Cooper to partner in plant based rubber project
Parthenium argentatum, or guayule, is a flowering shrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, and can be used as an alternative source of latex. It is precisely this quality that has piqued the interest of Cooper Tire & Rubber. The tyre maker has looked into alternative latex sources for a couple of years now and on 29 February it announced having entered into an agreement with Yulex Corporation to jointly evaluate and develop guayule polymers and resins for tyre applications.
Under the agreement, Cooper will provide advanced polymer and materials science expertise and utilise its design, development and testing capabilities as part of this project. Yulex will contribute experience with the development and production of advanced engineered biopolymers from the guayule plant. The two parties have opted not to disclose the terms of the agreement.
In a statement announcing the joint project, Cooper comments that a declining global supply for natural rubber makes it increasingly vital to identify a sustainable, high quality alternative source of natural rubber. It says the biopolymers Yulex extracts from the guayule plant are used as a replacement for traditional tropical or petroleum-based rubber. Production of this bio-based material is described as ecologically responsible and carbon neutral, and the material itself is valued for its physical performance including increased elasticity, functionality, reliability and strength.
“The agreement between Cooper Tire and Yulex will facilitate development of a domestic supplemental source of natural rubber by leveraging resources and capabilities of both companies,” said Chuck Yurkovich, Cooper’s vice-president of Global Technology. “Our goal is to develop a reliable source of natural rubber, thus decreasing our reliance on off-shore raw material sources. If successful, the programme will create a new agricultural polymer with broad-based tyre industry applications, convert desert wasteland into viable farm land for associated crops, and create jobs for American workers.”
“We are excited to be partnering with Cooper Tire to develop a custom technology utilising the guayule plant for their next-generation tyre production,” added Yulex CEO Jeff Martin. “This agreement represents an outstanding commercial opportunity and a significant validation of our technology.”
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