Michelin Mulling To Manufacture Sustainable Tyres By 2048

By the year 2048, the French tyre major Michelin will manufacture tyres using 80 percent sustainable materials. Moreover, 100 percent of its tyres will be recycled by the aforementioned period. Currently, Michelin is making tyres with only 28 percent of sustainable materials. Out of the 28 percent, around 2 percent are recycled materials such as recycled powered tyres or steel and 26 percent comprise of bio-sourced materials such as limonene, natural rubber, sunflower oil etc.

Michelin is investing in its recycling technologies to increase sustainable material content in the manufacturing of tyres to 80 percent. At present, around the world, the recovery rate for tyres is 70 percent while the recycling rate is just 50 percent. Michelin is aiming to improve this rate. By reaching this 2048 target, Michelin will be able to save around 33 million barrels of oil. The company announced this at the recently concluded Michelin Movin’On press event in the Canadian city of Montreal.

In 2017, Michelin Tyres announced the innovative VISION concept. In this concept tyre, the company uses 3D technologies and advanced materials which are used for manufacturing and renewing the tread of this mobility solution. This airless tyre manufactured by Michelin is made from bio-sourced and recycled products. It also provides advice and various services to the driver. The tyre will also reduce the environmental footprints of car journeys.

Earlier in 2012, Michelin had launched the BioButterfly programme. This programme was in partnership with IFP Energies Nouvelles and Axens, to develop sustainable materials by creating synthetic elastomers from biomass such as beet, wood and straw. It is learnt that this project is in test phase and could be utilized for production as early as 2020. Moreover, in line with its ambition, Michelin recently acquired Lehigh Technologies. Lehigh is specialist in high technology micro powders, which is derived from recycled tyres.

Michelin’s Group Technical and Scientific Communication Director, Cyrille Roget said, that recycling is an important area of focus for the company and to achieve this they will go for a high-technology approach. Read Tyre Industry News Here…!