ExxonMobil Chemical Completes Manufacturing Facility To Produce New Specialty Compounds For Energy Efficient Tires
HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ExxonMobil Chemical today announced the start-up of a manufacturing facility at its existing site in Pensacola, Fla., that provides new capacity for the production of a revolutionary new tire material technology that can improve vehicle fuel efficiency.
"Tire inner liners made with the new material, Exxcore™ dynamically vulcanized alloy (DVA), achieve leading-edge air retention with less material. This reduces air loss between fillings and helps conserve energy and resources for future generations," said Art Sullivan, vice president, ExxonMobil Chemical Butyl Polymers Business.
Specifically, Exxcore™ DVA enables better fuel economy from significantly improved tire inflation pressure retention (IPR). IPR is a measure of tire air pressure loss over time. Improved air retention means reduced rolling resistance, resulting in improved fuel economy.
If all vehicle tires on the road in the U.S. had an IPR of 1.5 percent, it would represent a significant potential annual fuel savings of over 700 million gallons and a reduction in greenhouse gases of over 6 million tons per year, equivalent to taking over a million cars off the road. Exxcore™ DVA can help achieve these savings.
Exxcore™ DVA combines the flexibility and elasticity of rubber with the low air permeability of plastic, achieving 7 to 10 times better permeability than existing halobutyl inner liner materials.
In addition, tire durability testing shows an improvement greater than 50 percent over standard halobutyl inner liners. This allows for an improved speed rating and potentially extends the tire's life.
The new material's performance benefits have already been recognized by key tire manufacturers. ExxonMobil Chemical's development partner, The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., plans to begin manufacturing tires with Exxcore™ DVA inner liners later this year. In addition, Cheng Shin Rubber Company, the manufacturer of the popular "MAXXIS" brand, plans to debut a higher-performance, lower-IPR tire with the new inner liner material in 2009.
Exxcore™ DVA represents ExxonMobil Chemical's latest advancement in tire inner liner material science. The additional capacity will help meet growing worldwide demand for fuel efficient tire inner liners.
About ExxonMobil Chemical
ExxonMobil Chemical is a global leader in technology, product quality and customer service with petrochemical manufacturing and/or marketing operations around the world. To find out more about ExxonMobil Chemical, visit www.exxonmobil.com.
About The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., (www.yrc.co.jp) established in 1917, is a leading manufacturer of rubber products, including vehicle tires, other rubber products, and adhesive products. Its business has expanded globally, maintaining productions to meet the demands of customers in automobiles, civil engineering, construction, marine engineering, aircraft components, and sports products.
About Cheng Shin Rubber
For more than four decades, the people who make up Cheng Shin Rubber have provided high-quality tire products for cars, buses, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, trailers, karts, and lawn and garden applications.
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