What is the development history of the tire rubber industry?

The development process of the tire rubber industry, especially the rubber industry closely related to tire manufacturing, is a complex process that integrates technological innovation, market demand changes, and global industrial transfer. The following is an overview of the development history of the tire rubber industry:

1、 Early development stage

The origin of the tire rubber industry can be traced back to the early days of the automotive industry. In 1888, Mercedes Benz invented the first gasoline car, which was equipped with metal tires covered with inflatable rubber, turning the page on inflatable tires.

Technological innovation: After decades of improvement, the skeleton materials and raw material formulas of tires have made great progress. In 1905, people invented tires with treads, which increased the friction coefficient between the tire and the ground. In 1931, DuPont industrialized the production of synthetic rubber, thereby increasing tire production, marking a new turning point in tire production that had previously relied on natural rubber.

2、 The Revolution of Radial Tires

The birth of radial tires: In 1946, Michelin invented radial tires, which increased the service life of tires by 30% to 50% and reduced car fuel consumption by about 8%. The use of radial tires has ushered in a true technological revolution in the tire industry.

Global popularity: Radial tires have been widely used in other industrialized countries in Western Europe since the 1970s, such as Michelin in France, Dunlop in the UK, Pirelli in Italy, Goodyear and Firestone in the US, and other multinational companies have already produced radial tires in large quantities. By the end of the 1980s, European transportation vehicles had achieved 100% meridianization, while the tires of American transportation vehicles had reached 75% meridianization; Japan, South Korea and other countries have gradually realized the development of the variety of meridian products towards the "three transformations" (meridian transformation, tubeless transformation, and flattening).

3、 The Development of China's Tire Rubber Industry

Start and foundation: China's tire rubber industry started relatively late. In 1934, the Greater China Rubber Factory produced the first domestic car tire. In 1964, China independently designed and developed the first domestically produced all steel radial tire. After the industrial production of radial tires, the layout of the domestic tire industry began to take shape.

Rapid development: After the reform and opening up, China's tire industry has developed rapidly. At the beginning of the 21st century, China opened up overseas markets with its low-cost advantage, and the domestic tire production capacity increased significantly.

Industry consolidation and reshuffle: In recent years, the Chinese tire industry has been accelerating its reshuffle, with small and medium-sized tire enterprises going bankrupt. Leading tire companies continue to make efforts in expanding production capacity, overseas base layout, and adjusting tire product structure. At the same time, the number of domestic tire companies listed in the global top 75 tire market is gradually increasing, but there is still room for improvement in international competitiveness.

4、 The current trend in the tire rubber industry

Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development: With the increasing global awareness of environmental protection, the tire rubber industry is moving towards a more environmentally friendly and sustainable direction. The environmental concepts of green production, energy conservation and emission reduction, and recycling have been widely applied in the tire rubber industry.

Technological innovation: The research and application of new rubber materials have brought more opportunities for the development of the tire rubber industry. Meanwhile, intelligent production has also been widely applied in the tire rubber industry, including technologies such as robot automated production lines, intelligent warehousing, and the Internet of Things. The application of these technologies has improved production efficiency, reduced costs, and enhanced product quality.

Market demand changes: The huge car ownership market has created a long-term strong demand for tire products. Meanwhile, as consumers' demands for car performance and comfort increase, the demand for personalized and customized tires is also growing.

In summary, the development process of the tire rubber industry is a complex process of continuous technological innovation, adaptation to market demand changes, and global industrial transfer. In the future, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection and continuous technological innovation, the tire rubber industry will usher in more development opportunities and challenges.