Scientists awarded prestigious industry prize for "Natural Rubber from Dandelion" Project

• · Prestigious scientific award goes to two biologists in Münster and tyre manufacturer Continental for joint project
• · Natural rubber from dandelion root set to make rubber extraction more sustainable – first test tyres already successful

Dr. Christian Schulze Gronover, Prof. Dr. Dirk Prüfer, and Dr. Carla Recker and Prof. Dr. Reimund Neugebauer at the award ceremony of the Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Award for the project “RUBIN – Industrialization of dandelion rubber“

Continental Tyres’ Hanover division is celebrating after winning the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for their collaborative work with German biologists, on a project entitled "RUBIN – Industrial Emergence of Natural Rubber from Dandelion".  The Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME, Münster branch), the Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology of the University of Münster, and the Tire Division of Continental in Hanover have been working together to research the potential of extracting rubber from the Russian dandelion to produce more eco-friendly car tyres.

The award was presented recently in Wiesbaden, Germany, to Prof. Dirk Prüfer and Dr. Christian Schulze Gronover – from the IME and Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology respectively – and Dr. Carla Recker from Continental.

"The objective of this joint project is to develop a procedure for the industrial use of dandelion as a source of rubber. In agricultural terms, it is an undemanding plant, even in the northern hemisphere, and can be cultivated on land not suitable for food production. This means that rubber production is conceivable near our tyre factories, for instance, and the significantly shorter transport routes would also reduce CO2emissions," said Dr. Carla Recker, who heads the Continental team involved in the development of this promising material.

"During our research, we have discovered which genes promote rubber production and which ones hinder it. We were able to use this knowledge to develop plants that produce twice as much natural rubber. We also managed to extract several kilos of dandelion rubber with a small pilot system. This opened up prospects in terms of scaling up industrial production to the level of tons", said Prüfer and Schulze Gronover at the award ceremony.

Dr. Carla Recker added: "We are honored to receive this prestigious award for our joint project. It will make tyre production even more environmentally friendly, without compromising our high-quality standards or losing out on performance."

With the first tyres having already been tested under both summer and winter conditions, the project is running very successfully so far. Tyres made from dandelion rubber show an equivalent property profile when compared with tyres made from conventional natural rubber from the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). Continental intends to launch series production of tyres made from dandelion rubber in the next five to ten years. Further information about the project is available at www.taraxagum.de.

Fraunhofer has been presenting annual awards for outstanding scientific achievements since 1978. The Joseph von Fraunhofer Prizes go to researchers who solve application-related problems. In 2015 three Joseph von Fraunhofer Prizes were awarded. The two other awards went to the Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen. The scientific prize has been awarded since 1978 and commemorates Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787 – 1824), an optician and physicist, who used the results of precise scientific work to develop innovative products.

Continental develops intelligent technologies for transporting people and their goods. As a reliable partner, the international tyre manufacturer, automotive supplier and industrial partner provides sustainable, safe, comfortable, individual and affordable solutions. In 2014, the corporation generated preliminary sales of approximately €34.5 billion with its five divisions, Chassis & Safety, Interior, Powertrain, Tyres, and ContiTech. Continental currently employs approximately 200,000 people in 53 countries.

Continental Commercial Vehicle Tyres is one of the largest manufacturers of truck, bus and commercial specialty tyres worldwide. The business unit is continuously developing from a pure tyre manufacturer to a solution provider, offering a broad range of products, services and tyre-related solutions.

For further information please contact:

Caroline Holmes or Belle Moss

Torque

T: 020 7952 1070

cholmes@torqueagencygroup.com or bmoss@torqueagencygroup.com

www.continental-tyres.com