Researchers at the company’s innovation center in Oklahoma have identified that rubber compounds made with soybean oil blend better with the silica used in building tires thereby improving plant efficiency and reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Commenting on the development Goodyear chief technical officer Jean-Claude Kihn said that the company has always been committed to protecting the environment and the usage of soybean oil is a step in the same direction.
"Consumers benefit through improved tread life, Goodyear gains with increased efficiency and energy savings and we all win whenever there is a positive impact on the environment," added Kihn.
The companyin partnership with DuPont Industrial Biosciences has also developed bio-based alternative for petroleum-derived isoprene, as part of its efforts to increase usage of renewable raw materials.
