The manufacturing, design, and performance style of tires are constantly evolving. Essentially, the increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), ongoing supply chain disruptions, and consumer demand for sustainable rubber products, industrial and consumer product manufacturing clichés are transforming the industry. Substantiating this is the launch of the world’s first recyclable silicone self-sealing tire solution, which meets manufacturers’ performance and sustainability demands while providing drivers and passengers with a lightweight, safe, and durable solution. Another fundamental shift is the one driven by the introduction of electric vehicles (EV), which has replaced nitrile rubber with ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM), silicone, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV). The automotive industry is also noticing a growing consumer demand for eco-friendly rubber materials capable of managing tire rolling resistance. Ultra-high performance (UHP) and low rolling resistance (LRR) tires represent this demand, becoming the fastestgrowing technologies and market segment for tire OEMs.
Bringing in additional technological innovation is the automation facet that helps tire manufacturers meet global competition and consolidation targets through AI software and ML algorithms. This automation capability can be applied to entire manufacturing plants or specific process equipment like a tire-building machine to markedly improve production efficiencies and minimize delays. Simultaneously, the integration of radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips and sensors in tires is storing critical data and enabling powerful analytics that can support precise programming for autonomous vehicles and facilitate data-driven maintenance processes.
This Manufacturing Outlook edition presents some promising rubber and tire solutions providers. This issue includes thought leadership articles from Monty Rigsby, Vice President of North America’s truck tire manufacturing operations at Michelin, and Matthew Stockwin, manufacturing director at Coats. The edition also features Presti Industries, a company producing innovative, easy-touse, lightweight, and durable retread envelope solutions.