Vaculug’s second Sustainable Thinking Fleet Forum of the year is officially sold out. Vaculug representative report that they are “excited to be hosting this exclusive event, as it demonstrates their commitment to promoting sustainability and driving positive change within the tyre industry and fleet management sector”.
In the week prior to Rishi Sunak’s announcement that the ICE ban would be pushed back from 2030 to 2035, 42 per cent of drivers planning to buy a new car said they expected it to be a low-emissions vehicle (either fully electric or hybrid), according to research carried out for Kwik Fit. However, following the announcement, Kwik Fit’s researchers found that the proportion planning to opt for a low-emissions vehicle has now dropped back to 38 per cent. The figures indicate that the number of car buyers planning to choose an EV or hybrid has dropped by more than two million since the ban has moved from 2030 to 2035.
In addition to featuring the Elect marking on the sidewall, the P Zero E is the first Pirelli tyre to wear a new logo that identifies it as a product containing at least 50 per cent sustainable materials. This new marking depicts two arrows in a circle and will also be present on future tyre models made from half or more bio-based and/or recycled materials.
Speke-based tyre wholesaler Kirkby Tyres has gained ISO 14001:2015 certification following its installation of new solar panels, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable practices. The company says it became the first UK truck and agricultural tyre specialist wholesaler to gain the certification when it was confirmed on 18 August 2023. The company adds that the latest certification is not the first time it has led the way in best practices; in 1993, Kirkby Tyres became the first truck & agricultural tyre wholesaler in the UK to achieve ISO 9001 accreditation. The company said: “we continue to pay consideration to the maintenance and renewal of our operating procedures, standards, and documentation.” Kirkby Tyres celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022.
Xingda, the steel tyre cord manufacturer, has released its sustainability report for 2022, the second of its kind. Within the details, the fact that 32.89 per cent of Xingda’s output consisted of super-high or ultra-high tensile strength products, commonly used in EV tyres, is noteworthy.
Continental’s tyre plant in Lousado, Portugal has received the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS. The international certification confirms the manufacturer’s compliance with special sustainability standards at its Lousado plant; specifically the transparency and traceability of renewable and recycled raw materials along the entire supply chain. The manufacturer said that the certification represents an important milestone on its journey towards 100 per cent sustainable materials in its tyre products, a target Conti has set for 2050. Conti already produces what it says is the most sustainable tyre on the market at Lousado. The UltraContact NXT contains up to 65 per cent renewable, recycled and mass balance certified materials. Up to 28 per cent of these are accounted for by ISCC PLUS-certified materials, such as synthetic rubber made from biobutadiene or industrial carbon black, parts of which are produced from circular oil.
Plant engineer and equipment manufacturer Zeppelin Systems launched the Zeppelin Sustainable Tire Alliance in March 2023 to pursue a goal of increasing sustainability within the tyre industry by rethinking production and recycling within the context of a circular economy. The Alliance brings together firms from around the world in order to put this vision into practice at various points in the tyre value chain. The latest to join is Siemens AG.
Teams competing in this year’s Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) will drive on the first motorsport tyres to feature Enliten technology. Furthermore, one of the tyre specifications that Bridgestone custom designed for the 1,860-mile (3,000 km) route through Australia contains 63 per cent recycled and renewable materials.
Battery technology specialist GS Yuasa has played a pivotal role in powering the future of sustainable energy at The Royal Mint’s multi-technology Energy Centre at Llantrisant, Wales, which was unveiled by Infinite Renewables earlier this month. At the heart of The Royal Mint Energy Centre is GS Yuasa’s state-of-the-art dual-chemistry energy storage system (ESS).
Vaculug has raised financing from Queens Road Capital in what the company describes as a world-first Sustainability Linked Financing Package (SLFP) for any retreading company. Vaculug will use these proceeds to fund its significant expansion and growth.
Pirelli North America has partnered Atlanta, Georgia based The Ray, a non-profit which has helped to develop a net-zero highway testbed. The 18-mile stretch of Interstate 85 in West Georgia is located near Pirelli’s US production facility in Rome, Georgia. Pirelli states the partnership “aims to advance research and solutions in areas such as technology for road safety, circular economy, EV charging infrastructure, renewable energy, and environmental and social impacts of tyres and roads.” Pirelli has joined The Ray’s advisory board and will contribute to its strategic thinking around roadways of the future. Projects include future rubber-modified asphalt projects and the use of tyre-derived aggregate for stormwater galleries. Pirelli is also joining “a multi-tiered partnership focused on tyres and the circular economy.” This intends to drive forward education, innovation, solutions development and sharing best practice.
Rema Tip Top recommends repairing punctured tubes rather than disposing them too quickly. And to that end, the company has been developing bicycle tyres repair products for over 100 years. Now the company has released a video showing how repairs can be done easily and quickly.
Bridgestone is supporting a team of Durham University students as they take on the World Solar Challenge in Australia. The students designed a three-wheeled asymmetrical catamaran-style car for the 3,000km journey on 22-29 October, which will run on specially designed Bridgestone Enliten tyres. The Challenger Class car has been two years in development, with months of remote study and digital development taking place to firstly overcome the challenges of the global pandemic and eventually a sustainable vehicle with a cruising consumption of 1kWh.
Wholesaler American Tire Distributors, Inc. (ATD) has published its third annual sustainability report. Titled Catalysts for Change, the report describes ATD’s achievements and progress in 2022 against the goals outlined in the inaugural 2020 report.
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Anna Nekrashevich
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