Bridgestone pushing research into bio-based tire rubber

Tokyo — Bridgestone Corp., materials specialist Eneos Materials and EPC engineering company JGC Holdings are accelerating their collaboration toward the commercialization of tires made from plant-based synthetic rubber.

The three partners have been conducting basic technology studies and market research since 2022 on the production of bio - butadiene derived from plant resources. The trio also have been working on developing synthetic rubber for tires from the bio - butadiene, Bridgestone reported Feb. 5.

As part of the intensified program, the partners will promote the production of bio - butadiene obtained from bioethanol derived from plant resources.

The three will work on the production of synthetic rubber using the same bio - butadiene and then build tires using the same rubber.

The project aims to commercialize the production of bio - based tires in the first half of the 2030s, with a mid - way target in 2028 to produce demo tires using a pilot device.

The trio also will study the construction of a supply chain for synthetic rubber and verify the social and customer value of the tires, Bridgestone said.

Separately, Eneos and JGC are working on a project to build a biomanufacturing ecosystem using "unused" resources such as wood, which could contribute to the production of bio - based tires.

As part of that project, which specifically targets paper mills of use of wood waste, Eneos will aim to develop and industrialize "butadiene conversion technology" using bio - ethanol produced from unused resources.