Greener tires get start in Chicago Heights
Posted on 2009-10-23 10:10:43 CDT
Rhodia's silica part of the wheel deal
To build a greener tire, some manufacturers are relying on a Chicago Heights factory that every year churns out tons of what vaguely resembles powdered sugar.
It's actually precipitated silica, and French chemical company Rhodia ships it to tiremakers, including Goodyear and Michelin. Used as a filler material, silica is mixed with the rubber to reduce a tire's rolling resistance.
"As the rolling resistance goes up, the engine has to work harder," Sam Agle, manager of the Chicago Heights plant, said.
The "green" tires - they're more widely used in Europe and Asia - are touted by manufacturers as being able to improve fuel efficiency, and Michelin guarantees a 3 percent increase in fuel savings using them.
In April, the tiremaker cited the Chicago Heights silica plant as a top supplier, Agle said.
Rhodia broke ground Thursday for a multimillion-dollar expansion of the plant, 1020 State St., that will improve the plant's efficiency by eliminating a step in the production process.
Due to be finished next April, the expansion will create a yet-to-be-determined number of new jobs, Agle said. The plant now has 35 employees.
The project won't increase the plant's capacity, which is 40,000 tons annually, he said.
The Chicago Heights factory opened in October 1995.
Along with tire manufacturing, silica made by Rhodia is used in products such as toothpaste and sneakers, according to the company.
October 23, 2009
BY MIKE NOLAN
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