From 4 to 6 June 2024, THE TIRE COLOGNE presents the most important trends of the tyre and wheel industry. The international tyre industry will then once again present its new products in the Cologne exhibition halls.
Whether tyre design, recycling, circular economy, digitalisation or material innovations – the leading global trade fair illuminates the industry themes of the future with renowned exhibitors from the whole world and a varied programme. What new requirements are there for tyre design? How can models with more efficiency and performance be brought onto the road? What new solutions are there for the utilisation of old tyres? How can the tyre trade set itself up to be competitive in the future? A look at current market developments shows where especially exciting new products can be expected.
More grip: design improves performance
In order to fulfil requirements for mobility, the design and material of tyres are being constantly optimised. New models should not only offer top performance but also be as durable and free of pollutants as possible. Thus, for example, the European Union is defining new limit values for tyre wear and requirements for durability in its current Euro 7 standard for pollution. A theme for which the tyre industry is developing new design solutions and high-performance material mixtures for more efficiency and reduced energy consumption. Innovative treads reduce rolling resistance and avoid unnecessary abrasion. Newly developed synthetic rubber types enable increased toothing of the tyre with the road. The reduction of rolling resistance, weight and noise levels plays a decisive role particularly for e-cars – that saves electricity and increases the range. All-season tyres for SUVs and sports cars or all-round models for motorcycles and bicycles that combine safe driving with comfort and sportiness are also setting new standards for grip.
Sensitive sensors: control systems for better performance
Another possibility for more efficiency on the road is offered by sensor-based control systems for measuring tyre pressure. In the case of passenger vehicles, such systems have already been basic equipment for some time now, but should in future also become standard for utility vehicles. New systems for trucks or buses perform complex tasks and also function for trailers. Appropriate software solutions are available for fleets of all sizes and guarantee the continual testing and evaluation of the tyres to optimise individual vehicles and overall performance. Digital control technology also helps improve the performance of tyres in the design stage. New high-speed sensors provide precise data during the tyre test, such as bearing pressure under real conditions.
Networked data: more precision thanks to artificial intelligence
Virtual simulations also help to analyse and improve tyre behaviour. Digitalisation is in fact an important provider of impulses for the future of the tyre industry. In addition to further automation of the production processes, AI algorithms and machine learning contribute to the more efficient and precise manufacture of tyres and wheels. For the spare parts market with its different databases, the use of artificial intelligence can be used to increase efficiency and to thus contribute to relevant time savings. AI can also be deployed in commerce for the specification of tyre recommendations, in that it is oriented to the specific preferences and needs of customers.
All-around better: tyre recycling becomes more efficient
More than a billion motor vehicles were registered worldwide in 2023. Sustainable production and recycling processes are therefore a theme of focus for the tyre industry. The industry has already been working on intelligent concepts for the disposal, retreading and recycling of old tyres. Technologies developed together with research in the meantime enable recycling along the entire supply chain. Rubber and various plastics can be efficiently recycled with new thermolysis systems. Recyclates like polyester from old PET bottles or waste products from agriculture make up a growing share of old tyre material. New models already sometimes consist to a predominant part of recycled materials. The integration of sustainable tyre components is also being accelerated in racing.
New momentum: towards the circular economy
The successful recycling of old tyres is an important step in the direction of the circular economy. For a complete production cycle, the individual components like rubber, plastic or steel must be separated and prepared. To this purpose, methods of chemical recycling like pyrolysis are today being further developed. The steel wire is extracted, the tyres are shredded in several steps and the rubber granulate is vaporised in a reactor, so that the remaining components can once again serve as raw materials. Cleantech companies are working on combining pyrolysis and distillation technologies in order to further advance development toward a circular economy and close the resource cycle. Pyrolysis oil could in future provide an alternative to fossil fuels.
Naturally inspired: growing share of biomaterials
The tyre industry is increasingly trusting in biological ingredients for more sustainability. Many manufacturers are aiming over the long term towards the production of tyres from completely recycled or biologically created materials. Even today, tyres with a high proportion of biomaterials satisfy the same requirements as conventional models. Among other things, the preliminary products for synthetic rubber are being obtained from biomass. Biological materials like natural rubber, orange peels and rice husks or inner tyre paint on a water basis are used as environmentally-compatible components. Not only biomaterials are inspired by nature in the meantime, but also new tyre profiles that allow more comfort and less driving noise.
THE TIRE COLOGNE 2024 will show what other new products and future themes can be expected from the tyre and wheel industry. Those who don't want to wait so long can already get a taste in advance of the themes and content of the leading international trade fair in our new magazine. We will present current trends and innovations of the tyre and wheel industry in regular articles.