Hankook Tire has hosted a kick-off event for the ‘Development of Tire Manufacturing Technologies Using Sustainable Materials’ project carried out out as part of South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE)’s 2026 Environmental Technology Development Program.
The initiative seeks to accelerate Korea’s circular economy by securing high-quality recycled raw materials from end-of-life tires and advancing their commercialization in tire manufacturing. It consists of two key workstreams: the development of technologies for producing premium recycled feedstock from waste tires; and the establishment of tire manufacturing technologies using sustainable materials.
Participation in the national project expands existing private-sector research into a broader collaborative ecosystem involving industry, academia and research institutions. It seeks to reinforce responses to evolving environmental regulations while improving raw material supply chain resilience.
During the event, participating organizations shared their respective responsibilities and project roadmaps while exploring opportunities for future collaboration. The project is jointly carried out by 11 organizations, including lead institution M&B Green Earth, Kumho Petrochemical, HS Hyosung, HS Hyosung Advanced Materials, Solvay, endirection, the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), KAIST, Pusan National University, Kwangwoon University and Soongsil University.
Through the initiative, Hankook Tire aims to further enhance tire manufacturing technologies, incorporating recycled and sustainable materials. The company will target the commercialization of next-generation low-carbon, high-performance tires containing more than 85% sustainable materials while reducing carbon emissions by over 50%. The project is also expected to facilitate large-scale verification of Korea’s Tire-to-Tire circular economy model through product demonstration and integrated performance assessment.
“This national R&D project presents a meaningful opportunity to bring together the expertise of leading industry, academic and research institutions,” said Bonhee Koo, head of the R&D innovation division at Hankook Tire. “Through close communication and collaboration among all participating organizations, we will strive to deliver tangible outcomes that contribute to strengthening competitiveness in the global market.”
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