Michelin CEO talks sustainability at Movin'On

MONTREAL—Sustainability and the digital revolution are cornerstones in the way forward for Michelin, company CEO Jean-Dominique Senard said in his opening remarks at Movin'On June 13 in Montreal.

"The Michelin Group is enthusiastically playing its part in designing the mobility of the future," Senard said in a speech delivered in French and printed later in English translation.

"That's why, proud of our open innovation and the networking of our expertise, we wanted to renew the Michelin Challenge Bibendum by transforming it into Movin'On, the leading global rendezvous for sustainable mobility," he said.

Michelin does not consider "Movin'On" to be a mere slogan, according to Senard.

"Instead, it's a call to action, collective, optimistic, technologically demanding action in phase with the 21st century and with the challenges that we must meet," he said.

The need to conserve energy and raw materials connects all mobility stakeholders, according to Senard.

"Michelin is not content to talk about the future and to organize the dialogue," he said. "Rather, it is building the future by taking action."

The Open Lab Challenge Bibendum Ecosystem, in which Michelin collaborates with its industrial partners, startups, academics and professional networks, embodies the spirit of Movin'On, according to Senard.

He announced the North American extension of Open Lab Challenge Bibendum, beginning with the opening of Movin'On. Michelin's partner in the North American extension is the Montreal-based Institut de l'Electrification et des Transports Intelligent, he said.

"Through our ambitious R&D strategy and the many research partnerships forged by the group, through our equity investments in promising startups, Michelin has powerful advantages to prepare for the future, alongside our customers," he said.

Michelin's Vision concept tire, which combines a fully connected vehicle with the ability to change a tire's tread through 3D imaging, is the realization of the company's sustainable mobility vision—"safer, more environmentally friendly and deeply anchored in our customers' needs," Senard said.

"Vision concentrates our knowhow, born from the creativity, willpower and passion of our research teams," he said.

"At Michelin, we believe in ingenuity, thanks to which we want to imbue the future with optimism," Senard said. "We are open to the collaborative world, without borders—a more connected world that invites people to work together more closely."

The June 13-15 Movin'On conference featured 80 speakers, 48 workshops and master classes, and 21 advanced technology vehicles for the Ride & Drive portion of the event, according to Michelin.