Press
Results from Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd’s (SRI) research into producing a sustainable and reliable alternative to natural rubber from tomato enzymes, for future car tyre applications, have rewarded the company with the coveted 2023 "Tire Technology international Award for Innovation and Excellence".
SRI, Falken’s parent company, together with leading research institutions in Japan, have - over the past year - developed a process leading to further utilisation of natural rubber as a resource and therefore to the development of new rubber options also contributing to optimising general tyre properties. For this purpose, the researchers have identified part of a natural rubber synthase that plays an important role in controlling its polymer chain length. With this knowledge, it should be possible to produce a biomolecule that has better properties than natural rubber, allowing engineers to improve tyres further.
SRI also scooped the R&D Breakthrough of the Year Award, through which the jury recognises the benefits of research into a new technique to discover new key components of natural rubber, improving its yield.
The Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence rely on an independent judging panel of international journalists and industry experts, working to recognise the best new technologies and innovations from around the world and are considered the industry's highest honour. The award was presented to Dr Bernd Löwenhaupt, managing director of Sumitomo Rubber Europe GmbH, at the "Tire Technology International 2023" conference on 21st March 2023.
"We are very proud that our efforts to produce a sustainable and progressive tyre are being honoured in this exclusive setting," Dr. Bernd Löwenhaupt said. "With these awards, the jury also recognises our commitment to research and development, a process during which we may take other, at first glance unconventional paths, to get where we want to go."
This is the fifth time Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd has received the "Tire Technology of the Year Award", having previously been recognised by SRI for its "4th Generation Run-Flat Tire Technology" (2010), "Advanced 4D Nano Design New Materials Development Technology" (2017), "Sensing Core Technology" (2019), as well as last year (2022) for its "Performance Sustaining Technology".
This year Falken Tyre Europe GmbH is continuing its commitment to local institutions in Offenbach and is donating almost 6,000 euros in total. The donations will benefit four important initiatives that are actively involved in the areas of sport, social affairs and education and make an invaluable contribution to the community in the city of Offenbach.
Tyres for electric and hybrid vehicles have to satisfy special requirements: they should offer low rolling resistance, guarantee optimum traction on all surfaces and be able handle heavy loads at the same time. The Falken tyres meet these requirements. Since May 2023 and November 2023, Falken Tyre Europe has been supplying its e. ZIEX AO model in the 235/65R18 H XL and 255/60R18 H XL sizes to the Audi plant in Ingolstadt, where the successful AUDI Q6 e-tron is currently leaving the production lines.
Falken Tyre Europe GmbH will be making changes to its management team for January 2025: Thomas Langer will be taking over as Sales Director Germany Replacement at Falken. Thomas Langer began his career at Falken in 2010 as a sales representative for the region of Bavaria and Saxony/Thuringia and has been responsible for southern Germany as regional sales manager since 2018.