Smithers Experts to Speak on Electric Vehicle Tires and Silica Tread Compounds at Tire Tech Expo

AKRON, Ohio - Feb. 7, 2019 - PRLog -- Smithers Rapra, a world leader in tires, rubber, plastics, and composites testing expertise, announced today that Bruce Lambillotte, Vice President of Technical Consulting, and Dr. Dustin Jenkins, Senior Analytical Chemist, will deliver presentations at the Tire Technology Expo 2019 in Hannover, Germany, March 5-7.

Lambillotte will present "The Impact of Electric Vehicles on Tires to YR2028" at 11:10am on March 5. This session on the first day of the expo will cover a recent Smithers market report that addresses how the growing electric vehicle market and changing mobility trends will impact many aspects of tire performance.

Dr. Jenkins is scheduled to give his presentation, "Silica Dispersion Analysis by Way of SEM/ImageJ Analysis in Laboratory Mixed PCR Tread Compounds," at 3:30pm on March 6. He will discuss data from Smithers' mixing studies related to silica dispersion in tread compounds and the benefits of intermesh mixing in improving dispersion and assessing different silicas.

Tire Technology Expo (http://www.tiretechnology-expo.com/) brings together a wide range of global industry professionals in various disciplines to share new technologies, scientific findings, and thoughts on the industry as a whole. This year's expo will feature a conference program that spans three days, including more than 160 speakers, seven educational courses, and exhibits from over 300 of the top names in tire manufacturing and testing. In addition to its expert presentations, Smithers will exhibit at Booth 5013 in the expo hall.

As Vice President of Technical Consulting for Smithers Rapra, Lambillotte is responsible for product- and process-specific technical consulting activities (http://www.smithersrapra.com/expert-support), involving a wide variety of rubber and polymer products. He specializes in performance analyses, formula reconstructions, product damage analyses, and product development challenges.

Dr. Jenkins focuses on developing and validating new testing methodologies and enhancing Smithers' material benchmarking and characterization capabilities, which involves chromatography and spectrometry (https://www.smithersrapra.com/testing-services) techniques serving rubber and polymer product manufacturers. He has over 10 years of experience in organic and inorganic chemistry in academia and research with technical expertise in GC/MS, FT-IR, time-resolved laser spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and NMR spectroscopy.

"The next decade promises to be one of the most revolutionary in the automotive industry, with the growth new technology and performance requirements," said Dr. Jim Popio, Vice President, North America, Smithers Rapra. "Until our cars fly, the tire is a critical piece of these automotive developments. We are thrilled to have Bruce and Dustin covering two important trends in tire performance and composition."

Smithers Rapra operates laboratories in North America, Europe, and Asia, covering a wide variety of materials science and engineering services from material chemistry (http://www.smithersrapra.com/material-testing/chemical-analysis) and product durability testing (http://www.smithersrapra.com/product-testing), to tire, wheel (http://www.smithersrapra.com/industries/tire-and-wheel), and winter testing (http://www.smithersrapra.com/product-testing/winter-proving-grounds). Smithers' global network of ISO 17025 accredited tire test laboratories perform a wide variety of SAE, ASTM, ISO, UNECE and EC tests supporting raw material suppliers, tire manufacturers, and automotive OEMs. For more information about Smithers Rapra, visit www.smithersrapra.com.

About Smithers Rapra:

Smithers Rapra has been a trusted partner of the rubber and plastics industries for over 90 years. Our business is built around delivering a complete portfolio of rubber and plastic testing services to support a wide range of industry sectors including tire, automotive, polymer products, oil and gas, medical device, pharmaceutical, transport, packaging, industrial, and consumer products. By integrating science, technology and business expertise, Smithers adds value throughout the life cycle of our clients' products. Please visit www.smithersrapra.com.

About The Smithers Group:

Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, The Smithers Group includes Smithers Apex, Smithers Avanza, Smithers Pira, Smithers Quality Assessments, Smithers Rapra, and Smithers Viscient. Each Smithers Group company provides technology-based services focused on a defined market. As a group, the diversity of market sectors and technologies provides stability and a platform for long-term growth. By integrating science, technology and business expertise, Smithers' goal is to add value throughout the lifecycle of our clients' products, by utilizing testing, consulting, information, and compliance services. All Smithers companies are known by their clients as Trusted Providers of Innovative Solutions. For more information, visit www.smithers.com.

You can reach the Smithers Rapra North America office at:

425 West Market Street

Akron, Ohio 44303

Telephone: 330-762-7441