According to the competition jury, the winner's lignin-based tire material represents the pinnacle of more ecological sustainable development and materials technology.
The winners were announced at a national On forest days at the end of October at Finlandia Hall.
"This year, the New Wood competition highlighted the use of industrial side streams. The lignin-based tire material that won the competition is an excellent example of this," said the chairman of the New Wood competition and CEO of the Finnish Forest Foundation. Martha Fredrikson.
The jury assessed the solutions' social relevance, ability to address global challenges and promote sustainable development goals. The winning solutions also had to have international market potential and utilize wood in an innovative way.
"Sometimes the best innovations don't eliminate the original purpose of a product, but create a completely new, more sustainable way to implement it. Lignin-based tire material is just such an innovation," jury member, MP, entrepreneur, non-fiction writer and vice-chair of the Economic Affairs Committee Pauli Aalto-Setälä comment on the outcome of the competition.
As a passionate marine conservationist, Aalto-Setälä also highlighted the fact that car tires are a significant source of microplastics.
"Therefore, such an innovation is an important step towards a cleaner environment. As a friend of sustainable growth, I also see a significant export opportunity here, if all fossil fillers in tires could be replaced with lignin in the future."
The Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna concept tire, which took first place in the competition, uses a wood-based lignin filler developed by UPM, which offers a renewable alternative to the traditionally used fossil soot.
Fillers in tires make up about a third of their mass and have a decisive impact on durability and performance. In the sidewall of the Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna tire, fossil carbon black has been replaced with lignin-based UPM BioMotion™ filler, which is produced at UPM's biorefinery in Leuna, Germany. Lignin is a natural compound in wood that is produced as a by-product of pulp production, among other things.
Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna is still a concept product for now, but its potential to change the tire industry is significant, which the jury also praised when making its selection.
The innovation demonstrates how traditional fossil-based materials can be replaced with renewable, environmentally friendly alternatives in critical industrial applications. Fossil carbon black, used in tire manufacturing, has long been the standard, but replacing it with wood-based lignin reduces dependence on petroleum-based raw materials and reduces the carbon footprint of production.
“With the concept tire, we are demonstrating the feasibility of a groundbreaking new raw material in tires. The concept tire marks a leap towards the use of renewable materials not only for us, but also for the entire tire industry. With the prototype model, we aim to set new standards for environmental responsibility,” says Teemu Soini Nokian Tyres' Director of Innovation and Development.
“The impact of UPM's renewable functional fillers is not limited to replacing fossil raw materials, but also has the potential to improve tire properties, such as reducing rolling resistance. This makes the raw material even more attractive for large-scale use in the tire industry,” Soini continues.
The jury praised the fact that the Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna represents a concrete step towards a more sustainable transport and materials industry. It can also serve as an example for other operators looking for ways to combine performance and ecology.
“Lignin-based tire material is an excellent example of how industrial side streams can be utilized in a truly impactful way – replacing fossil raw materials while strengthening the competitiveness of sustainable development,” says Aalto University Senior Lecturer, who served on the jury. Markus Joutsela.
“The collaboration between UPM and Nokian Tyres shows that responsible innovation is born when research, technology and industrial scale meet,” Joutsela continues.
