France-headquartered tire manufacturer Michelin is exploring the possibility of sourcing rice husks from Vietnam for production, provided the Southeast Asian country meets the necessary requirements, according to Manuel Fafian, president of Michelin East Asia and Oceania.

At a recent Asia-Pacific media event at Michelin's Talent Campus in Chon Buri, Thailand, Fafian said Michelin was buying natural rubber directly from two million farmers.

The firm wants to work directly with farmers to buy such materials to make sure that they produce the materials in the most sustainable way possible.

As part of Michelin’s pledge to produce tires containing 100-percent sustainable materials by 2050, the company plans to incorporate rice husks into its tire production as they contain 15-20 percent silica, a key tire ingredient.

Silica is normally derived from sand, but the substance is increasingly becoming scarce, while the supply of rice husks is abundant in Asia.

The Michelin leader revealed they are importing rice husks from China and considering those from Thailand.

Cyrille Roget, scientific and innovation communication director at Michelin, said using bio and recycled materials helps protect the environment and reduce the energy consumed by vehicles, thus lowering costs.

He added that another benefit is durability, saying this new technology would help produce more durable and safer tires.

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