TM Tapping the value of new and existing materials resources ››

Who is responsible for responsible sourcing? ››

Energy-effi cient, low-emission ERJ factories of the future ›› EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL•Reporting on the global rubber industry since 1884

New directions for the tire & rubber industry

Special report: Sustainability

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 www.european-rubber-journal.com a crain publication

0001 ERJ Cover V2.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:10 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT sustainability report

TM Special report:TM 6 ERJ EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL•Reporting on the global rubber industry since 1884 Our 135th year Vol. 201, no.5 – issn 0266-4151 Published bi-monthly by Crain Communications Ltd, Sustainability a division of Crain Communications Inc. european rubber Journal Published as a special supplement by European Rubber Journal Crain Communications Ltd Registered Office: 100 New Bridge Street, London EC4V 6JA United Kingdom. 4 A valuable resource Registered No. 1576350 England. V.A.T. No. GB 577 6905 84 Industry should more effectively tap the value inherent Website www.european-rubber-journal.com in materials contained within the vast quantities of scrap editorial rubber bonds Vice president / Group publisher tires around the world, argues Smithers Rapra analyst Brennan Lafferty Tel: +1 313 446 6768 Email: [email protected] ERJ editor patrick raleigh reflects on current industry trends 7 editor Patrick Raleigh Tel: +44 (0)7714 137182 6 Micro management Email: [email protected] his report offers a series of toolkit, alongside granulation and Recycling industry executive gives frank views on the reporter top-level insights into how energy-recovery. Shahrzad Pourriahi Tel: +43 (0)664 8707581 the tire & rubber industry Meanwhile, the drive continues outlook for the adoption of sustainable new materials Email: [email protected] art director is performing in terms of to make tires more fuel-efficient John Woodhatch Tel: +44 (0)7778 964300 Email: [email protected] sustainability – particular- and ‘smarter’ to meet the needs 7 Mighty matters Media services Manager lyt progress in reducing the impact of the emerging world of e-mo- Patrick Alfes Tel: +1 313 446 0387 Viewpoints from Julian Oram of Mighty Earth, which Email: [email protected] of its activities and products on bility. Progress is also being made Chairman Keith E Crain people and the environment. in designing products which are campaigns to protect tropical forests and natural habitats Vice Chairman Mary Kay Crain president K C Crain In many ways, the information, longer-lasting, use less materi- and on climate-change and related issues worldwide senior executive Vice president Chris Crain comment and figures presented als and incorporate components usa bureau Bruce Meyer Tel: +1 330 865 6124 show that tire and rubber-product derived from plants and other 8 Pirelli’s way Fax: +1 330 836 1005 Email: [email protected] manufacturers and their suppliers non-fossil sources. Chief sustainability and risk governance offi cer Filippo adVertisinG of machinery and materials are But for all the progress be- 11 Group sales Manager Bettini maps out the tire maker’s priorities Patrick Cannon Tel: +1 313 446 1625 among the global leaders in the ing made, the tire & rubber Email: [email protected] field of industrial sustainability. sector remains at the sharp sales Manager Pete McNeil, 1725 Merriman Road, Suite 300 This is despite – or maybe be- end of pressures from regu- 10 Seize the moment Akron, Ohio 44313, USA Tel: +1 330 865 6109, Cell: +1 234 380 3031 cause of – the fact that the inher- lators, customers and socie- ETRMA leader sets out the wide array of Email: [email protected] ently strong and resilient nature of ty to limit the environmen- area sales Manager rubber makes it extremely difficult tal impact of factories and sustainability-related issues facing the tire Sandra Valencia Tel: +44 (0)7827 682758 Email: [email protected] to reprocess and recycle into new products. industry european sales agent Arthur Schavemaker, Spoorstraat 21, 7471 BV Goor, high-quality items. This is evident, for Cover image source: PO Box 130, 7470 AC Goor, The Netherlands Likewise, the industry has had instance, in concerns iStockphoto Tel: +31 (0) 547 275005, Fax: +31 (0) 547 271831 12 Paris perspectives Email: [email protected] to face up to challenges posed by being raised about the French rubber industry meeting hears call for new levels italian sales agent its long-term reliance on fossil potential risks posed by Roberto Gallino, Mediapoint & Communications srl, of openness to meet future challenges Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenos Aires 8, fuel-based materials, such as syn- tire dust in the environ- V°piano-interno 9, 16129 Genova, Italy. thetic rubber and carbon black – as ment and recycled rub- Tel: +39 010 570 4948, Fax: +39 010 553 0088. 12 Email: [email protected] well as its sourcing of natural rub- ber in playing surfaces 14 Smarter, greener tire plants taiwanese sales agent ber from south east Asia. and some construction applica- Erin King, Worldwide Services Co., 11F-2, No. 540, Plant automation will play a central role in tire industry Wen Hsin Road, Section 1, Taichung, 408, Taiwan. The significance of these issues tions. Tel: +886 4 2325 1784, Fax: +886 4 2325 2967 efforts to address issues across the supply-chain Email: [email protected] is particularly evident in the tire To address such issues, com- Chinese sales agent industry, not least because of the mentators in this report consist- Leod Lee, Beijing Excelle Rubber Technology Co., Ltd, Rm 2010, Bldg. C, ULO Park, Futongdong Street, estimated 1.5 billion of its ul- ently highlight the need for great- 15 CASE for sustainability Wangjing, Chaoyang Dist., Beijing 100102, China. tra-durable products reaching the er cross-industry collaboration Tel: +86-10-84787236, Cell: +86 135 0122 6720 Bridgestone executive on the way forward for the tire Email: [email protected] end of their service life each year. and openness as well as better en- subsCription details: gagement with external stakehold- in the era of connected, autonomous, shared, electric £20/E25.50 single copy; £98/E125. Subscription As industry leaders report, pro- includes surface mail postage; air mail rates available on gress is being made in developing ers. The emergence of the Global mobility request. Four weeks’ notice required for change of address. Note: Subscription payments may be made technologies that will allow much Platform for Sustainable Natural using major credit cards. To use this facility simply quote your card type and number and sign the subscriptions more material from scrap tires to Rubber offers a really promising 16 Future direction of carbon black form. Subscription cost includes personal access to on-line editions. Subscriptions correspondence to: Circulation be recycled back into their orig- example of what can be achieved Cabot executive discusses market-trends, technologies Dept, European Rubber Journal, Unit K, Venture House, inal application – an ideal circu- in this regard. Bone Lane, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5SH, UK and strategies that will defi ne the industry’s future 14 subscriptions (abonnement) enquiries: lar-economy scenario – as well as And that links into the key tel: +44 (0)1635 879382 technical rubber goods. message from this report: with Fax: +44 (0)1635 868594 18 Tire-dust issue ‘must be managed holistically’ email: [email protected] In the not-too-distant future it more unity, the tire & rubber in- Printed by: Blackmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK seems likely that devulcanisation, dustry has the knowledge-base, Drive to improve scientifi c understanding and to raise © 2019 Crain Communications Ltd. A member of micronisation and pyrolysis will technology and vision to deliver awareness of all factors behind the generation of tire and become a significant part of the safe and sustainable mobility for road wear particles tire and rubber-product recycling the future. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, 19 Silica: full of life photocopying, recording or otherwise Audited by without the permission of the publisher. Supplier Evonik produces fi gures to make the All rights reserved. Average net circulation per issue environmental case for using silica in tire compounds for the period January 2018 to December 2018: 7,243 copies

