Hankook Tire & Technology has signed an MOU with Solvay Silica to co-develop circular silica for tire manufacturing, marking a step toward sustainable tire production.
Both companies formalized the partnership during a signing ceremony on January 10 at the Hankook Technodome, Hankook Tire’s advanced research center. The ceremony brought together senior leadership from both companies, including Bonhee Ku, president and CTO of Hankook Tire, and An Nuyttens, president silica and special chem GBU, Solvay.
Tire companies have been using rice husk ash silica, derived from discarded rice husks, to increase sustainable raw materials. This brings challenges such as high costs and limitations in diversifying supply regions. Rice husks present logistical challenges due to their high volumetric weight, resulting in increased transportation costs. To overcome this, Hankook has been actively exploring the development of circular silica from various sources proposed by Solvay.
Hankook is currently advancing its technical development with Solvay Silica, targeting gradual mass production of circular silica. Hankook says through the partnership, its contribution to circularity and sustainability will be enhanced thanks to Solvay’s massive circular conversion of all its plants.
Meanwhile, Hankook says that it remains committed to ” leading the sustainable growth of the tire industry through various initiatives”. In April 2024, it commercialized its EV tire brand iON, which applies the first chemically recycled PET fiber tire cord in Korea. Furthermore, in May 2023, Hankook signed an MOU with Kumho Petrochemical for the development and business cooperation of eco-friendly tires.
