Nokian Tyres and Reselo partner to use waste birch bark in renewable tires

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In Finland, Nokian Tyres and Swedish biomaterials company Reselo AB have signed a development agreement to further develop their renewable material Reselo Rubber as a new raw material in tires.

One-hundred percent renewable Reselo Rubber is made from birch bark sourced from pulp, paper and sawmill industry waste.

“According to the initial laboratory tests… Reselo Rubber show[s] great potential to replace traditional fossil-based materials in tires,” Heini Siekkinen, Senior Manager, Research & Sustainability from Nokian Tyres, said in a press statement. “In addition, the material is not only renewable, but we believe it can also be used to improve tire performance.”

Reselo won Nokian Tyres’ FAST RACE, BIG CHANGE tire innovation challenge aimed at finding new solutions for more durable tires. After initial tests, Nokian Tyres saw the potential of Reselo Rubber as a possible tire material and now the collaboration continues in close collaboration to further develop the material to match demanding tire properties on an industrial scale.

In June 2024, Nokian demonstrated the utility of UPM renewable material BioMotion™ in its Nokian Tyres Tires Green Step Ligna concept tire. In August 2024, Nokian Tyres announced that their factory in Nokia, Finland has received the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification PLUS.