Thursday, October 06, 2011 Yokohama’s Orange Oil Technology on Display at Museum
 Yokohama’s eco-tire technology is now officially on display at the Museum of Science, Boston. The two-year exhibit, which opened on Oct. 4, showcases Yokohama’s BluEarth-1, the company’s latest orange oil-infused passenger car tire, as well as the ultra-thin AIRTEX Advanced Liner, which helps consumers cut fuel costs by keeping their tires properly inflated. “Yokohama is the first – and only – tire manufacturer in the world to employ orange oil technology,” said Yasushi Tanaka, Yokohama president and CEO. “It’s very rewarding to see it highlighted in a leading educational and cultural institution like the Museum of Science, Boston.” BluEarth-1’s technology combines oil extracted from orange peels with fine silica and a blend polymer to form a nano-blend compound. This technology eliminates a significant amount of the petroleum-based products normally used in tire manufacturing. Nano-blend compounding allows for less petroleum use during the manufacturing process and conserves fuel by reducing rolling resistance up to 20 percent – minimizing the energy wasted (as heat) as the tire rolls down the road.
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