SR2 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR3

SR02 & 3.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:11 SR02 & 3.indd 2 29/08/2019 15:11 sustainability report sustainability report

focusing on more premium prod- Current scrap tire disposition, us, 2017, share of 4,189 us tonnes ucts with process validation in terms of efficiency and cost savings 8% a valuable resource for the fleet.” Retreaders, he said, should also 8% industry should more effectively tap the value of materials contained within the vast consider leveraging sustainability quantities of scrap tire arisings around the world, says smithers rapra analyst credentials, while beefing up their communication efforts “to create n Tire-derived fuel n estimated 1.5 billion greater awareness of the benefits 43% Global tire market, 2012-2022, by volume (million units) 16% n Ground rubber tires reach the end of to be gained from purchasing re- their service life each year, 3,000.00 treads.” n Land disposal while around 4 billion n Civil engineering end-of-life tires (ELTs) 2,500.00 recovery & collection n Other area still currently in landfills and ELTs constitute a major waste stockpiles worldwide, according 2,000.00 stream that offers significant po- to Bill Allen, head of sales, Europe tential for the recovery of valuable 25% and Middle East at Smithers Rapra. 1,500.00 raw materials. Collection activities And the level of ELT arisings are, therefore, “critical to achieving Notes: Other includes export, electric arc furnace, reclamation projects, etc. looks set to stay on an upward sustainable development objec- Source: USTMA, Smithers Rapra 1,000.00 curve. The global tire market is tives in the tire market,” said Allen. showing a growth rate (CAGR) of Around 70% of end-of-life tires even greater potential, as with the therefore “a very important re- around 3.4% for 2017-22, when 500.00 (ELTs) are recovered, though only application of a “proper” technolo- source if successfully harvested,” volume levels are expected to ap- 50% are recycled. gy – one that breaks the crosslinks continued Allen. proach 2.7 billion units, Allen not- 0.00 In developed markets, he said, but leaves the polymer chains However, the current recov- ed in a presentation at the Future 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 collection of used tires has been “a intact – a much higher percentage ered value of ELTs globally is es- Tire Conference 2019. Source: Smithers Rapra; The Future of Global Tires to 2022 success story” compared to just a of crumb rubber from scrap tires timated to be under $5 billion. Market growth will also have an few decades ago. However, there can be used in compounding. This, he said, reflects how most impact at the start of the tire sup- aimed at improving tire sustaina- the mass and the complexity of re- are variations from country to Pyrolysis, according to Allen, present uses for ELTs are rela- ply chain as, to meet demand, the bility and a slowness to embrace inforcing wires. Thinner, stronger country, with stockpile-reduction is a “critical new technology” for tively low-value compared to the raw materials requirement among change and collaboration. wires, noted Allen, means less rub- still needed, particularly in devel- obtaining useful material for new original tires, and that relative- tire makers will rise by 3.8% a year ber is needed to coat them. oping countries tires and other products. This in- ly little recyclate is returned to to reach 54.5 million tonnes in raw materials However, he went on to pre- In this regard, Allen pointed to volves the thermal decomposition tire-making. the same timescale, he added at According to Allen, progress is dict that steel cord – “a source of a need to increase the currently of waste tires under the exclusion the meeting, held 11-12 June in being made with large-scale tri- oxidation and separation” – will “minimal” public information be- of ambient oxygen to produce Cologne, Germany. als to identify rubber substitution eventually be replaced by aramid, ing put out about the end-of-life hydrocarbon gases, oil, ‘carbon While pyrolysis of scrap tires Going forward, Allen said the options. Such efforts, he suggest- Twaron and Kevlar alternatives. treatment of tires. black’, and scrap steel. has been proven to be technically priorities for tire makers include: ed, could lead to a major shift to Processing tires into ground or However, he cautioned, that viable, this process still has far waste reduction in manufacture; bio-derived and recycled materials retreading crumb rubber is currently the most “while pyrolysis of scrap tires has reduction of landfill waste; sus- (see chart). The tread accounts for 20-25% of common recycling option, even been proven to be technically via- ‘to go before it has significant tainability initiatives; and balanc- Carbon black, he forecast, will the whole tire body, while the cas- though the tough tire structure ble, this process still has far to go commercial impact ing the ‘magic triangle.’ remain the main filler for the fore- ing accounts for 75-80% of the tire makes this both difficult and costly. before it has significant commer- bill allen, smithers rapra However, he forecast only a seeable future despite continuing manufacturing cost, Allen’s pres- Of the main options shredding cial impact.” “slow evolution” towards en- developments in silica and other entation showed. There is, there- reduces space-requirements and In the field of tire-derived fuel ’ hanced sustainability in the tire natural ground products – partly fore, “a strong economic and sus- shipping costs and is considered (TDF), Allen pointed out that the Applications for ground rub- industry, not least because of the due to the “increased cost of silica tainability case for extending the a mature and reliable technology. natural-rubber content of tires ber fall into five major market scale of the investments and the technology.” casing’s useful service life through Cryogenic treatment delivers highly (about 24% on average) is clas- segments: moulded and extrud- extensive testing required. Oth- In steel cord, a move from retreading,” Allen said. effective size-reduction but requires sified as biomass, and so gives a ed products; landscape mulch; er limiting factors include the high-tensile to ultra-tensile prod- In the truck, bus, off-road and the use of costly liquid nitrogen. greenhouse gas reduction when athletic/recreational surfaces; “fragmented” nature of initiatives ucts is driving reductions in both aircraft tire market, he said that Meanwhile, said Allen, microni- ELTs are utilised. rubber modified asphalt and retreading reduces the use of raw sation “greatly improves upon Over 90% of ELT energy-recov- sealants; and automotive (in- Current tire materials and potential future vision materials by 70% compared to the ground rubber in terms of its suit- ery is carried out in cement kilns, cluding tires). Tire chips, are also 100% combined service life of two or ability to provide new raw tire ma- with most of the remainder used used to replace conventional even three non-retreadable tires. terials from recycled rubber. in power and paper plants. In construction materials, as they 90% Globally, the US remains the “Micronised rubber powder (MRP) these applications tires offer effi- offer reduced density, improved 80% leading retreading market in terms is said to deliver improved product ciency advantages versus coal due drainage properties and better 70% of share of truck & bus tires. This performance, lower production costs to their lower moisture-content; thermal insulation. 60% is despite a decline in recent years and reduced waste compared to oth- lower ash-content and higher com- Allen concluded that, with in- – now being slowly reversed. The er recycling methods.” bustion efficiency. There is a 30% creased recyclability and improved 50% industry is, likewise recovering in Currently, limited quantities of reduction in direct CO2 emissions quality of recyclate materials, “ELT 40% Europe, helped by tariffs on low- finely ground waste tire rubber (5- for every tonne of coal/petcoke tires will move towards higher 30% cost Chinese imports. 15% by rubber weight) can be used replaced with scrap tires in the ce- value recycling pathways such as 20% However, Allen warned that Chi- in some components of the tires. ment kiln, noted Allen. those contributing to new tire pro- nese tire makers will continue to However, according to Allen, the duction or retreading.” 10% improve the quality of their prod- development of new rubber com- embedded value Micronisation and pyrolysis, he 0% ucts so “the retreading industry can- pounds using tire-derived ground ELTs have “very considerable em- added, “will support this trend as Current 20+ years 30+ years not afford to ignore them.” There is, rubber is creating interesting mar- bedded value” of at least $50 bil- their use expands, but change will n Petrochemicals n Biosourced materials n Recycled materials therefore, a need to “continuously ket opportunities. lion globally based on the origi- be slow and incremental, especial- Source: Michelin, Smithers Rapra improve the quality of retreading, Devulcanisation, he noted, offers nal cost of raw materials and are, ly over the short term.”

