ERJ Future Tire & Rubber Innovation Awards 2024
29 Nov 2023
New event to recognise advances and developments that significantly enhance the performance and sustainability of the global tire & rubber industry
European Rubber Journal has launched the Future Tire & Rubber Awards 2024 (FTR'24), recognising leading-edge manufacturing and product innovations in our industry.
For further details and to enter, please click on the FTR'24 Awards link
The event will recognise advances ranging from those that enhance the efficiency and environmental performance of manufacturing processes to features that improve the performance and sustainability of tires and rubber products.
As such. the FTR'24 Awards will pick up on certain themes identified by ERJ’s previous Journey to Automation initiative, which recognised leaders in the field of automation and digital transformation within the tire industry.
Themes are, therefore, expected to include: production-efficiency and energy-saving allied to the application of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, digital twin and data-management technologies.
Sustainability will also be an important focus-area of the FTR'24 Awards: in terms of reducing the carbon footprint and resource consumption of manufacturing and related processes.
Taking a leaf from the ERJ Elastomers for Sustainability (E4S) programme, the new awards will also encompass materials science-based developments that improve the environmental performance of the elastomers/rubber compounds used in the manufacture of tires and rubber goods.
FTR'24 will also recognise the achievements of R&D teams, both in industry and academia, that are enabling the industry to maintain the performance and fuel-efficiency of tires while meeting increasing requirements for enhanced sustainability.
Last but not least, the awards will spotlight achievements in the field of end-of-life product management, especially those that help to upcycle waste tire and rubber materials into high value-added goods.
Entries to the FTR'24 Awards are invited – either individually or jointly as partners in a project – from:
- Tire manufacturers, distributors, retailers
- Automation vendors and suppliers of IT services to the tire industry
- Suppliers of equipment and/or materials to the tire industry
- Suppliers of equipment used in handling and distribution of finished tires
- Service/support organisations involved in any of the above activities
For further details and to enter, please click on the FTR'24 Awards link
Future Tire Awards categories:
Sustainable materials
Innovation in materials science & engineering technologies to improve the performance, safety and sustainability of tires and rubber products.
Tire design & performance
Developments of new tires and rubber products that offer breakthroughs in terms of performance, safety and sustainability.
Factory automation
Advances in tire and rubber product manufacture – at one or more stages of the production process –that improve the efficiency of manufacturing lines and facilities.
Low emissions/resource-efficient manufacture
Developments that most significantly reduce factory emissions and levels of energy, water and other resources required for manufacturing processes.
Supply-chain & logistics
Advanced in the efficient storage, handling and management of raw materials, semi-finished materials and finished products.
Research & development
Use of advanced laboratory and analysis techniques to guide the development of tires and rubber products of the future.
ELT management and recycling
Effective end-of-life product management, including through advanced collection, track & trace, retreading, repurposing and recycling.
