Sustainability Channel

THE MUSEUM OF RUBBER IS BORN IN MILAN

Rubber is a widely used material in our daily lives. Where does it come from? What is it for? How is it transformed?

To provide answers to these questions and more, the new interactivity area devoted to rubber was inaugurated this morning at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.

In the great Italian techno-scientific museum, a space is now active that illustrates the cultivation, production and use of rubber in the past and today, with historical objects, multi-medial positions, audiovisuals and interactivity.

Today, more than half the rubber produced is used to make tyres. Among the objects on display, there had to be a contribution from Pirelli, which has donated an ultra-high performance P Zero 265/40 ZR 18 and 10 Pirelli Evo 21 scooter tyres plus a Tipo N from the 1913-15 period, one of the first tyres to use carbon black in its compound. Pirelli has also contributed to the production of a video on the cultivation of rubber, as well as having offered its scientific support for the creation of the area itself relative to tyres.

The new interactive area devoted to rubber, realised by the museum in partnership with Assocomaplast (the National Association of Constructors of Machines and Moulds for Plastic and Rubber Materials), with a contribution from the Lombardy Region and the Milan Chamber of Commerce, inaugurates a period of cooperation between these important Milanese institutions and Pirelli in a commitment to disseminate technological culture among the young generations.
Education is one of the fundamental objectives of the museum, a premise Pirelli shares with its constant attention to scholastic and university education.

To know more:
www.museoscienza.org

PIRELLI FIT "iCHANGE", THE FIRST ZERO EMISSION SUPERCAR

Pirelli tyres for the first sportscar in history that can reach 220 km per hour without consuming a drop of fuel derived from petrol oil.

The car is “iChange“, named for its ability to change shape and adapt to the number of passengers in only three seconds, but its most revolutionary aspect is that it’s the first zero emission supercar, totally powered by a lithium ion battery that propels a 150 kilowatt electric engine.

iChange, trumpeted as one of the stars of the Geneva International Motor Show 2009, arises from collaboration between Swiss company Rinspeed and Pirelli, whose technology focuses more and more on ecological products.

This focus has been recognized, bringing Pirelli Tyre the award for best tyre manufacturer 2008 at the Tire Technology Expo, the most important expo-conference worldwide dedicated to the tyre industry, which organizes each year the ‘Tire Technology Awards for Innovation and Excellence‘. The jury, made up of international experts, gave Pirelli Tyre the title of  ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ thanks to the Group’s 2008 research and development activity in the field of innovative materials and environmental sustainability, and thanks to Pirelli’s partnerships with research institutes such as the Silvio Tronchetti Provera Foundation and China’s Shandong University.

PIRELLI WINS THE "TYRE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL AWARD 2009"

Hamburg, Germany, 18 February. A matter of pride for Pirelli Tyre at the Tire Technology Expo, the world’s most important exposition-conference devoted to the tyre industry, which organises each year the prestigious ‘Tire Technology Awards for Innovation and Excellence’.

In 2009, the authoritative jury, comprising international exponents of the tyre industry and research, has awarded the title ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ to Pirelli Tyre.

A choice motivated by research as a key factor in the activity of Pirelli in 2008, characterised by the creation of innovative materials, advantages for the environment and the constitution of partnerships with research organisation and institutes, such as those with the Silvio Tronchetti Provera Foundation and the Chinese University of Shandong.

Gianni Mancini, head of area processes, received the award on Pirelli’s behalf. With him on the podium were the representatives of Coda Development, VMI, Sumitomo Rubber Industries and Standards Testing Laboratories, winners of the other four award categories, which are ‘Tire Manufacturing Innovation’, ‘Environmental Achievement’, ‘Tire Technology’ and ‘Tire Industry Supplier’.