News

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. is pleased to announce that our flagship DUNLOP ENASAVE NEXT III fuel-efficient tires (released in Japan in December of 2019) received the Eco-Material Award at the 3rd EcoPro Awards, an annual award event organized by the Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (SuMPO).

This award was presented in recognition of the innovativeness demonstrated by ENASAVE NEXT III as the world’s first^※ tires to incorporate “Cellulose Nanofiber” biomass material, as well as for the contribution that this material made in simultaneously improving overall tire performance while also reducing the environmental impact of these tires.
ENASAVE NEXT III also received attention for its innovative development process, which included the active use of AI technology in order to accelerate the development of our proprietary Tire Performance Sustaining Technology and the groundbreaking development of new materials technologies that culminated in the adoption of such advanced materials as “Hydrogenated Polymer” and “Cellulose Nanofiber.”
※ Based on our in-house research.
 

Thanks to the adoption of “Hydrogenated Polymer,” which is completely different from conventional types of polymer used in previous tires, ENASAVE NEXT III achieves a significant reduction in the decline in wet-grip performance that typically occurs over time, thereby allowing these tires to maintain like-new performance for longer. At the same time, these tires also incorporate “Cellulose Nanofiber,” a high-performance biomass material whose development and proliferation the Government of Japan is promoting as a key industry initiative. Thanks to this groundbreaking material, ENASAVE NEXT III also attains the highest rating for fuel efficiency and wet grip under Japan’s tire labeling system (AAA-a), meaning that these tires also contribute to the reduction of overall environmental impact from the perspective of “Life Cycle Assessment.”
The Sumitomo Rubber Group will continue to push ahead with the development of products that incorporate “Performance Sustaining Technology,” “Life Cycle Assessment” and other advanced technologies based on our “SMART TYRE CONCEPT,” a forward-thinking development concept that aims to create a future that is free of automobile accidents through the development and supply of tires and peripheral services that ensure greater safety and peace of mind.

■EcoPro Awards (Formerly: “Eco-Products Awards”) Profile
The EcoPro Awards recognize products and services that are not only well-received by businesses, consumers, investors and others who are involved in the Japanese domestic market, but that are also outstanding when it comes to environmentally friendly features. These awards aim to promote the development and proliferation of such products in order to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society.