SR4 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR5

SR04 & 5.indd 1 31/08/2019 07:16 SR04 & 5.indd 2 31/08/2019 07:17 sustainability report sustainability report Micro management Mighty matters recycling industry executive gives patrick raleigh his views on the outlook Viewpoints from Julian for the adoption of sustainable new materials in the tire sector oram of Washington, DC-based Mighty earth, “ he road is littered with wrecks from people say- which campaigns to ing you can use 25% of protect tropical forests this and 25% of that,” said Kedar Murthy, the now and natural habitats formert VP and general manager and on climate-change of Lehigh – a US-based processor of end-of-life tires into micronised and related human- rubber powder for use in tires and rights issues worldwide other polymer products. But Michelin, which acquired Lehigh in October 2017, has the ost of the natural rub- compounding expertise to incor- ber produced today is porate micronised rubber at very grown in south east high levels, Murthy said in an Asia, with a smaller km2 of forests have been felled in have security of land-tenure and interview earlier this year – just amount in West Afri- south east Asia alone due to rubber we want to work with govern- before his departure to take on ca,M and even a smaller amount in expansion since 2003. A study by ments on this issue. another challenge in the polymer lehigh acquisition is key to Michelin’s end-of-life tire strategy Latin America. Some 85% of that the University of Stanley has also It is also essential to redress his- recycling sector. rubber is produced by small farm- found that many species have come torical injustices, and to restore Indeed, the French tire major a decade of R&D into micronised “We can talk about sustainabil- ers, with about 15% from larger under threat partly as a result of where possible, damaged and de- has presented data showing that rubber, and has applications in ity all we want, but at the end of industrial plantations. rubber expansion in that region. graded forests, while also chang- micronised rubber can be incorpo- both truck & bus tires and passen- the day… you have to be low on Crucially, natural rubber prices Then, finally, the main particu- ing production practices. Rather rated in truck tire treads at levels ger car tires on its development cost and able to supply the pack- have been highly unstable over lar issue that we’re looking at in than monoculture rubber planta- of 20%, while keeping wear, roll- roadmap. age customers want and supply it recent years, ranging from $1.7/kg our work is the impact on climate tions, scientific evidence suggests ing-resistance and traction proper- The recycling executive went on time.” in 2009 to a peak of $6/kg in 2011 change – tropical deforestation, that having ‘forestry rubber’ can ties on a par with those of stand- on to say that the level of use of On the other hand, Murthy and now back to the low levels of including for rubber expansion, is be both sustainable and econom- ard tire compounds. micronised rubber throughout the said there is an expectation that 10 years ago. This fluctuation in a major cause of climate change at ically viable. The Clermont-Ferrand group tire Industry might surprise many: a material like micronised rub- prices makes natural rubber sus- the moment. Finally, in implementing sus- has a programme for micronised “People are using it but they are ber is cheap to make. “It is not,” tainability particularly challenging. To address these issues, Mighty tainable natural rubber policies, rubber, devulcanisation, pyrolysis not going to tell you.” he insisted. “You have to buy raw When large-scale rubber produc- Earth is working with tire com- we note what Pirelli is doing. The and gasification. Lehigh “is pro- According to Murthy, Lehigh’s material, process and test it, pay ers are thinking of investing there panies and rubber producers and viding the first leg of that table,” material is already being used by peoples’ salaries. Then you have is sometimes lack of clarity in law. has seen incredible progress over said Murthy, who had steered Le- seven of the top 10 tire manufac- to package the material and go out This can feed petty corruption in recent years: natural rubber val- there really high for over a decade. turers at content-levels ranging and sell it.” terms of bribing particular offi- ue-chain participants increasingly needs to be an between 3% and 10%, though typ- One tire company, he recalled, cials to get access to concessions recognising the need for changes ically averaging 5%. tested Lehigh’s product at 10% or even more systemic ‘grand’ cor- to investment, production and honest discussion if natural rubber On the other hand, he contin- and got very good results but then ruption at state level. processing practices. ‘within the industry stays low then little is ued, some in the industry main- wanted it for a low price: “We said This can lead to land-grabbing, Mighty Earth is a founding about prices and going to happen but tain an attitude of ‘if material pric- ‘goodbye’, we will not sell it to with large-scale rubber conces- member of the new Global Plat- es are low, we are not going to do you.” sions given to companies and a form for Sustainable Natural Rub- fair-pricing ‘if it doubles in price, anything’ “There is one particu- Looking at the outlook for clear-out of high conservation-val- ber, which is a great cause for hope Julian oraM, you will see a lot of lar company there,” Murthy said the next five years, Murthy said ue land held by local communities for multi-stakeholder action across Mighty earth pointedly, though without elabo- Michelin’s use will accelerate and and indigenous people. Establish- the value-chain to develop and ’ activity. We should rating further. it will have developed a first-gen- ing rubber plantations can also implement new standards. not kid ourselves, it all Another a challenge for the in- eration, functional devulcanised generate social conflicts between With a very smallholder-dom- company is, we believe, a leading comes down to cost dustry is that “there needs to be material. migrant workers and local people inated sector, sustainability chal- light: they have an implementa- kedar Murthy more competitors,” as customers There is also, he said, a “hope – as seen recently in Cameroon. lenges will need to go beyond what tion plan, and they have a time- always want multiple sources, said that more tire companies will start There is then often also progres- individual companies can do, but line, both of which are crucial. ’ Murthy, adding that having rival to come on board” to really boost sive deforestation and loss of hab- the issues are not insurmountable. Traceability is also crucial here, as article based Michelin, he added, is getting suppliers around “keeps people on the adoption of new, more sus- itat in and around the margins of We’ve seen progress in other small- it essential to know where the rub- on edited micronised rubber powder with their toes.” tainable tire materials. the plantation. We also see water holder dominated sectors such as ber is coming from. comments “top-level performance at lowest Likewise, he said, the recycled But, he concluded, it all depends -degradation from factories and cocoa and coffee, and believe the Finally, there really needs to be from Julian cost and they are going to lever- carbon black market needs more on the market: “If natural rubber runoff from agrochemicals used same can be achieved in rubber. an honest discussion within the in- oram’s age the advantage of the capacity suppliers, especially those with stays low then little is going to on the plantations, and associated Going forward, we see sever- dustry about prices and fair-pricing. presentation Lehigh has.” sufficient capabilities to supply a happen but if it doubles in price, health issues as well as poor living al potential options to support Otherwise, smallholders will not be at the “This is going to happen quick- tire company: “They are nowhere you will see a lot of activity. We conditions. smallholders in adopting sustaina- able to invest in the sorts of sustain- Future tire ly,” continued Murthy, noting close to having the number of should not kid ourselves, it all In terms of deforestation, Mighty ble practices, which I think is cru- ability technologies and practices Conference that the tire maker has put over large people that are needed. comes down to cost.” Earth estimates that about 70,000 cial. For this, smallholders need to that are going to be required. 2019

SR6 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR7

SR06.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:12 SR07.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:13 sustainability report sustainability report

