Sustainability takes spotlight at ITEC: 4 key notes from Day 1

AKRON—The International Tire Exhibition & Conference returned to Akron May 14, bringing with it conversations around sustainability.

Pierluigi Cumo, vice president of Michelin business-to-business products, kicked off the event with a keynote presentation that focused on the impact Michelin's more sustainable products can have.

Later in the afternoon a panel of experts—from tire makers and suppliers—sat down to discuss the challenges that lie ahead as the industry pursues a more sustainable materials future. The panel included:

• Maureen Kline, vice president of public affairs and sustainability for Pirelli Tire North America;
• Bill Niaura, director of sustainable materials and circular economy for Bridgestone Americas Inc.;
• Kelsey Roste, vice president of decarbonized solutions for Monolith Corp.; and
• Tony Wibbeler, founder and CEO of Bolder Industries Inc.

Here are four takeaways from those conversations.

In practice, sustainability is ambiguous and all encompassing. Pinning down what it actually means is trickier.

"I think it might help to step back and look at what do we mean by sustainability," Niaura said during a panel discussion on sustainable materials.

"I am going to pirate a definition from, I think, the Ellen MacArthur foundation: Sustainability is something along the lines of being able to satisfy our needs without detracting from the ability of future generations to do the same. So it comes down to what we are using and what the attributes of those materials are. And then it gets to the fun part: How do we do that technically? What is the science? What are the opportunities?"

There is no standard definition of sustainability. And that can make moving forward difficult, Wibbeler said during the sustainable materials panel discussion.

"The definition of sustainability right now is probably the biggest challenge, because it is defined by so many different people in so many different ways," he said.

In the long run, Wibbeler said, sustainability breaks down around those familiar lines—reduce, reuse and recycle.

"Myopically or holistically, if you consider it, the first opportunity is to reduce, right? That is what the tire companies are working really diligently on, reducing the need for those tires to be end-of-life.

"And then reuse, (which is) most of what we are trying to focus on right now on the technology side. And if you can't reuse it, let's at the minimum use it as something else. And when you think of that there are so many different applications."

When it comes to rolling out more sustainable products—products with more sustainable materials, greater durability, better fuel economy/range and retreadability—Michelin says safety and performance will not be compromised.

"Whatever we develop cannot compromise on the existing performance," Cumo said. "So if a tire is delivering 60,000 miles today and we make it more sustainable, it is going to have to deliver 60,000 miles tomorrow, regardless of how we do it.

"We have to think through the whole process. Whenever we look at new materials, new components or new ways to make tires—it needs to be sustainable throughout our process. ... That is why (sustainability) is such an interesting challenge. Because it has all those implications. It is not just a race to sustainably increase the percentage (of materials)."

Sustainability, in the end, is a challenge. And not just for Michein. It is one that the sustainable materials panelists noted they're eager to take on.

But they were also quick to note that quality, performance and safety will never be sacrificed in the name of greater sustainability.

"We heard from Michelin the same thing I would say, which is: No, we can't compromise," Kline said.

For Michelin, achieving the biggest sustainability goals requires the right formula of innovation, partnership and, yes, optimism.

"I think (optimism is) crucial," Cumo said. "All that I discussed has its challenges and they are numerous. If there isn't optimism—a belief that you can do it—I think it becomes very challenging."

He pointed out that throughout Michelin's 135 year history, innovation has been at the heart of what the tire maker does. That innovation has carried it through transitions to automobiles, more fuel efficient tires and into a more sustainable era built around more sustainable powertrains.

"I gave the example around the innovation timeline to show what we have delivered in the past, and I think that is what makes us optimists," Cumo said. "In terms of what we can do in the future and the impact that we can have, you saw examples of the partnerships and we have seen the impact that we can have when we partner with the right customers. That is what I think makes us optimists.

"I wouldn't say optimism for the sake of optimism, but when it is coupled with all the rest, I think that is what makes it really powerful."