Nokian Introduces a Concept Tire Made With a Renewable Material With the Potential to Replace Carbon Black in Tires

Nokian Tyres and UPM are partnering to further increase sustainability in the tire industry by introducing the first concept tire made with a new renewable material with the potential to replace a significant part of the carbon black currently used in tire production.

The innovative material, called UPM BioMotion^™ RFF is a promising fully renewable lignin-based alternative for traditional carbon black, reducing the need for fossil materials and lowering carbon emissions in tire manufacturing.

Nokian Tyres has long been innovating to use the material and has registered a patent for using the material in tire applications. Nokian Tyres is now licensing its patent to UPM, which enables UPM to provide the raw material to the tire industry. UPM will produce the material at its soon to be ready biochemicals biorefinery in Leuna, Germany.
Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna concept tire is the first ever tire made with UPM BioMotion™ RFF, a fully renewable wood-based lignin raw material produced by UPM. In the concept tire all fossil carbon black in the tire’s sidewalls is replaced by the new raw material.

“With the concept tire we demonstrate the usability of the groundbreaking new raw material in tires. Our concept tire marks a leap towards the use of renewable materials not only for us, but the whole tire industry. By prototyping this renewable material in our tires, we aim to set new standards for environmental responsibility,” said Teemu Soini, vice president, Innovations & Development at Nokian Tyres. “We are constantly working on innovations that advance us towards our target of increasing the share of recycled or renewable raw materials in tires to 50% by 2030. Since 2022 a portion of the carbon black used by Nokian Tyres has been from recycled materials. We see lignin as a promising renewable alternative to traditional carbon black, and in the future, we hope to see that lignin based renewable filler materials would find their way to tires as well complementing an increasing share of recycled content.”

“Our partnership with Nokian Tyres marks the exciting entry of our Renewable Functional Fillers into the global tire markets. In successfully demonstrating their application value, it helps us to lay the groundwork for scaling our biorefinery business so that we can make a significant contribution to the sustainable transformation of the mobility sector and beyond,” said Michael Duetsch, vice president Biochemicals at UPM.

Source: Nokian Tyres plc

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