Sumitomo Rubber aims to make oil-free tyre by 2013

ERJ staff report (DS)

Kobe, Japan -- Following on from the Enasave 97 product, Sumitomo Rubber Industries plans to make a tyre which contains zero fossil-fuel derived components by 2013.

The Enasave 97 used just three percent fossil-fuel derived ingredients, mostly as additives, accelerators and anti-degradants. A typical car or light-truck tyre contains over 50 percent of ingredients derived from non-renewable resources.

The announcement comes as part of a series of initiatives to mark the company's 100th anniversary.

SRI will also increase the number of tyres it sells in all global markets using low-rolling resistant compounds from 2010. The company aims to reduce the total energy consumed in making and using its tyres by 50 percent between now and 2015.

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Press release from SRI (Japanese language)

Press release from SRI (Auto-translated into English from Japanese source)