Continental obtains both materials in proportion from recycled or renewable sources in order to reduce resource consumption. Silica, a filler required to achieve optimal grip and reduced rolling resistance, can be obtained from rice husks instead of quartz sand. The husks are an agricultural by-product from the production of risotto rice, for example. For the raw material carbon black, Continental relies on three innovative processes. Firstly, carbon black can be produced from bio-based alternatives such as tall oil, a waste product from the paper industry, instead of crude oil. Secondly, it can be produced from recycled raw materials such as pyrolysis oil from end-of-life tires. Thirdly, a particularly efficient pyrolysis process enables the recovery of carbon black directly from end-of-life tires.
“Innovation and sustainability go hand in hand at Continental. Using silica from the ashes of rice husks in our tires shows that we are breaking completely new ground – without compromising on safety, quality or performance,” says Jorge Almeida, head of Sustainability at Continental Tires.