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NORTHVILLE, Mich., June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tenneco's Clevite Elastomers business, a leading global supplier of components that help minimize noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) encountered in the operation of passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, buses, and other transportation applications, has joined a research consortium exploring opportunities to establish domestic production of natural rubber using agricultural products. Funded through a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and led by The Ohio State University, the Transformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security (TARDISS) project aims to reduce U.S. manufacturers' reliance on rubber imports, protecting the nation's economy and national security.
Clevite Elastomers, which operates engineering labs and production facilities in Ohio and Indiana as well as Mexico and China, is a major consumer of natural rubber produced in Southeast Asia. The company, part of Tenneco's Performance Solutions group, designs and manufactures a broad range of elastomeric NVH reduction products for vehicle and equipment manufacturers and other customers worldwide.
"Science can play a leading role in protecting the supply chains that help drive U.S. industry,” said Cash Mahesh, Tenneco Executive Vice President and Group President, Performance Solutions. "The TARDISS project addresses supply chain integrity head-on by studying how America can produce natural rubber at scale to serve domestic manufacturers.”
A vast majority of the world's natural rubber is currently produced on rubber plantations in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and other climate-appropriate Southeast Asian nations. This conventionally accepted means of production poses multiple challenges, however, including a costly supply chain, limited life cycle for harvest, and damage to rubber trees from disease and weather.
The Ohio State College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences was awarded a $26 million, 5-year grant from NSF to coordinate and integrate project research by experts in engineering, biology and agriculture. In addition to Ohio State, the project involves scientists from Case Western Reserve University; California Institute of Technology; North Carolina State University; Texas Tech University; University of California, Merced; and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Principal crops being studied in the project include the desert shrub guayule, Russian dandelion and mountain gum.
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"It is a privilege to work alongside these distinguished partners in a project that could transform the natural rubber supply chain, protecting multiple industries and millions of customers through convenient and secure domestic production sources,” said John Kinnick, vice president and general manager, Clevite Elastomers.
Clevite Elastomers will assist the team in testing and demonstrating the use of domestically produced natural rubber in the manufacture of finished products.
About Tenneco
Tenneco is one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers, and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers. Through our DRiV, Performance Solutions, Clean Air, Powertrain and Ignition business groups, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport, and the aftermarket.
Visit www.tenneco.com to learn more.
CONTACT:
Simonetta Esposito
Global Communications
Tenneco
