KOCHI: Innovative use of rubber in various products helps automobiles cut high fuel cost. Defenceengineers have started experimenting with retreadrubber sheathing over the metal chains of battle tanks and armoured vehicles to increase mileage . Rubber sheathing will not only cut the fuel cost of tanks almost 25% by reducing road friction but also make the ride comfortable and eco-friendly .
The defence production department has started enquiries with the retreading companies to procure retread rubber that can withstand the weight of battle tanks. Efforts are on to develop specialised retread rubber that can withstand up to 50 tonne. “We have received such an enquiry but we cannot divulge any details” said Navas Meeran, chairman of Eastern Group, which owns the Eastern Treads BSE -0.47 %. Increasing fuel cost has also revved up the tyre retreading business, which uses a lot of natural rubber. Slowdown in automobile sector has hit new tyre sales.
Transporting companies, particularly those having heavy duty carriers, go for tyre retreading several timesto soften the impact of high fuel cost. “In fact, the retreading of radial truck tyres has been growing 10% every year,” said Rajiv Budhraja, director general of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association . The organised tyre sector is now focusing on retreading business. When they sell new radial tyres, major companies offer a package of multiple retreading options. Natural rubber modified bitumen (NRMB), or rubberised bitumen , is another product that is seeing a good demand.
The use of rubberised bitumen in road construction will reduce friction substantially. The product also helps reduce the maintenance cost of roads by preventing water seepage. Currently, NRMB is manufactured by BPCLBSE -1.63 % Kochi Refinery by mixing latex BSE -4.95 % and bitumen .
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“We expect the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) and Kerala PWD to lift substantial stock in the current year,” said a senior officer of the company. Falling natural rubber prices will give a fillip to the production of this material, which has been languishing in the last few years, and it may jump 200% to 50,000 tonne this year.
Source: indiatimes.com
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