NR, Bettini said the current sce- 20 Global natural rubber consumption nario is one of over-supply and Natural rubber consumption low prices for the commodity, im- pirelli’s way forward pacting working conditions and 15 smallholders’ livelihoods. But, he added, if prices go up, plantations start to expand causing land con- 10 sustainability leader maps out the profile of materials used in tire manufacturing: the level of Increasing to 19.3 million flicts if not properly governed. implementation priorities within the natural rubber used increases to 34% in truck tires tonnes by 2030 Deforestation, he added, “is also 5 Antioxidants, antiozonants, Natural rubber a risk which is embedded in planta- Million tonnes tire maker’s forward-focused strategy curing systems 19% 14% tion expansion at times when pric- hile sustainability is es are up, or due to poor farming 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 usually taken to mean practices when prices are down.” Pirelli Source: the environment, the Further issues, he continued, focus should always include “a lack of transparency As a natural rubber consumer, here and that supporting farmers, be more inclusive by in some countries due to multiple Pirelli would like to see the process who are the weakest part of the consideringW the other key topics, Fillers [parties] between processors and as a value-chain as opposed to a chain, is key. We also found that according to Filippo Bettini, chief 26% farmers, while a lack of knowledge supply chain, so that all parties are while engagement of development sustainability and risk governance and coordination can lead to hu- included: farming, collection, dis- agencies offers opportunities, the officer at Pirelli. man and wildlife conflict, putting tribution, processing, production engagement of rubber authorities is The Italian group is focused on Synthetic both in danger.” and consumer. a must for success. These were the the challenges from the two major polymers The solution is a multi-stake- According to Bettini, Pirelli drew experiences that we brought to the 24% areas of end-use of tires and manu- Textile 4% holder action: teaching best up a natural rubber policy in 2017, table at the GPSNR negotiations.” facturing, Bettini said in presenta- Steel 12% farming practices such as mul- following consultations with inter- Pirelli has also invested in a tion at the Future Tire Conference ti-cropping and replanting and national NGOs, suppliers, farmers, “solid, internationally-recognised 2019 in Cologne, Germany. addresses the issue through sup- encouraging growers to collective- the automotive industry and key form of certification,” said Betti- The latter area includes issues porting consortia that take care ly organise and be represented. stakeholders. From those meetings, ni. “That means, sooner or later, such reducing energy-consump- of ELT recovery in line with Eu- “Through the Global Platform “we decided that everyone must we will be using certified natural tion and switching to new sources ropean regulations, according to for Sustainable Natural Rubber, we pitch in throughout the process as rubber in our products. Of course, of energy, Bettini saying that Pire- the sustainability executive. In are now aiming to maintain dia- it is a value chain effort. a policy is not enough. We have lli is on track to achieve a 20% re- Europe, he noted, these consortia logue between farmers and stake- “We found that the best ap- now drafted an implementation duction in energy usage over the ensure the recovery of 95% of used holders,” said Bettini. proach is a risk-based approach manual to support the initiative.” course of the current decade. tires, compared to 92% in Japan, But it is the performance of its and 85% in the US. end-products, for example rolling In terms of using recyclate, Bet- resistance, that represent the focus tina admitted: “We know that we Filippo bettini of Pirelli’s commitment to envi- will have to do something, which ronmental improvements. is more than the 4% use of recy- innovations to increase the re-use CARBON BLACKS TO MEET YOUR End-of-life is not the most crit- cled materials mentioned in our of tires as a secondary material for Learn more: ical phase in terms of greenhouse annual report. In our sector, most the productions of new tires.” SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES cabotcorp.com/carbonblack gas emissions; nevertheless, Pirelli companies are working like us on At present, he added, this “is quite limited because we are still de- veloping methods and technologies At Cabot, we are committed to operating responsibly, conserving resources and developing innovative performance materials for obtaining these secondary raw that address the sustainability challenges of our pirelli sustainability materials that do not compromise customers, our communities and our world. the performance of the product.”

Bettini went to explain Pirelli’s Read our latest sustainability report:  High performance policy on natural rubber (NR). This roadmap 2019-2023 cabotcorp.com/sustainability carbon blacks for he described as “the most recent fuel-efficient and provide all tier 1 suppliers: pillar of our supply-chain sustaina- long-lasting tires. bility governance, within which we • training in policy and implementation carry out the selection, qualification manuals in local language and homologation of suppliers.” • training tools to cascade the training According to Bettini, growth of  High durability carbon to t2 and t3 levels the global population – expected blacks for enhanced to reach 8.3 billion by 2030 – eco- rubber part life, reduced • Mapping of risks related to the equipment downtime nomic expansion and technology geographical areas of sourcing and lower energy advances will increase the stress consumption. • identification of pirelli supply chain on essential natural resources. major gaps against corporate policy “It goes without saying, so, that ensuring the sustainability of • ensure that t1 suppliers define a roadmap and implements plans natural rubber is now a priority,”  Elastomer composites commented Bettini, adding that for extending the life of • activation of a traceability tool to improve visibility on pirelli’s supply chain, NR consumption is expected to off-the-road tires. integrating suppliers’ existing traceability tools grow to 19.3 million tonnes a year • Collaboration to industry initiatives and/or transformation activities in by 2030. identified priority areas. Looking at the challenges sur- rounding the sustainability of

SR8 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR9

SR08 & 9.indd 1 31/08/2019 07:08 SR08 & 9.indd 2 29/08/2019 15:13 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Rolling resistance

Seize the moment Improved rubber-fi ller ETRMA leader sets out the wide Environmental impact of tires during their life cycle interaction array of sustainability-related Production of raw and tire manufacturing issues facing the tire industry Conventional polymers/ he tire industry has never fi llers faced so many challeng- es coming all at the same Tire distribution time, Fazilet Cinaralp, sec- < 1% retary general of the Euro- peanT Tyre & Rubber Manufactur- ers’ Association (ETRMA) said at Considering life-time performance “would enrich the EU framework” this year’s Future Tire Conference. 11.7%

“It is a really a moment for the emission of one tonne of CO2, We need to work on this part of industry,” Cinaralp set out in a [meaning] 1.1 million tonnes of the system,” said Cinaralp, who Abrasion resistance Wet grip keynote presentation. “As we con- avoided fossil-fuel emissions each went on to call for “better quality” Source: ETRMA tinue to strive for the cleanest but year.” when it comes to the management also safest environment, we face in “The industry is very well [set of waste tire materials: “We have the coming years a number of new End-of-life up] to really collect and organise recycling, but I think there is a As well as tires, Cinaralp said, regulated performance require- processing for the best, most environmental- need to improve that. automotive components offer ments.” 2% ly sound and also economically “Everybody is working on this, another important target appli- Fundamental to all of these, she viable solutions,” she stated. The but we yet don’t have the break- cation-area for ELT recyclate: “I said, is that the tire manufacturing Material recovery Tire use phase challenge, though, is to increase through that allows us to bring can assure you, this is an area industry must continuously look 86% the production of high-quality back these millions of tonnes of where the automotive industry to optimise the often-confl icting Energy recovery end-products from recycled tire material, really making it into is very busy, along with [tire Collecting set of parameters within the magic materials. very high-level, high quality industry] organisations within end-of-life tires triangle of tire grip, rolling resist- Landfi ll* < 1% “This share is very limited now. products.” Europe.” ance and wear. In many cases, the materials Source: ETRMA, based on Eco-Indicator 99 methods for each phase being used do not necessarily * Landfi ll is forbidden since July 2006 Don’t Miss the Next Issue! work together and the challenge of achieving improved materi- teriorates systematically.” any many other materials. • Delivered 6 Times Per Year als-interaction is essential to that Another front concerns natu- The European industry, she – including when it comes to the ral-rubber supply, which is crucial continued, has been “quite suc- Don’t • Trusted Source Miss of Global the Rubber Next Industry Issue! News increased use of bio-derived and for the tire industry. Here, Ci- cessful” in taking care of the tire • Major Report on Key Sector Included in Every Issue renewable materials. naralp noted “a big push, at least at end-of-life and managing it in from the European Union to step a sustainable manner. But, she up action against deforestation.” suggested that tire makers need to Tire makers Natural rubber, she said, “has not look at introducing more eco-de- yet been concerned with deforest- signs into their product develop- • Select your package need to look at Print £98 ation claims, but we have to be ment, while materials effi ciency introducing more Print magazine delivered careful.” must be “completely embedded • Delivered 6 times ‘eco-designs into Looking ahead, the ETRMA lead- in our policies.” to your location their product er said that while there is enough In terms of achieving a circular per year rubber to meet current demands, economy, Cinaralp emphasised development pressure on supply will grow due the particular impact of the use- FAZILET CINARALP, • Trusted source Digital £108 to increasing mobility demands phase on the lifetime, and hence Digital Edition delivered via ETRMA especially in developing econo- sustainability, of the tire. She also of global rubber website, full web access ’ mies. noted the contribution of retread- In this area, Cinaralp highlight- ing in reducing requirements for industry news and email alert service In terms of this year’s and future ed the role of the newly formed resources. revisions of the EU tire labelling Global Platform for Sustainable Cinaralp cited ETRMA fi gures • Major report on key scheme, the ETRMA leader high- Natural Rubber in increasing the showing that around 3,300 kilo- Print + Digital £130 lighted how considering perfor- transparency of the supply-chain. tonnes (kt) of ELTs were collected sector included in Print magazine, full web mance over the life-time of the This “is important, with 30 mil- in 2016: entering a number of re- every Issue access including digital edition tire would “enrich the current reg- lion people making a living from cycling routes, including 1,407kt and email alert service ulatory framework to prepare the natural rubber.” for granulation & civil engineer- forthcoming challenges.” She went on to note that the ing uses and 1,187kt as fuel for the For example, she pointed out tire-making industry uses the best cement industry. that rolling resistance reduces by of materials, because tires require “There is a lot benefi cial impact 20% and noise by 1db as the tire very specifi c and optimum perfor- there for the environment.” said goes from a new to a worn state, mance levels from steel, textiles, Cinaralp. “Sending one tonne of Subscribe Online At: www.european-rubber-journal.com/subscribe/Subscribe Online At: while wet-grip performance “de- natural rubber, synthetic rubber tires to cement kilns avoids the www.european-rubber-journal.com/subscribe/

