-Power Rubber (SNPR)” made from citrus oil (derived fromthe skin of oranges) and nanotechnology for its new material inner linercomposed of a micro-compound of rubber and plastic. As a result, the rate ofnon-petrochemical resources used in production was increased to 80%.
So, add these new terms to yourrepertoire; I am quite certainthat we will all be hearing them more frequently over the next few years from awide variety of tire manufacturers: green tires, Super Nano-Power Rubber,nanorubber powder, and dream rubber, just to name a few. Who knows, maybe thenext generation of sustainable green tires will be made of something known as“flubber!”
