Tyre manufacturer Michelin has produced a new racing tyre, comprising between 33 and 40 per cent recovered material, ahead of the MotoE World Cup motorcycle racing series. The new and more sustainable racing tyre that was presented earlier this week contains, among other materials, recovered Carbon Black that was produced using Enviro’s recycling technology for end-of-life tyres.
Michelin’s develops specialist tyres from Enviro’s rCB
MotoE is a racing series for electric motorcycles that are being held for the third year. Michelin is the supplier of tyres to the race participants and, ahead of this year’s season, has produced a tyre that has significantly less environmental impact due to its high content of recycled materials, including recovered carbon black supplied by Enviro. According to Michelin, tests during the spring showed that the new and more sustainable tyres contribute to shorter lap times, while they also heat up more quickly, with improved grip as a result.
“Naturally, it is fantastic that only a few months after we entered our strategic partnership, Michelin has already introduced a racing tyre that is not only more sustainable due to our technology but has also proved to increase performance. It is just further confirmation that there is no contradiction between increased sustainability and high quality, which bodes very well for the continued development of products based on our recovered materials,” says Thomas Sörensson, CEO of Enviro. (See Podcast 23 on Tyre and Rubber Recycling)
Michelin has plans to make all of its tyre sustainable by 2050 – this will be through the use of new materials, alternative recycled materials and management of rubber plantations with other producers to ensure they remain sustainable for the land, the people and the products.
Michelin’s initiative to produce sustainable racing tyres reflects these ambitions and the new tyres for MotoE are well on the way to achieving the intermediate target for 2030 – the rear tyres used for this season already contain 40 per cent recovered material, while the front tyres have a somewhat lower content at 33 per cent.
Michelin recently held a capital markets day at which sustainability was a major and important theme. In most of the presentations by the company’s management, Enviro and its recycling technology were highlighted as a key factor in Michelin’s ability to achieve its sustainability goals. When the new racing tyre was presented, the strategic partnership with Enviro was depicted as decisive in the development of the tyre.
“It is quite evident that Michelin genuinely intends to make use of the opportunities for enhanced sustainability offered by our strategic partnership. It is highly positive for Enviro and for recovered carbon black that Michelin is using motorcycle racing to showcase its investments,” says Thomas Sörensson.