SR10 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR11

SR10 & 11.indd 1 29/08/2019 21:50 SR10 & 11.indd 2 29/08/2019 20:50 sustainability report sustainability report

plastics and more complicated in- Global warming potential/carbon footprint per 1 tonne of Keltan Eco 5470 and 8550 jection moulding and 3D printing.” 3,500 A B In the area of electrification, van der Aar said new cable and sensor 3,000 paris perspectives technologies will feature not only 2,500 100% 100% in the powertrain but also in pe- 2,000 French rubber industry meeting hears call for new levels of collaboration and riphery devices such as charging -equivalent]

stations. Meanwhile, systems such 2 1,500 openness to meet challenges of sustainability, e-mobility and digitalisation as air-conditioning or coolant 1,000 pumps will each have a separate

[kg CO 46% ubber manufacture can cluded Maigné. ‘This must be a motor instead of being driven by 500 15% be regarded both as an art strengthened collaboration and a belt. 0 and a science and people certainly a collaboration that is An important feature of bat- K5470 Triunfo K5470 Eco K8550 Triunfo K8550 Eco working in the industry even more open than it is today.’ tery-powered vehicles will be the K541 tonne of fossil-fuel based C2 compared to bio-based C2 is equivalent to the emissions of burning 9 barrels as ‘secret’ formulators, ac- use of flame-resistant parts, such as of oil* A: 6 barrels of crude oil burning B: 4 barrels of crude oil burning rcording to Jacques Maigné, presi- electric drive cables, grommets, plugs and sock- * US EPA GHG equivalent for a barrel of oil is 430kg CO2 Source: Arlanxeo dent of Hutchison SA and head of New mobility will be a major driv- ets, to prevent fire-spread in case French rubber industry association er of such changes, as highlighted of short circuits or overheating. than those generated in internal ing a bio-based EPDM being pro- the Fondation du Caoutchouc. by Niels van der Aar, NBD director These components will incorpo- combustion engine vehicles. duced at its plant in Triunfo, Brazil. This approach for turning com- at Arlanxeo’s high performance rate halogen-free, flame-retardant And, as electric engines are Based on sugar-cane feedstock, the modity material into speciality elastomers unit. The shift to elec- systems that do not release toxic more silent, more and thicker low- Keltan Eco rubber can reduce the

products has ‘evolved over time tric vehicles , he said, will have “a gases in the event of a fire. er density sealing systems will be CO2 footprint of standard EPDM by and made the industry successful,’ tremendous impact” on technical Effective EMI shielding, added employed for the reduction of sur- up to 85% (see chart above). Maigné told a French rubber indus- Jacques Maigné rubber components over the next van der Aar, will also be crucial, rounding noise. Trends here will Arlanxeo has also developed try meeting in Paris, organised by decade. with electrically conductive hous- include the replacement of closed- bio-EPDM compounds with 86%- the Centre Francais du Caoutchouc across the industry, regardless of At the Paris meeting, he high- ings, gaskets and mounts used to cell, sound-deadening foams with 90% sustainable ingredients, in- et des Polymères (CFCP). the market segments in which we lighted the need for precise ther- protect sensitive electronic com- synthetic and bio-based fibrous cluding recycled carbon black But the fundamental changes are active.’ mal management to extend ponents. nonwoven sheets and honeycomb from pyrolysed tires, ash generat- impacting the rubber industry and Light-weighting, he said, is an- battery life and optimise pow- New materials are also being composite structures. ed from rice-production waste and its markets today, require new lev- other essential point: ‘Our prod- er generation, with special heat developed for the anti-vibration The presenter went on to high- plant-derived processing oils. “We els of ‘interpenetration in the val- ucts are mounted on equipment transfer fluids being used for heat- components of electric vehicles as light Arlanxeo’s efforts to develop tested these and they kept very ue-chain’, the Hutchinson boss set for which the environmental im- ing and cooling of the system. the frequencies are much higher more sustainable materials, includ- good properties,” said van der Aar. out at the conference held 23 May pact must be absolutely reduced. Temperature requirements “are in Paris. Key to this process are lighter ma- completely different in the battery ‘We have to work more closely terials and combinations of mate- area, going from maybe 120 to 60 with our downstream and with rials, which are essential to offer degrees,” said van der Aar, adding progress still linked to price of crude oil our upstream. We need to com- our customers.’ that not all elastomers are resistant bine and multiply forces and use A third aspect is to make rubber to some of the coolants and refrig- aw materials costs, par- said SNCP’s directeur economique, sures to conserve fossil resources knowledge that we do not have parts ‘smarter’, continued Maigné. erants being specified. ticularly those linked to noting that these typically repre- amid increasing volatility in crude internally in our companies, or ‘The products we make are at a Indeed, van der Aar pointed out crude-oil prices, remain sent 20-50% of the cost of finished oil markets. that is too expensive to develop,’ crossroads of technical data in that cooling is now a major devel- key to the competitive- articles. ‘Uncertainty has become the he stated. the equipment in which they are opment area, with various automo- ness of rubber products The rubber industry remains rule on the markets’ said Muret Indeed, achieving higher lev- mounted. Whether it is a sealing, tive OEMs taking different routes. rmakers as well as their sustain- fossil-fuel dependent, with 53% of pointing also to ‘tensions’ on car- els of collaboration is ‘absolutely anti-vibration or any other ap- Key specifications, he said, could ability performance, according material derived from petroleum bon blacks, CR, FKM, NBR and essential,” emphasised the rub- plication, [rubber products] are a include enhanced thermal conduc- to Bruno Muret of the Syndicat feedstocks in 2018 – or 67% with silicones over the past year and in bruno Muret ber industry leader, adding that source of data that needs to be col- tivity of rubber materials in the bat- National du Caoutchouc et des additives taken into account, said the butadiene and natural rubber ‘open innovation is clearly a stra- lected and transferred.’ tery area to optimise heat-transfer of Polymers. Muret. markets a year earlier. tegic point that all our companies In developing smart materials, engine components. ‘There is a close correlation And while petroleum supply is Reviewing industry efforts to should insist on.’ the Hutchinson president again In terms of light-weighting, the between the price of raw mate- projected to outpace demand to move towards a circular economy, Among the key measures for stressed the importance of working Arlanxeo executive noted a trend rials and company profitability,’ 2023, there are increasing pres- Muret said the barriers to more gauging the industry’s progress in closer cooperation with down- to more compact, smaller diameter widespread adoption of sustaina- in this regard will be the extent stream customers and suppliers. seals as well as from solid to ‘mi- Continuing rise in global demand for rubber materials ble materials were low and fluctu- to which it can improve the re- ‘This is absolutely key to work- cro-dense’ dynamic weatherstrip ating crude oil prices and competi- KT cyclability of technical rubber ing on this type of subject,’ con- seals. He also foresaw increased use tion from low-grade materials. 16,000 products. of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) ‘The price differential with vir- SR 15,300 While the requirements initial- and thermoplastic vulcanisates 14,000 gin material is sometimes too low, ly evolved ‘under duress’, Maigné (TPVs) in static weatherstrip seals. 13,800 and [adoption] often requires re- said that ‘we now know how to Meanwhile, the replacement of 12,000 formulation and requalification of take advantage of product recy- metal parts with lighter plastics or 10,800 products,’ he added. NR 29,100 clability objectives to be able to composite materials will drive up 10,000 Going forward, he said, demand propose more environmentally ac- the use of elastomer modifiers to for sustainable raw materials could ceptable solutions to our custom- increase impact resistance of vehi- 8,000 be driven by rising crude oil prices Comments ers and end-users.’ cle components. 6,800 as well as ‘progressive scarcity of 6,000 from Jacques This drive can often involve a “You also need to think about fossil-based resources.’ Other po- 17,600 Maigné and transition from rubber materials two-component moulding,” he 4,000 tential supporting factors include bruno Muret to thermoplastics or composite continued. “As well, more complex 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 societal demands, regulation and translated materials, the Hutchinson boss shapes this further raises the need Source: IRSG new recycling technologies. from French describing this as ‘a strong trend niels van der aar for direct bonding of rubber to

