Soeul - Hankook Tire and Arlanxeo have agreed an R&D partnership to develop new synthetic rubber grades and technologies for premium tires, Hankook announced 28 May.
THe deal marks Hankook's second memorandum of understanding with the world’s largest synthetic rubber producer, to co-develop advanced tire materials.
The companies will jointly study the development of new rubber grades and increasing the performance of tires from early stages of product development.
Partnership between Hankook and Arlanxeo, a JV of Lanxess and Saudi Aramco, started in 2008, with the supply of materials such as solution styrene butadiene rubber and neodymium butadiene rubber.
In 2014, a first MOU was signed to expand and collaborate on the development of tire materials.
The relationship with Arlanxeo "will continue to result in great technological advancement between the two companies,” Hankook Tire CTO Hyung Nam Kim said in the press release.
For Arlanxeo, CEO Jorge Nogueira said the latest agreement would strengthenco-operation with Hankook Tire.
"As before we will continue to assist Hankook Tire as a reliable partner to develop its market position as key global tire maker with innovative high-quality products," said Nogueira.
