Nokian Tyres, a leading manufacturer of premium tires, has partnered with UPM Biochemicals to develop a concept tire that incorporates UPM’s BioMotion™ Renewable Functional Fillers (RFF). This innovation marks the first time RFF will be used in a tire.
The partnership aims to bring a lighter weight, 100% renewable alternative to traditional CO2-intensive fillers into the market. According to Nokian Tyres, the use of RFF has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of their products.
Functional fillers make up around 30% of a tire and are typically made from materials such as carbon black and precipitated silica. Initial testing by Nokian Tyres suggests that replacing these fillers with RFF could lead to more sustainable tires.
Nokian Tyres is committed to increasing the use of recycled or renewable raw materials in their tires and has already begun using recycled materials in some of their products. They believe that RFF could play an important role in achieving this goal.
Michael Duetsch, Vice President Biochemicals at UPM, commented: “Our partnership with Nokian Tyres marks the exciting entry of our Renewable Functional Fillers into the global tire markets. In successfully demonstrating their application value, it helps us to lay the groundwork for scaling our biorefinery business so that we can make a significant contribution to the sustainable transformation of the mobility sector and beyond.”
The development of RFF and its incorporation into tires highlights the potential for companies to shift away from fossil-based materials and towards renewable alternatives. As the industry continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see more innovative solutions like this emerge.