SR12 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR13

SR12 & 13.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:15 SR12 & 13.indd 2 29/08/2019 15:15 sustainability report sustainability report smarter, greener tire plants Case for sustainability

plant automation will play a central n addressing the environmen- role in tire industry efforts to tal challenges that lie ahead, the tire industry must “signif- address sustainability challenges icantly adapt” to the concepts across the supply-chain of connected, autonomous, shared,i electric (CASE) mobility, according to Christophe de Val- ow will sustainability roger, VP products & solutions change the tire manu- strategy, Bridgestone Europe. facturing industry over “CASE will – and already does – the next decade? This have a huge influence on how the was a question posed by industry operates,” said de Valrog- HDominique Scheider, automotive er – citing analysts’ forecasts that, & tire industry manager EMEA, by 2030, 100% of cars will be con- Rockwell Automation, at the Fu- nected, 57% electric, 33% shared ture Tire Conference 2019. and 22% autonomous. Source: Bridgestone By way of answering, Schei- Another major sustainability der cited KPMG forecasts that, challenge is resource efficiency Another sustainability goal for ferent parameters. by 2040, the profile of drivetrain when it comes to tire production Bridgestone involves circularity. By developing a digital twin of

technologies will be: Battery elec- Photo: Rockwell and usage and ‘juggling priorities’, The company has set itself the the tire, companies can now test tric vehicles (EVs), 30%; hybrids, Data analytics will help to reduce the environmental impact of facilities said the Bridgestone official. goal to use 100% sustainable ma- the tire’s performance without 25%; fuel cell EVs, 23%; and inter- “For example, we need to reduce terials by 2050. physically intervening. nal combustion engines, 23%. bility along entire supply chain is, tire manufacturers “should not a tire’s rolling resistance coefficient “This means enhancing resource “Not only is this bringing huge Alongside new tire concepts, therefore, a key requirement.” miss this train.” (RRC) to lower fuel consumption, productivity, recycling resources environmental benefits, but it can this shift towards e-mobility will The Rockwell manager went on Tire-making machines, he stat- while still ensuring continually and using them more effectively,” also cut the time-to-market by up Dominique drive the adoption of different raw forecast ever increasing use of MES ed, will be become self-optimising improved performance, wear rate, de Valroger said. to 50% while reducing the resourc- scheider materials as well as new tire pro- and data analytics to reduce ener- systems: adjusting their parame- braking distance and safety,” he Last but not least, the company es used,” de Valroger concluded. cesses backed by smart manufac- gy consumption, which will like- ters in real-time by continuously pointed out. turing systems, according to the ly to account for an increasingly analysing and learning from cur- At the same time, tire makers Rockwell presenter. large part of tire production costs rent and historical data. should reduce the use of materi- And, he said, as “sustainability going forward. Tire makers will also employ ma- als and weight of tires while en- does not start at the plant floor,” Indeed, Scheider suggested that chine-learning algorithms to find suring the product is robust, per- tire makers will “have to be agile energy costs could impact plant lo- different patterns and correlations forms well and is embedded with EVERY YEAR WE CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCING THE TIRE AND RUBBER INDUSTRY’S and more connected to their cus- cations, with trends to harness so- in the data, and eventually predict continuous mobility technology. ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT tomers from early phases of tire de- lar and other local energy sources the events that generate down- These challenges, according to de velopment to final assembly line.” pointing to increased investment time, waste and scrap tires, said Valroger, are “front of mind” at The industry will, therefore, in southern hemisphere regions. Ylipaino. Meanwhile, he noted, Bridgestone. 40.000 have to embrace a wide range advanced process control and di- In addition to improving effi- 250.000 of capabilities including prod- streamlined plants agnostics will allow quick actions ciency in use of raw materials, the tons barrels uct-traceability, CO2 calculations In a separate presentation, Jari-Pek- when production issues arise. Japanese tire maker is also address- Christophe de Valroger upcycled crude oil Jari-pekka per tire produced and CSR scor- ka Ylipaino, solution manager at These capabilities will also help ing the issue of sustainability at rubber waste feedstock savings ylipaino ing for each plant. Supported by Cimcorp, said automation and dig- conserve energy and natural re- the beginning of the supply chain. is changing its approach technologies such as 5G, IIOT and italisation will have “a vital role” sources and minimise negative “We’re committed to diver- to manufacturing and blockchain, this will extend to in- in improving the manufacturing environmental impacts of tire op- sifying the materials available, production, with focus 860.000 kWh clude all sub-suppliers in the tire process: paving the way to more erations. This, he said, means tire developing new alternatives… on CO2 reduction, waste energy savings by less processing value-chain. sustainable tire manufacturing. makers “getting more out of less, and enhancing good agricultural prevention & valorisa- For instance, Scheider said: “In- Trends such as Industry 4.0, reducing waste and scrap, while sav- practices for smallholders,” the tion, water optimisation, dustrial supplies are part of the IIoT and artificial intelligence, will ing space and improving working Bridgestone official added. and solvent emission re- 200.000 3.400 total 4R cycle analysis, from raw “certainly affect the tire industry,” conditions and production quality.” For de Valroger, “collabora- duction. materials to recycling. Full tracea- according to Ylipaino, adding that Other characteristics of auto- tion” has the potential to be the On the way to achiev- tons hectares

mated plants include small buffer industry’s “biggest strength”, par- ing sustainability, de Val- CO2 reduction forest preservation big data software – utilisation of data stock and WIP (work-in-progress) ticularly when it comes to over- roger believes that the so- and significantly less scrap. And, coming issues surrounding sus- called “digital revolution” by adopting lean manufacturing tainability. will play a significant DRI RUBBER. DELIVERING TRUE technology, the tire industry can “As individual businesses we can role: “This has completely SUSTAINABILITY FOR OVER 70 YEARS. focus on improving the ‘flow’ of of course create positive change, ripped up the industry’s work and eliminating waste. but there are some issues that are traditional rule book by “In tire manufacture, the result so big they can only be solved in transforming how we ap- [of a lean process] is smaller produc- collaboration,” he noted. proach manufacturing.” FLEXIBLE NEEDS, tion buffers and minimised waiting An example of such collabora- For example, during CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE times, meaning 100% availability tion, he reminded, could be the re- the development stage, +1.4 m data points +200 suppliers of all materials at every production cent launch of the Global Platform tires are physically built WWW.DRIRUBBER.COM

