MOSCOW (MRC) -- Eni’s Versalis subsidiary and Pirelli have completed a two-year research and development project on the use of guayule-based natural rubber for the production of tires, as per GV.
As a result of the project, Pirelli has started testing ultra-high performance guayule-based tires, which demonstrated the same performance as tires made with synthetic polymers in a variety of extreme usage simulations, including wet road surfaces.
An agreement signed between the two companies in 2013 provided for Versalis, on an exclusivity basis, to supply an innovative range of guayule-based natural rubber materials, and for Pirelli to carry out testing to validate the performance of the materials for use in tires.
"After the success of this first phase, we are now assessing the possibility of trying out these prototype tires in winter conditions," said Pirelli.
As MRC reported earlier, Eni is looking for a partner to help it run its wholly-owned chemical unit Versalis, the Italian oil major's CEO said on Oct. 22, 2015. Eni was working with Barclays on a potential sale of Versalis, which may fetch as much as 1 billion euros.
Eni is an Italian multinational oil and gas company headquartered in Rome. It has operations in in 79 countries, and is currently Italy's largest industrial company with a market capitalization of 68 billion euros (USD 90 billion), as of August 14, 2013. The Italian government owns a 30.3% golden share in the company, 3.93% held through the state Treasury and 26.37% held through the Cassa depositi e prestiti. Another 39.40% of the shares are held by BNP Paribas.
MRC