19 Feb 2009
Rhodia and Dow Corning confirm first target for joint silica/silane development activity
Tire Technology Expo, Hamburg, Germany, February 19, 2009. Rhodia and Dow Corning reveal the first stage of their new alliance will be to develop solutions that allow for the introduction of silica in natural rubber covering applications such as truck tyres and selected passenger vehicle tyres.
Natural rubber represents about sixty percent of total rubber usage in tyres so the introduction of high loadings of silica/silane in natural rubber formulations offers a huge development potential for improvements in tyre performance.
The two companies say their target will be to validate the benefits of silica/silane in natural rubber compounds where the use of silica/silane combination in truck tyre tread may well lead to enhanced performance in terms of rolling resistance, hence bringing significant fuel savings and CO2 reduction.
“According to the recent PricewaterhouseCoopers Truck Future Report*, fuel economy is the number one purchasing criteria of the road transportation industry”, explains Eric Noyrez, President of Rhodia Silcea and Director of the Silica Business Unit of Rhodia. “This demonstrates the strong and urgent market need for diverse technological innovation to help reduce fuel consumption.”
Thierry Materne, Dow Corning’s Global Industry Director - Coating, Reinforced Plastics & Tyre adds: “The programme we are working on together with Rhodia will enable us to exploit and combine our innovative solutions to benefit tyre manufacturers who seek to meet the growing demand from truck and transportation companies for better fuel efficiency and improved environmental benefits.”
Team members from Rhodia and Dow Corning have been working closely together to develop prototype solutions and are now actively engaged in identifying prospective customers around the world to contribute and participate in the next steps of the development activity.
The companies say that their alliance will give tyre manufacturers a unique opportunity to benefit from the shared competencies of two innovative leaders. Working to form a three-way relationship will help them develop and meet their specific needs and goals rather than the traditional approach of standard solutions being imposed upon the marketplace.
* The Truck Industry’s Green Challenge: headwind or competitive edge?
Edited by PricewaterhouseCoopers – September 2008
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Notes for editors
Rhodia is an international chemical company resolutely committed to sustainable development. As a leader in its businesses, the Group aims to improve its customers’ performance through the pursuit of operational excellence and its ability to innovate. Structured around six Enterprises, Rhodia is the partner of major players in the automotive, tyre, electronics, perfume, health & beauty and home care markets. The Group employs around 15,000 people worldwide and generated sales of €4.8 billion in 2007. Rhodia is listed on Euronext Paris.
Dow Corning provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation, Dow Corning offers more than 7,000 products and services through the Dow Corning® and XIAMETER® brands. Dow Corning is a joint venture equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning’s annual sales are outside the United States.
For more information, please visit our website: www.rhodia.com and www.dowcorning.com
Editorial enquiries
Jérôme Pisani
Rhodia Silcea
Alan Flower
EMG