Sustainable Tyre Ecosystem in 3 questions to Hankook's Massimo Cialone
Sustainability extends beyond direct emissions. While Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have begun reporting on production and distribution emissions, the tire industry is actively working towards fostering more sustainable transportation. Massimo Cialone, Chief Compounder Specialist at Hankook Tire ETC, sheds light on how Hankook contributes to this cause.
What can fleet customers expect regarding sustainable tyre technology development and how will this benefit their operations and costs?
Efficient management of the fleet is clearly a top priority for fleet operators. Nowadays however, there is another significant priority: sustainability must be considered when investing in the fleet and this also applies to tyres. The new Hankook iON tyre series is especially developed for EVs and is able to achieve a much reduced level of Rolling Resistance. This will allow fleets to reduce CO2 emissions and at the same time reduce fuel consumption. Furthermore, due to the increased wear resistance of the newest tread compounds, mileage will be increased while at the same time there will be less TRWP (Tyre and Road Wear Particles).
In what way is Hankook a frontrunner in the field of the circular economy concept, with the use of light-weight and recycled materials?
Hankook was the first tyre company to achieve the ISCC+ certification for its plant in Geumsan/Korea in 2021 and this year the European plant in Hungary received this coveted certification proving the company’s commitment to sustainability in production.Hankook has a very clear vision regarding sustainability summarized in its E.Circle statement and the ambitious goal to be carbon neutral by 2050. E.Circle is Hankook’s strategy to preserve the environment implementing four approaches to the entire product life cycle: Recycle, Renewable, Reuse, and Reduce. Several years ago Hankook started to use sustainable materials, such as bio-based oils and recycled materials, and implemented the necessary equipment in their facilities to process the new resources. The increased attention to TRWP, also boosted by the upcoming EURO7 regulations, motivated Hankook to develop a new range of materials with greater increased wear resistance in order to reduce the generation of wear particles.
How does Hankook differentiate from its competitors in the tyre manufacturing ecosystem with regard to tyre safety?
When developing tyres, safety is always our top priority, there must be no compromises. When it comes to our EV tyre range Hankook iON, our engineers have mastered the conflict between low rolling resistance and consistent qualities in other important criteria such as handling and wet braking excellency.
