Versalis, Eni’s chemical company,and Bridgestone EMIA have signed a joint development agreement for the research, production, and supply of synthetic rubber with advanced properties. Versalis’s Research Centre at Ravenna and Ferrara, and Bridgestone’s European research centre will collaborate, using an Open Innovation model, to develop technologies and new elastomer grades, including Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR), for the production of high-performance tyres.
The elastomers produced by Versailles are used in the premium, consumer, market segment and are designed to ensure high performance in tyres including dry handling and wet grip. They also decrease abrasion, to extend the designed lifespan, resulting in a more sustainable tyre that reduces the consumption of raw materials in the long-term.