Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. is partnering with leading experts in Japan on a significant project unrelated to tyres but with substantial societal benefits. Together, they are working on developing a new cancer therapy using a “cancer cell absorption kit” that employs a unique polymer developed by Sumitomo Rubber.
In collaboration with several partners, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. has achieved a further breakthrough in tyre technology. SRI teamed up with experts from institutes within Japan to develop a new synchrotron radiation technique that can measure the motion of atoms, molecules, and nanostructures within an extremely short timeframe, including down to 1 nanosecond. With this advancement, the Falken brand manufacturer anticipates enhancing its tyres’ strength and wear resistance.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) has begun supplying Dunlop Grandtrek AT23 and Grandtrek PT22 tyres as factory standard tyres for the new Land Cruiser 250, launched in Japan this April. The new Land Cruiser 250 will feature Dunlop Grandtrek AT23 tyres in size 265/65R18 114V and the Grandtrek PT22 in 265/60R20 112H.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) reports a 5.3 per cent year-on-year increase in sales revenue during the quarter ending 31 March 2024, to ¥291,360 million (£1,482.03 million). Business profit surged by 190.7 per cent to ¥23,183 million (£118.04 million), operating profit rose by 166.5 per cent to ¥20,696 million (£105.31 million) and profit attributable to owners of the parent jumping by 520.2 per cent to ¥24,841 million (£126.47 million).
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) has unveiled a new technique for predicting noise generated by the combined vibration of tyres and vehicle. By simulating how tyres roll when in motion and applying the lessons learned, SRI anticipates that both tyre and vehicle manufacturers will be able to reduce their products’ noise emissions.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) has commenced a collaborative research venture with Khon Kaen University, focusing on advancing techniques in rubber tree tissue culture. The Falken tyre brand manufacturer formalised this agreement at a signing ceremony held at the university’s campus in Thailand.
The Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) has granted Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) certification for its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for 2030, deeming these to be consistent with scientific evidence. For Scope 1 and Scope 2, SRI aims to reduce absolute emissions by 55%, compared with 2017 levels. SRI’s target for Scope 3 and Category 1 is to reduce absolute emissions by 25%, compared with 2021.
Despite significant interest rate hikes, geopolitical tensions, inflation and economic stagnation in some regions, modest signs of global economic recovery appeared in 2023. Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) reports experiencing notable improvements in the financial year ending 31 December 2023, including a “significant reduction” in freight costs compared with the prior year as well as a “lull in the soaring raw material and energy costs,” leading to significantly improved profitability.
A new simulation technique will aid tyre development at Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) by helping to minimise the impact of air resistance. This ‘Tire Aerodynamic Simulation’ technique uses artificial intelligence to visualise the airflow that develops around the tyres when a vehicle is in motion, and the Falken brand manufacturer will use the knowledge it gains to “pursue the development of a tyre shape that optimises aerodynamic performance.” SRI aims to launch an EV tyre developed using Tire Aerodynamic Simulation in 2027.
Since establishing its new long-term sustainability policy in 2021, Sumitomo Rubber Group has piloted and demonstrated proof of concept for the use of hydrogen as a source of energy at its tyre factory in Shirakawa, Japan. Combined with power generated from solar photovoltaic panels installed in the plant’s carpark, Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) claims that the use of hydrogen has led to carbon neutrality (Scopes 1 and 2) for its production at Shirakawa, beginning in January 2023.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) is collaborating on a project to eliminate batteries in TPMS and similar devices by replacing these with electricity generated through tyre rotation. Reporting on the progress of its work with Professor Hiroshi Tani of Kansai University in Japan, the Falken brand manufacturer says the partners have successfully generated stable electricity over a wide range of speeds by employing two types of generating devices.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. joined the non-profit association GDSO (Global Data Service Organisation for Tyres and Automotive Components) in January 2023 and is now contributing towards industry-wide efforts to establish a means of and standard for identifying, managing and transferring data from individual tyres.
It’s hard not to love a superlative, so thanks to Sumitomo Rubber Industries for sharing that its tyre factory in Thailand now possesses the world’s largest rooftop solar panel array. As of 1 February 2023, the set-up at the Sumitomo Rubber (Thailand) plant is the world’s largest rooftop solar panel array installed at a single facility.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) confirms that it will introduce tyres featuring its ‘Active Tread’ technology in 2024. Active Tread will arrive with SRI’s next-generation all-season tyre.
Tyre-related business profit at Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) stood at 67.9 billion yen in 2016 and was still a respectable 41.4 billion yen in 2021, but last year dropped to 12.3 billion yen (£76.2 million). It’s therefore no surprise that SRI believes it has been investing too much capital in unprofitable businesses, and the company intends to change this.
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