Continental: Sustainable materials in tyre production

Car tyres are round, black and made of rubber. Look closer, however, and you’ll see that the design of tyres and the interaction of the various materials that go into making them are extremely complex.

But for some time now, the material experts and tyre engineers at Continental have been bringing about a silent revolution.

By 2050 at the latest, the tyre maker says all of its tyres are to be made of sustainable materials.

There is still a long way to go until then. But step by step, it is already becoming apparent which raw materials will find their way into tyre construction in the future.

These include waste products from agriculture – such as the ash from rice husks – rubber from dandelions, recycled rubber or PET bottles.

Claus Petschick, head of sustainability at Continental Tyres, is clear about Continental’s mission, saying: “Continental is on the road to becoming the most progressive manufacturer in the tyre industry in terms of sustainability. We aim to use 100 per cent sustainable materials in our tyre products by 2050 at the latest.

“Our innovative power enables us to break new and even more sustainable ground. This encompasses everything from the origin and sourcing of our materials through to the reuse and recycling of our tyres.”

Already today, Continental claims around 15 to 20 per cent renewable or recycled materials are used in its standard passenger car tyres.

To further increase the proportion of sustainable materials and conserve valuable resources, Continental says it is continuously analysing and reviewing all raw materials used in tyre production.