Marangoni chooses Directa Plus graphene for tire retreading

Marangoni, a global leader in the tyre retreading industry and in the development of technologies and machinery for the production of new and retreaded tyres, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with Directa Plus, a leading producer and supplier of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets. Under the terms of the Agreement, both Marangoni and Directa plus will work together to develop a bespoke version of the Directa’s Graphene Plus (“G+”) to improve the performance of Marangoni compounds in truck and bus tyre retreading.

Directa Plus graphene-based products are natural, chemical-free, sustainably produced and tailored to specific customer requirements for commercial applications such as smart textiles, tyres, composite materials and environmental solutions. By incorporating Directa Plus’ unique graphene blends, identified by the G+ brand, its customers can enhance the performance of their end products without significantly increasing their cost.

Under the terms of the Agreement, Directa Plus will commence work immediately with Marangoni to develop a bespoke G+ product to be used in Marangoni’s specialist rubber compounds in the tyre retreading sector. The incorporation of G+ is expected to improve the performances of retreaded tyres, and obviously of the retreading materials, by increasing grip, durability and fuel efficiency. For the specific purpose of retreading, this has the potential to extend the lifespan of the tyre, thereby ensuring the efficient use of resources and reducing waste.

The Agreement is built on a shared vision of combining scientific innovation with a leading edge tyre technology. Marangoni’s involvement in the retreading industry embodies the transition from the linear economy to the circular economy, whereby maximum value is extracted from the planet’s resources by keeping them in use for as long as possible. Directa’s patented production process is 100% chemical free.

Dino Maggioni, Chief Executive Officer of Marangoni said: “The collaboration with Directa Plus is aimed at doing a quantum leap for the performance of our retreading solutions by perfecting the use of graphene. After a comprehensive exploration of the existing technology providers, we found a perfect alignment with Directa Plus. We strongly believe that joining forces with them will allow us to shorten our time to market in our quest of providing products having superior durability and rolling resistance as well as outreach our environmental sustainability roadmap”.

Giulio Cesareo, Chief Executive Officer of Directa Plus, said: “Marangoni’s approach to tyre retreading is fully aligned with our core principle of using technology to promote environmental sustainability. This is why we are excited to demonstrate how the positive benefits of G+ can further improve Marangoni’s truck tyre retreading compounds. Our team already has experience of successfully tailoring and developing bespoke G+ to enhance commercially available tyres. We look forward working with Marangoni to move to market the latest ideas we developed for tyre applications and thereby helping to reduce the environmental impact of tyre disposal around the world”.