Versalis, Ecombine and EVE Rubber Institute to develop green tyres

Versalis (wholly-owned by Eni SpA & a producer in the polymers and elastomers industry), Ecombine and EVE Rubber Institute - respective subsidiary and affiliate companies of Mesnac, a Chinese global leading rubber & tyre machinery corporation – on July 3, 2015 announced a joint technology agreement to develop an innovative technology for high performance green tyres.
 
Versalis’ know-how in synthetic rubbers will play a key role in attaining a breakthrough generation of tyres, based on proprietary solution styrene butadiene rubber (s-SBR) and butadiene bubber (Nd-HCBR) technologies.
 
The scope of the partnership will be to integrate the Versalis elastomers technologies with EVE’s ATCM (Advanced Technology for Compound Manufacturing), an innovative technology, for the production of advanced elastomer compounds designed for the tyre market.
 
“The combination of Versalis and EVE’s technologies is going to generate an innovative joint technology platform which will offer to the tyre market an unrivalled array of new materials with enhanced mechanical performances and environment-friendly features,” said the companies in a press release. The newly developed technology will be used by Versalis and EVE for joint licensing - thus laying the basis for long-term cooperation.
 
"Technology innovation in the elastomers industry is fundamental to ensure a leading position in the marketplace. In the tyre business, R&D is focused on meeting the ever-growing customer requirements in terms of performances and environmental sustainability. This new partnership - incorporating and leveraging top of the class technologies - will be a real game changer within the tire landscape, capable to significantly upgrade the excellence of the products and the creation of value within the supply chain,” said Daniele Ferrari, CEO of Versalis.
 
“We consider Eni as our most reliable partner in the new material project not only because it is one of the most influential players in the oil industry, but also a solid cooperation foundation between Italy and China, especially in the tyre industry. It is worth mentioning that H radial tyre technology industrialisation in China has been implemented as well by a main Italian tyre manufacturer. Ecombine will cooperate with Versalis in key and major techniques, introducing SSBR and BR. Our cooperation will facilitate the transition of SSBR and BR from raw materials to mass application. Meanwhile, EVE rubber institute will cooperate with Versalis in solvent recycling. The cooperation between the three parties will benefit the development of the green tire industry and improve the creativity and core competence of elastomers,” said Yuan Zhongxue, chairman of Mesnac.