Hankook first to benefit from Kumho Petrochemical's sustainable SSBR

SEOUL, South Korea—Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd. is one major step closer to more sustainable—55-percent sustainable materials in its tires by 2025 to be exact.

And it's getting a major push from one of Kumho Petrochemicals Co. Ltd.'s latest sustainability developments.

Hankook and Kumho Petrochemical May 22 signed a memorandum of understanding that will allow the tire maker to secure the first batches of Eco Solution-polymerized Styrene-Butadiene Rubber. Eco-SSBR, Hankook said, applies recycled styrene monomer (RSM) instead of basic, raw material styrene to SSBR.

With Eco-SSBR, Kumho Petrochemical looks to maintain the performance properties of the high-performance synthetic rubber—namely better wear resistance and fuel economy in tires—but with more sustainable benefits.

Hankook's implementation and testing of the material will help to prove out Eco-SSBR's potential.

Kumho Petrochemical intends to invest in its ISCC-PLUS-certified Eco-SSBR development with the aim of bringing production online as early as 2026.

Attendees of the signing included major stakeholders such as Sooil Lee, president and CEO of Hankook Tire & Technology, and Jong-Hoon Baek, Kumho Petrochemical president and CEO.

Hankook's sustainability efforts are well-grounded, particularly in the natural rubber procurement space. The tire maker is a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber and continues its work to improve the living conditions of small-scale farmers.