AKRON—Smithers Rapra representatives will provide insights into emerging tire industry trends with a trio of presentations at the International Tire Exhibition & Conference, set for Sept. 11-13 at the John S. Knight Center in Akron.
Jim Popio, vice president of operations North America; Bruce Lambillotte, vice president of technical consulting; and Christine Domer, general manager of the Akron Laboratory; are set to speak, covering a range of topics that highlight emerging trends within the tire industry.
Popio's presentation, "Three Key Automotive Trends and What it Could Mean for Tires," explores how technological developments with the automotive industry are impacting the role tires play. He also will look at how tire manufacturers and the supply chain could respond to trends that could emerge within the next five to 10 years.
Lambillotte will discuss his study on "Trends and Techniques for Light Weighting in Truck Tires," showing how original equipment manufacturers and fleets look to optimize fuel efficiency past rolling resistance. The study focuses on the whole tire compared to individual component perspectives; target tire components for weight reduction; and weight reduction of rubber components compared to reinforcements.
Domer will join ITEC Co-chairman Walter Waddell in presenting the first part of "Silica-Filled Passenger Car Tire Treads," covering the use of precipitated silica and mixing variables. The second part of the session will focus on material performance measurements such as cure, and the physical and dynamic properties related to silica in passenger car tire treads.
Smithers Rapra representatives also will be available each day of the ITEC expo event at Booth No. 325.
For more about ITEC, including registration information and a full schedule of events, visit itec-tireshow.com.