Source: Cimcorp Source: machine,” Ylipaino concluded. for Sustainable Natural Rubber. and then tested on dif-

SR14 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR15

SR14.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:15 SR15.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:16 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

increasing the life of the fi nal could compromise tire safety and Environmental NCs / year product. This, in turn, will reduce performance if used in more than waste-generation and the use of a small, fractional amount. natural resources. We believe that there will be a Future direction Another example is Cabot role for reclaimed carbon along ‘elastomer composites’, based with other recycled materials in primarily of natural rubber. Pro- the future and we continue to duced in a proprietary and pat- do research in this area. But, to- ented mixing process that ena- day, there are better uses for this bles a superior level of carbon material than as a substitute raw of carbon black black dispersion, these materials material for rubber grade carbon are structurally different from black. In this Q&A, ERJ asks Bart Kalkstein president, reinforcement materials at compounds produced by con- Cabot Corp. about the market-trends, technologies and strategies that ventional methods. ERJ: How can the tire and rub- When mixed with curing agents, ber products industries best will defi ne the future of the industry in the era of sustainability moulded or extruded and then respond to pressures, from the vulcanised, elastomer composites automotive industry and many Improved environmental compliance ERJ: What are the most impor- deliver dramatic improvements others, to move away from fos- tant environmental aspects to It is important to consider all in rubber properties that are criti- sil-fuel-derived materials over through better reinforcement ma- consider when looking at carbon cal for industrial off-the-road tires the next decade? terials, reducing rolling resistance black as an industrial product? available opportunities to use and truck tires such as energy-loss, BK: The use of non-fossil derived while maintaining longevity and BK: When we consider the envi- end-of-life consumer products heat build-up and resistance to materials will likely bring signif- creating electric storage systems ronmental sustainability of car- ‘ abrasion, cutting and chipping. icant benefi ts to industry and is that can hold more energy and de- such as tires. Reclaimed carbon bon black, we look at raw-material They have also been shown to a laudable goal. Today, carbon liver it more effi ciently will be im- supply, the manufacturing process from the tire pyrolysis process double the fatigue life of rubber black can be made from non-fossil portant parts of that equation and and the impact of the product is one potential way to do so. parts, helping customers to reduce derived materials such as biofuels. will require highly effi cient and portfolio in the end-use applica- However, there are currently their environmental footprint and On the surface, this sounds great effective materials. tions. making their manufacturing pro- and would seem to achieve the Specifi cally, the primary raw ma- signifi cant limitations associated cesses faster, more energy-effi cient stated goal. However, one must ERJ: Finally, how can sustainabil- terial supplies are typically waste with replacing virgin and safer by simplifying or elimi- look at the entire system to under- ity policy goals be most effectively or by-products from other man- carbon black with nating certain process steps. stand whether or not this is really delivered? ufacturing processes, rather than the right environmental choice. BK: Firstly, by caring for people virgin resource materials. We max- reclaimed pyrolysis ERJ: What is the long-term out- and communities through indus- imise the value of these materials carbon look for recycled carbon black, try-leadership in safety perfor- by transforming them into usea- particularly that recovered from It is critical to help mance, providing opportunities for ble/valuable products. Since most pyrolysis of scrap rubber prod- all of stakeholders and employees to develop and advance, of the carbon in the raw materials has the added benefi t of reducing to minimise by-product air pol- ucts? and fostering a diverse and inclu- ’ the public at large gets converted into carbon black, greenhouse gases; and on recover- lutants and acid gases. We are also BK: It is important to consider all sive workplace where everyone is it doesn’t end up as CO instead. ing energy from raw materials that fi nding ways to convert by-prod- 2 available opportunities to use end- ‘to better understand valued. This also involves support- are not converted to carbon black ucts from these systems into use- of-life consumer products such the overall role that ing communities through active ERJ: Which process technologies by converting it to steam and elec- ful products for other industries. as tires. Reclaimed carbon from engagement and commitment to will most help to improve the en- tricity, and so offset the use of ad- the tire pyrolysis process is one carbon black plays being a responsible neighbour. vironmental sustainability of the ditional fossil resources. ERJ: Which materials-science-based potential way to do so. However, in minimising waste Also, acting responsibly for the material over the next decade, Another focus is on reducing advances will contribute most to there are currently signifi cant lim- products from the planet: setting standards for envi- and why? our emissions-footprint by captur- improving the environmental sus- itations associated with replacing ronmental compliance, innovat- BK: In our manufacturing process, ing as much of the carbon black tainability of a) tires and b) gen- virgin carbon black with reclaimed oil, steel, and plastic ing to reduce our environmen- we are focused on: enhancing produced through high-effi ciency eral rubber goods? pyrolysis carbon. industries tal footprint and optimising our the effi ciency of converting the collection devices and operating BK: Carbon black products are Today’s technology produces a operations and supply-chain to raw material into carbon, which air-pollution control equipment currently used to decrease rolling material that is not homogene- increase circularity and conserve resistance in tires to help improve ous, due to most tires having sev- Due to the light’ density of bio- resources. vehicle fuel effi ciency, to increase eral different carbon black grades fuel inputs, their production yields We are collaborating with cus- the durability of rubber which ex- in the various rubber compounds are much less effi cient. There are tomers to create products that tends the life of tires, rubber hos- in a tire and many different tire also environmental drawbacks, address sustainability challenges, es, conveyor belts and other rub- types used in a pyrolysis batch. as biofuels would require signif- working with suppliers to improve ber products and to reduce waste It also contains a variable but icantly larger production assets, sustainability across our value in our customers’ manufacturing signifi cant amount of ash – due emit more tail gas, and use sub- chain, and creating long-term eco- processes. to the silica used in tread com- stantially more input material. nomic value for our partners. There is great opportunity in pounds – and has a surface that The resulting product would be It is also about working collabo- continued development of carbon is chemically quite different to a lower performing carbon black, ratively with industry peers in the blacks providing longer tire tread- carbon black. which would make lower perform- International Carbon Black Associ- life, reduced rolling-resistance and While this material can be used ing tires. Looking at this with a ation to address regulatory issues, also in how carbon black is incor- today in small loadings as a fi ller broader perspective suggests that share best-practices and promote porated into rubber compounds. or low-end colorant, it cannot cur- the performance requirements of transparency by sponsoring stud- New products will provide greater rently serve as a substitute for vir- the tire and auto industries simply ies to advance the scientifi c under- wear-resistance while also provid- gin carbon black as it does not of- would not be met. standing of carbon black. ing better fuel effi ciency, creating fer the same level of performance. As these industries move to both lower fossil fuel use during In fact, it is not carbon black; it is electric vehicles and other forms ERJ: Thank you for these interest- Progress towards meeting 2025 sustainability targets at Cabot the overall product life cycle and a different carbon material which of propulsion, decreasing weight ing insights into your industry.

