Development of Synthetic Rubber for Electric-Vehicle Tires Earns Kumho Petrochemical a Presidential Commendation

[Financial News] Kumho Petrochemical announced on the 8th that it received a presidential commendation at the government awards ceremony held on Technology Developer’s Day, in recognition of its development of high-value-added synthetic rubber that improves the fuel efficiency and braking performance of high-performance tires.
The awards ceremony, held the previous day to mark Technology Developer’s Day, was attended by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook and Ja-Kyun Koo, president of the Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA), among others. Kim Jae-yoon, a senior researcher at Kumho Petrochemical’s Rubber Research Lab, was among the recipients. Technology Developer’s Day is a national observance established to identify and honor researchers who have contributed to technological advancement.
Kumho Petrochemical received the presidential commendation for developing silica-affinitive functional butadiene rubber for high-performance tires.
Kumho Petrochemical improved the rubber’s affinity for silica, enabling the silica to disperse evenly. The company commercialized the material, which improves tire wear, fuel efficiency and braking performance on wet roads. In particular, the material is also being applied to electric-vehicle tires, which require higher levels of wear resistance and fuel efficiency, expanding its range of applications.
A Kumho Petrochemical official said, "This presidential commendation recognizes our achievement in anticipating changes in the tire industry, demonstrating the potential of a new material and opening up the market. We will continue to identify customers’ potential needs and develop high-value-added materials that lead the market."

[email protected] Kim Mi-hee Reporter