Bridgestone wins US grant to advance guayule research

Nashville, Tennessee – Bridgestone Americas has been awarded a research grant by the US department of energy joint genome institute to advance its studies on the guayule-based natural rubber.

Bridgestone will use the grant to sequence and map genes of three guayule varieties to optimise the rubber yield of the plant, said a statement 30 March.

The company did not disclose the amount of the grant, but said it will use the funding for field tests at Bridgestone guayule research centres and farms in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Italy.

"Guayule shows tremendous potential for advancing the biodiversity of natural rubber sourcing and introducing alternatives to existing crops in water-starved areas," said William Niaura, director of sustainable materials and circular economy, Bridgestone Americas.

"This grant will accelerate our efforts to create a sustainable model for growing and harvesting guayule at scale, which we are aiming to achieve by the end of the decade," he added.

Bridgestone launched its guayule research initiative in 2012, when it broke ground on a guayule processing and research centre in Mesa, Arizona.

Today, the company operates the research centre in Mesa, as well as a 281-acre guayule farm in Eloy, Arizona.

Bridgestone said it is expanding the number of local farmers it currently works with, who are converting their farmland to harvest guayule.

Through the collaboration with local farmers, Bridgestone expects 200 new acres of guayule to be planted this year.

The Japanese group said it has so far invested more than $100 million (€89 million) in its efforts to commercialise guayule.

The tire maker achieved the major milestone of producing the first tire made from guayule-derived rubber in 2015.