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Vinay Sharma, Job Kuriakose & Arup K. ChandraR & D Centre, Apollo Tyres Ltd.

Limda, Gujarat‐391760

www.apollotyres.com

• Introduction

• History

• Present Status

• New Developments

• Challenges

• Initiatives to tackle challenges

• Conclusion

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Introduction

• India: A major producer & consumer of NR . 

• From eraser‐to‐tyre technology.

• Performing reasonably well even during 

recession.

• Raw rubber = NR & Synthetic rubber

(75:25; India & 42:58 World).

“Civilization as we know it today is wholly dependent upon rubber......”

Ralph Wolf, “Rubber World” Oct. 1964

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History of Rubber

7th CenturyRubber for

ceremonial &Social importancein Aztec & MayanCivilisations.

Central & South America (17th‐18th

Century)Waterproof textiles,rubber boots, etc.

Charles Goodyear 1843•Vulcanisation ofrubber.•More resistance totemperatureincreasedapplications.

John Dunlop 1888•Invented pneumatictyre.

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History of Rubber

The Stevenson Plan (1922)Effort by  British 

government to stabilize low rubber prices.

Synthetic Rubber Project (1942)

This unique venture,lasted until 1953,documented in 8,000

technical reports.

Standards for Rubber(1965)

Introduction of standards forrubber by Malaysian RubberBoard.

First specifications were onvisible attributes, ash, copper,manganese, dirt & protein.

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Applications ‐ Non‐Tyre sector

• Automotive (belts, hoses, gaskets, moldings)

• Industrial (adhesives, padding, belting, vibration dampening, wire sheathing)

• Consumer (toys, door moldings)

• Construction (roofing, sealants)

• Medical (films, sheets, tubing, straps, etc.)Stomach Tube

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• World rubber usage  25.9 million tons in 2011 

• Splits between NR (42%) & Synthetic Rubber (58%)

• NR ‐ Largest single consumed rubber: mainly truck‐bus radials

• SBR ‐ Largest consumed synthetic rubber: mainly passenger tires

Global Rubber Market: Current Status

Rubber Production Vs Consumption in the year 2011

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

Production Consumption

In ,

000

To

ns

Natural Rubber

Synthetic Rubber

Total Rubber

Source: International Rubber Study Group (IRSG)

www.apollotyres.comChallenges: Apparent

Current Sources & Process

Small Dealers/agents

Smoking

Sun Drying

Sheeting

Coagulation (w HCOOH)

Tapping

Small Growers (300‐1000)

Bottlenecks

++

++

++

Highly Inconsistent

Improper Drying

Foreign Matter‐Dust‐Wood‐Metal pieces‐Sand

Fungus

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www.apollotyres.com“Amul” Model

Rubber Board of India

Smallholder

Field Latex CollectionCooperatives

Central Rubber Market

Processor / Exporter

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Advantages

① Consistency

② Elimination of middle man

③ Economic growth of smallholders

④ Availability

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Significance of Rubber Board• Implementing new techniques & technologies

• Analysing technical, economic & social impactof new technologies

• Promotion of Rubber Cooperatives

• Determining the acceptability

• Develop additional knowledge regardingsustainability challenges

• Formulate an approach that will help betteralign industry practices with sustainablegrowth

www.apollotyres.comEnvironmental Benefits of NR

CO2 sequestration by photosynthesisHevea Brasiliensis 11 μmol/m2/s

Vs.Other Trees 5-13 μmol/m2/s

Tree Type CO2 sequestration/Hectare

(Over 30 years life)

Hevea Brasiliensis  272 tons

Rainforest 234 tons

Secondary Rainforest 150 tons

Natural Rubber•Renewable Resource•Converts CO2 & Solar energy to elastomer.•Low energy inputDuring production: 15‐16 GJ/ton•Low fertiliser demand•Valuable source of timber

Synthetic Rubber

•Fossil Resource based

•Converts crude oil in to 

elastomer & produces CO2.

•High energy input

During production: 150‐210 

GJ/ton

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Environmental Impact of Rubber Industry

Effluent discharge from rubber processing

Effluent discharge from rubber product manufacturing

Release of CO2, NO2 and methane in processing and 

manufacturing 

Air Pollution & Malodour Issue

Sludge production from rubber product manufacturing

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Challenges

• NR

– Uncertainty of access.

– Price volatility.

– Growing area restricted to tropical climates.

– Replacement of NR farming with more profitable crops, like palm.

• Poorly managed plantation production.

– China was leading to the disappearance of more than 2,500 kg of topsoil per annum.

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• Fluctuation in crude oil prices.

• EU Legislation on CO2

emission. (European Climate Foundation)

• Develop a low‐carbon economy.

www.apollotyres.comChallenges

• Mandatory labelling of tyres fromNovember, 2012. (InternationalEnergy Agency)

• Substitutability of natural &synthetic rubber has neitherincreased nor decreased over thelast twenty years. (ETRMA)

• Waste rubber from used rubberproducts.

Challenges www.apollotyres.com

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Initiatives to tackle challenges

• Specialty rubbers from NR– ENR & DPNR

• Tailoring Synthetic Rubber according to customer’s need– ESBR, SSBR & functionalised S‐SBR

• Synthesis of SR via Natural Resources.– Bio‐isoprene (Amyris, Genencor), EPDM & Butyl Rubber (LANXESS)

• Cradle to Grave & Grave to Cradle Approach– End life of tyres (ELT) & Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

“Several tyre makers have expressed

their interest utilising NR sourced

from Guayule & Russian dandelions,

but Apollo Vredestein has announced

it has actually produced tyres

containing such materials. The

company says the first tyres

manufactured with European natural

rubber rolled off its production belt

this week...” July 11, 2012

Apollo researches alternatives to NRwww.apollotyres.com

* As appeared in TyreReview online. EU-PEARLS Project

*

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www.apollotyres.comConclusion

• Rubber‐ an indispensable material.

• Rubber‐ 40,000+ applications.

• Tyres > 60 % consumption.

• NR & SBR are the most consumed rubbers.

• NR cannot be replaced in various technicalapplications like truck tyres.

• Facing a lot of problems like price volatility,low yielding, increasing demand, etc.

• Efforts are on to tackle these challenges.

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” - Helen Keller

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Changing: Some Basic Steps

Recognizing theneed for change

Attempting tocreate a new stateof affairs

Incorporating the changes,creating and maintaining anew organizational system

Step 1: Unfreezing

Step 3: Refreezing

Step 2: Changing

Who will be better than

Rubber Board?

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New Developments

• High‐yielding & disease‐resistant rubbersaplings.

• Rubber Plantation in North East.

• Tripura is currently the second largest rubbergrowing state in India with 33.7% area underrubber.

• Rubberisation of Roads (IRB).

• Production of Seismic Bearings (IRB).

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Historical recovery rate estimates for ELTs

Sources: Estimates based on datafrom European Tyre & RubberManufacturers’ Association,Rubber Manufacturers Associationand Japan Automobile TyreManufacturers Association Inc.