SR16 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR17

SR16 & 17.indd 1 31/08/2019 06:47 SR16 & 17.indd 2 29/08/2019 15:17 sustainability report sustainability report tire-dust issue ‘must be silica still full of life supplier evonik has 99 n Carbon black based tires Production of tires managed holistically’ produced figures that 134 n Silica/Silane based tires make the environmental Drive to improve Gasoline supply 5,824 case for using more 5,533 scientific understanding silica in tire compounds Combustion 23,420 of environmental emission 22,521 impacts and to raise t the Future Tire Confer- ence 2019, Dr Jens Kie- 6 Transport awareness of all factors sewetter, director, applied 6 technology, tire and rub- behind the generation ber at Evonik presented a End-of-life -5 life cycle analysis (LCA) study for of tire and road wear a -3 silica and also pointed to growing particles Source: ETRMA demand for the product. Total 29,344 -5% The LCA compared the carbon 27,921 urrent concern about the dustry, which has had to quickly captured before reaching that footprint of silica and carbon black Source: Evonik impact of dust from tire build up knowledge of the techni- level. And, of the 18% of TRWP fillers in tire-compound applica- Global Warming potentional (GWp) results in kg Co2 over 150,000km abrasion stems from the cal issues involved. emissions into surface water, just tions during the whole life of a much wider debate, since “A solid scientific understanding around 2% were found to have passenger car tire. The study was This factor, though, was far out- ik to bring on significant new ca- 2017, around microplas- should be the basis of any action,” reached the river estuary. peer-reviewed and carried out to weighed during the use-phase, pacity at sites in Americana, Brazil ticsC pollution in marine environ- believes Fazilet Cinaralp, secretary “But,” commented Cinaralp, ISO standards 14040 and 14044 where the lower rolling-resistance and Charleston, South Carolina, ments. This has required a very general of the European Tyre & “this is one element we need to (ISO 2006), Kiesewetter pointed out. of the silica system leads to major as well as its facility in Chester, active response from the tire in- Rubber Manufacturers’ Association continue working on; we still need The key metric was global savings in fuels consumption and Pennsylvania. (ETRMA). Moreover, she insists, to know more.” warming potential (GWP100)/kg hence emissions. “Everyone was thinking that the influencing factor on trWp generation “policies focusing only on tires will The tire industry is also examin- CO2 equivalent, which describes And while the GWP figures for US was not so interested in rolling Impact of operating conditions have marginal beneficial effects.” ing the feasibility of a harmonised the abilities of different green- ‘transport’ were similar for both resistance,” he said. “[But, custom- Friction between the tire and standard test method for tire- house gases to trap heat in the at- type of fillers, Evonik also identi- ers there] told us was that, particu- 10 the road surface generates tire and tread abrasion, Cinaralp noting mosphere and thus contribute to fied benefits for silica at the end- larly as they have a lot of SUVs, road wear particles (TRPW), a fine potential legislative requirements climate-change. of-life phase of the tire. 8 dust comprised of both materials around tire/road abrasion rates – Evonik estimated the GWP of This finding, said the Future Tire 6 in roughly equal measure. With a in-line with product-labelling ini- carbon black and silica during presenter, partly reflected the fact density of around 1,8 g/cm³, TR- tiatives within the EU’s microplas- pre-production processes such as that as silica does not burn it does 4 WPs are heavier than water and so tics strategy. mixing and extrusion, tire produc- not contribute to energy-release tend to sediment in aqueous envi- Cinaralp emphasised that the tion and assembly, the in-use phase or the generation of greenhouse 2 ronments. tire, in this context, “does not op- on a passenger car and the end-of- gasses. 0 Indeed, an ETRMA study erate alone. It interacts with the life phase. Overall, Kiesewetter said that Tire Vehicle Climate Surface Circuit & launched in 2017 found that TR- road, with the vehicle on which During production, the study the LCA study concluded that “the driving WPs did not reach the ocean via it is fitted, with the driver behind identified “a slight disadvantage” environmental advantage of a so- behaviour Source: ETRMA the Seine estuary as they were the wheel. We can have all the for the silica-silane system com- called green tire over a black tire is measures to improve tire design, pared to carbon black. This, said in the region of 5% GWP. but there is a need to look at fac- Kiesewetter, was mainly due to the However, he noted, Evonik did Dr Jens Kiesewetter tors together.” higher energy-input needed for not factor in aspects such as safety, Further research into trWps Research has, therefore, start- mixing the higher viscosity silica improved wet grip and wear resist- they want improved dry-handling In a presentation at a recent Con- ject within a German govern- ed to look at the issue holistical- system. ance – implying that this would and abrasion resistance together tinental UK press event, Suzanne ment-backed ‘plastics in the envi- ly, including the impact of driv- have shown further environmen- with a high level of HD silica for Buchholz (pictured), who leads ronment initiative, called the RAU ing-behaviour such as steering, passenger car tires tal gains from using silica-silane fuel efficiency.” on standards & regulations at Interdisciplinary Approach. Partners accelerating and braking. Another (31,953 tires in database) systems. “We think that there will be a the German tire maker, updated also include Volkswagen AG as well consideration concerns road sur- no. of % of high increase in silica-silane de- journalists on current scientific as a range of government, academic face requirements, such as those to tires tires new opportunities mand over the coming years,” research into TRWPs – including and industrial bodies. ensure high-grip on road surfaces Rolling resistance (RR) = A 111 0.35% To further highlight the huge po- added Kiesewetter, who showed ETRMA projects (see above) and By July 2020, the three-year RAU in the vicinity of schools. Wet grip (WG) = A 4,021 12.6% tential for silica in the tire market figures putting the fuel con- those led by the Tire Industry Project (TIP), study aims to have identified and assessed “People don’t realise that as- RR = A and WG = A 59 0.19% the presenter cited EU tire label- sumption of vehicles in the US at which represents major tire makers. entry points of tire materials into the pects of modern life, in this case ling data showing the still often around 1.6 billion litres a day. These, she said, include a two-year TIP aquatic environment. Another goal is to the road, can have such a huge off-road/suV/4x4 tires negligible proportion of tires with With about 20% or 320 million study to identify and characterise TR- develop optimised measures to reduce tire impact on tire abrasion,” the ETR- (1,989 tires in database) top ratings for rolling resistance litres used to overcome rolling WPs, concluding this year and research abrasion in different locations. MA leader commented. There is, no. of % of and wet grip (see tables). resistance of the tire, he estimat- completing next year into: the impact of The RAU project, said Buchholz, will therefore, a requirement “to ele- tires tires The Evonik expert went on to ed that changing to a silica-silane weathering and degradation on soil, sedi- “comprehensively describe” tire particles vate the debate to arrive at a better RR = A 1 0.1% highlight growth opportunities system would save the whole fleet

ment and water; and toxicity of TRWP in throughout the useful service life of tires, recognition of the need for more WG = A 138 6.94% for silica-silane technology, par- 16 million litres/day. This, he said, marine organisms. closing the knowledge gaps on where par- collaboration and to look at all the RR = A & WG = A 0 0% ticularly in the North American translates into 393,0000kg/day of Continental is also involved in a pro- ticle-loss occurs over the entire life cycle. RR = B & WG = A 10 0.5% elements.” market. This has prompted Evon- CO2 emissions.

SR18 EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL • September/October 2019 September/October 2019 • EUROPEAN RUBBER JOURNAL SR19

SR18.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:17 SR19.indd 1 29/08/2019 15:21 “Calenderless” Manufacturing Cell

Go Versatile. Go Multi SKU. Go Small. Go Calenderless The Steelastic Calenderless Manufacturing Cell lets you try before you buy If you’re exploring ways to build more versatility into your manufacturing processes, replacing calendering and offline processing equipment with smaller, highly flexible, extrusion-based machines is a great place to start. You’ll gain versatility with a smaller capital outlay. Steelastic’s groundbreaking calenderless manufacturing cell allows you to produce all reinforcement components using your own material for tire building and validation purposes. This dedicated manufacturing cell is proving very popular with leading tire manufacturers who are exploring a move away from calendering to satisfy requirements for highly flexible, multi-SKU processing solutions. Contact us to begin your trial: 1. Schedule your trial 3. Witness manufacture 2. Send material 4. Take away & validate

visit: www.gocalenderless.com § email: [email protected]

Steel Steel or Textile Steel or Textile BELT/BREAKER BODY PLY STRIP

The Steelastic Company LLC One Vision Lane § Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223, USA § steelastic.com

Untitled-3 1 29/08/2019 21:18