Eastman Chemical : 2019, May 22 - Eastman to Present Winter Tire and Truck/Bus Tire Innovations

Eastman scientist will join other tire industry leaders to discuss challenges & new innovations in two upcoming talks during tires forums

KINGSPORT, Tenn., May 22, 2019 - Javier del Rio, Eastman senior applications development and technical service manager, will present talks during two tire conferences in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: The 4th Annual Innovative Truck and Bus Tire Development Forum and the 4th Annual Innovative All-Season and Winter Tire Development Forum, scheduled for May 27-28.

An increasing number of nations are implementing mandatory use of winter tires for a specific period of the year. The increased demand for natural rubber challenges the supply and the search for rubber alternatives. The Winter Tire Development Forum will bring together leaders of the tire industry to discuss these developments and challenges as well as the resulting impacts on material selection for rubber compounds.

On 27th May 2019, 2:30 pm, Amsterdam (The Netherlands), during the Winter Tire Development Forum, del Rio will present 'Optimizing wet and winter grip and wear in tread formulations with performance resins.' He will address balancing wet grip and rolling resistance, improving wear resistance, and balancing wet grip and snow grip all with high performance resins.

'Leading tire makers are passionate about improving tire performance, and 'grip' on the road is a critical dimension of performance,' said Dr. Brock Thomas, technology director for Eastman Tire Additives. 'Winter performance presents some unique challenges. Eastman's innovative technology provides tire makers an opportunity to make sizable improvements in performance, and we were excited to be invited to present to this forum.'

Whether carrying cargo or passengers, trucks and buses are the lifeblood of the world's economy. As sales of commercial vehicles increase worldwide, the truck and bus tire sector continues to grow. Tire manufacturers are continually developing new innovations in Truck/Bus Radial (TBR) tire technology, trying to raise productivity and drive down costs per kilometer by optimizing performance over the whole tire life cycle.

On 27th May 2019, 12:00 pm, Amsterdam (The Netherlands), during the Truck and Bus Tire Development Forum, del Rio will present 'TBR compound optimization for performance improvement, operational cost saving, and sustainable durability.' He will discuss how Eastman Impera™ performance resins can improve performance, how Eastman Crystex™ Cure Pro insoluble sulfur can provide operational cost savings, and how Eastman Duralink™ HTS post-vulcanization stabilizer can be used for steel skim adhesion as a cobalt replacement.

'From complex global supply chains to the increasing share of 'last-mile' transport, trucks are vital to our modern way of life,' Dr. Thomas added. 'Tire makers see promising opportunities to improve efficiency, sustainability and performance in truck tires, so Eastman is pleased to invest in innovation across our portfolio to enable these improvements in Truck/Bus tire technology.'