Arizona guayule producer, PanAridus, LLC was granted their tenth patent. PanAridus already holds nine patents for guayule plants, which yields a polymer nearly identical to tropically grown natural rubber.
It’s the only known source of U.S.- grown rubber to be successfully tested in tyres and is an attractive alternative for tyre companies who currently import 100 percent of their rubber supply. The company’s latest patent, the near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a machine that scientifically measures the rubber content in the guayule plant while it’s in the ground.
“Farmers, investors and end users like tyre companies are looking to minimize risk and increase certainty as we move towards guayule commercialization. Having the NIRS means we can more rapidly adapt to environmental stressors like soil types and ensure higher and more consistent yields,” said PanAridus CEO, Mike Fraley. “As a result, we can tell farmers which of our nine patented phenotypes to plant.”
With an entirely mechanized process, U.S.-grown guayule rubber will have a huge advantage over the traditional Hevea tree rubber (grown mainly in Southeast Asia), which is still tapped by hand and carried to village centers for daily auctions as it was in the 19th century, Fraley said.
PanAridus has broken several glass ceilings in the industry including: allowing car and tyre companies to independently test their guayule to ensure it meets industry standards; the only certified guayule crop seed; and the first tyre made with multiple guayule components as part of a USDA/USDOE grant consortium with partners Cooper Tire, Clemson University and Cornell University.
“By the time we harvest our first commercial sized crop in 2018, we’ll be the only company in the world selling guayule that can ensure the quality, reliability and profitability for growers and for the tyre industry,” Fraley said.