Continental Collaborates with Kordsa to Launch First Series Tires with Cokoon Dip Technology

Continental collaborated with Kordsa, the global reinforce to begin the series production of the first of 250,000 passenger car tires featuring the Cokoon Dip adhesive technology they developed together. The two companies had worked together on the eco-friendly Cokoon dip technology from 2017.

The Cokoon technology eliminates the need for using resorcinol and formaldehyde in the textile dip in order to promote the bonding activation of textile reinforcing materials with rubber compounds. Textile reinforcing materials used to a significant extent in the tire manufacturing process as well in the manufacture of mechanical rubber goods such as hoses and conveyor belts.

Continental and Kordsa had first announced the launch of Cokoon as an open innovation technology in March 2019, and it attracted a lot of attention from the industry with over 40 companies including tire manufacturers, converters, and textile suppliers indicating an interest in testing the material and joining the licensing pool. Of these companies, 20 have already received samples. Continental and Kordsa have now invited all of the interested parties to join the pool and receive free licensing in order to contribute to the development of this new green technology. The licensing pool will be managed by the independent law firm AdvInno. Companies interested in the technology can find more information and the appropriate contacts on the official website www.cokoon.com.

Commenting on the new technology, Dr. Andreas Topp, Vice President Material and Process Development and Industrialization at Continental Tires said that the sampling process had proved to be big success and had exceeded Continental’s expectations. It was this positive feedback from the industry that encouraged Continental to proceed with the integration of Cokoon into its tires and to begin series production of the first tires. He said it is a high priority for Continental to expand use of the Cokoon technology in its tire production in 2020 and in the following years.

Devrim Özaydin, Global Technology Director at Kordsa said that the underlying idea with Cokoon, was to implement an eco-friendly industry-wide standard for bonding textiles and rubber. This is why all interested parties were asked to join the licensing pool, and to obtain free licensing so that they could contribute to the enhancement of this new open technology and introduce Cokoon into their mass production.

Eco-friendly resorcinol- and formaldehyde-free adhesion technology

Cokoon is the brand name of the new bonding system technology that is offered as an open source solution to all other tire manufacturers and their suppliers. Both the development partners Continental and Kordsa have opted to waive development or licensing fees but in return, it is expected that licensees would do the same for their patents related to further enhancement of this technology through a licensing pool. Interested companies can request samples.

Before Cokoon was developed, resorcinol and formaldehyde were essential requirements for the bonding activation of textile reinforcing materials to the surrounding rubber matrix. Replacing resorcinol and formaldehyde with more environmentally friendly alternatives is beneficial not only for a sustainable supply chain but also for tire cord manufacturers. Another major benefit is that end-consumers and employees in tire plants would not be exposed to these chemicals as they are chemically altered through the vulcanization process. With Cokoon dip technology, the bonding of textiles to rubber is now possible without these two substances and the technology does not require any changes in process equipment.