Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • ITEC
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • International Elastomer Show
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Goodyear to install dynamic driving simulator at Luxembourg site
      Nokian Tyres to add up to 150 jobs at Dayton, Tenn., factory
      Biden signs executive order, prioritizes U.S.-made EVs, PPE
      Conti starts production of ‘HL' load index tires for select OE customers
    • Order takes Michelin-Enviro partnership a step closer
      Goodyear to install dynamic driving simulator at Luxembourg site
      Nokian Tyres to add up to 150 jobs at Dayton, Tenn., factory
      Conti starts production of ‘HL' load index tires for select OE customers
    • EnergyEne gets grant to focus on guayule latex
      DuPont investing in Liveo line of silicone products
      A change at the top for Stockwell Elastomerics
      Flexan receives FDA registration for Suzhou facility
    • Order takes Michelin-Enviro partnership a step closer
      Phillips Carbon Black expanding capacity at site in India
      DuPont investing in Liveo line of silicone products
      New systems solutions advance the sustainability of automotive weatherseals
    • Rubber Division scholarships, stipends available
      DuPont investing in Liveo line of silicone products
      A change at the top for Stockwell Elastomerics
      Flexan receives FDA registration for Suzhou facility
    • WCCO task force navigates pandemic, expands communications
      ASTM cancels April meetings as COVID-19 continues impact
      Paycheck Protection Program funding reopens Jan. 15
      Detroit Auto Show canceled; alternative event being planned for September
    • A change at the top for Stockwell Elastomerics
      Angelos Papadimitriou to leave position with Pirelli after six months on job
      Tero Peltomaki named Cimcorp CEO
      Synthomer CEO MacLean to step down by early 2022
    • Biden signs executive order, prioritizes U.S.-made EVs, PPE
      ITC votes to keep duties in place on China P/LT tire imports
      Hwa Fong joins Taiwan tire makers' bid for alternative to import duties
      NLRB certifies USW as bargaining unit for Kumho Tire plant in Georgia
    • Editorial: Against a backdrop of turmoil, M&A deals give glimpse of normalcy
      Column: Pandemic looms over everything in life, business in 2020
      Column: Lessons from the 2020 Best Places to Work
      Editorial: Silicone hit hard by pandemic, expected to bounce back
    • Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
      Impact of peroxide blends on the cure rate and aged properties in HNBR
      Techniques to detect long chain branching in polymers
    • Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
      IEC speaker: Specialized elastomers may reduce spread of life-threatening pathogens
    • WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
      Rubber Division planning second Women of Rubber event
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
      New products: 3M introduces new durable, pliable medical adhesive
      New Products: Lanxess launches energy-efficient PU elastomer
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Goodyear to install dynamic driving simulator at Luxembourg site
      Nokian Tyres to add up to 150 jobs at Dayton, Tenn., factory
      Biden signs executive order, prioritizes U.S.-made EVs, PPE
      Conti starts production of ‘HL' load index tires for select OE customers
    • Rubber Division scholarships, stipends available
      DuPont investing in Liveo line of silicone products
      A change at the top for Stockwell Elastomerics
      Flexan receives FDA registration for Suzhou facility
    • EnergyEne gets grant to focus on guayule latex
      Rubber Division scholarships, stipends available
      Bridgestone bets on guayule as alternative natural rubber source
      Synthomer CEO MacLean to step down by early 2022
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Select™: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Understanding and Selecting Performance Additives for Rubber Compounding
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
June 05, 2009 02:00 AM

Yokohama tire technology blends eco-friendliness, grip, durability

Brad Dawson
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    FULLERTON, Calif.—Yokohama Tire Corp. is using environmentally conscious tire technology both to make points on the race track and the world's highways.

    The company's orange oil-based Advan ENV-R1, which debuted earlier this year, is the spec tire for the Patron GT3 Challenge by Yokohama series and the American Le Mans Series' Challenge Class. Its new dB Super E-spec tire, also made from a combination of orange oil and natural rubber, will be available as a consumer tire at local and online tire retail shops.

    The technology has been in existence for about 20 years, according to Mark Chung, Yokohama director of corporate strategy and planning. Over the years the tire maker has worked on the program and has reached the point where it is mature enough to be applied to both world-class racing applications and to everyday consumer lines, he said.

    The orange-oil-infused technology—based on a compound called Super Nano-Power Rubber—was centered on the firm's commitment to bringing a more eco-friendly product to market. Yokohama's racing program has long served as one of its core developmental activities, and its race engineers were given the challenge of producing a “greener” race tire without incurring any performance compromises, Chung said.

    Eco benefits

    The Advan ENV-R1 racing tires are eco-friendly for several reasons. First, the race slick uses natural rubber, while a typical race slick uses little if any of the material. The combination of natural rubber and orange oil reduces petroleum-based material inputs by 15 percent versus a typical race slick, Chung said.

    The tire is composed of 80-percent nonpetroleum material inputs, he added.

    Second, the orange oil comes from a juicing plant in Japan where orange rinds are discarded, and the waste byproduct is utilized to extract the oil. The tires themselves also are produced in plants—like all of parent Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.'s Japanese facilities—emitting zero emissions, Chung said.

    The orange-oil technology fits in well with the company's global green objectives and programs, which include its zero-emission sites and its “Forever Forest” tree-planting project.

    “We are known to produce some of the world's best, fastest tires,” Chung said. “To bring to market world-class, high-performance products that embody eco-friendly attributes speaks volumes about our capabilities. We are showing the world that we need to sacrifice neither performance nor eco-friendly sensibilities with our tires.”

    That strategy is exemplified by the tire's rolling resistance coefficient. Independent testing has shown that the dB Super E-spec's RRC figure is 22 percent less than that of North America's most popular hybrid vehicle's original equipment tire, and it is achieved without performance degradation, he said.

    Getting results

    Yokohama's orange-oil tires have been met with compliments across the board, from race teams to owners to series organizers, Chung said. They like the performance levels and, just as importantly, the durability of the tires.

    “Natural rubber is very durable,” he said. “However, it lacks the grip necessary to be used in racing applications. By infusing the natural rubber with the orange oil, we've increased the grip level while not compromising the durability attribute.”

    Lap times also have been fast and consistent, he said. “It is not uncommon to see a race driver put up a fast lap time at the beginning of the race and even a faster lap time in his or her last lap.”

    For example, in the ALMS Challenge Class race at the Utah Grand Prix, held the weekend of May 15-17, driver Bob Faieta ran his fastest lap time one hour into the race after 47 laps, Chung said.

    Following two wins on Yokohama tires at their introductory weekend at the Sebring International Raceway in Florida in March, Faieta praised their strength and durability, even near the end of the races. “It's a testament to the new tire,” he said. “(It's a) really awesome product.”

    The recognition generated by the tires and the connection to the racing series Yokohoma has partnered with has been successful thus far. “The (ALMS) is the undisputed leader in green racing,” Chung said. “To support ALMS's efforts with this tire is a fantastic way to showcase our capabilities.”

    The company is banking on good results for its consumer tires as well. The dB Super E-spec will be available in Japan and North America this summer, with plans to roll it out to other global markets down the road, Chung said.

    The tires will be available as fitments for several car models, including the Toyota Prius (15- and 16-inch tires), Honda Civic Hybrid (15-inch), Toyota Camry Hybrid (16-inch) and Honda Accord Hybrid (16-inch), he said.

    “We are working hard to push the envelope with our eco-friendly tire development,” Chung said. “The recognition has to be earned, not adorned with marketing efforts, and we are constantly working toward the next great product.”

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • ITEC
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • International Elastomer Show
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION