The startup Reselo’s product is a biorubber that neither destroys rainforests nor requires petroleum. It is made from birch bark, a residual product from forestry.
After several years of collaboration, Reselo and Nokian can now present the result of their joint venture: a new concept tire whose tread is partly made of a renewable material made from Swedish birch bark. An important milestone for five-year-old Reselo.
“This is incredible and means a lot to us as a company,” says Josefin Larsson.
The concept deck is called Betula – the scientific generic name for birch – and is made from 93 percent renewable material. It is the first time that a material derived from residual products from the pulp, paper and plywood industries has been used in a tire.
The material not only contributes to increased durability but also has the potential to improve tire performance. This is the opinion of Nokian, which tested the tire in both Finland and Sweden – with good results.
Reselo sees the collaboration with Nokian Tires as an important step for the company, which also develops materials for other industries, including the automotive and footwear industries.
– For us it means a lot to be able to work with a big player and that our material is now being tested in real products. “We see great potential both in tires and in other segments,” says Josefin Larsson.
For Nokian, new materials and manufacturing methods are an important part of achieving the company’s goals. By 2035, the tire manufacturer must have 50 percent renewable or recycled material in its tires – which corresponds to around 30,000 tons in today’s quantities. The hope is that Reselo can solve part of the challenge.
Although Reselo has only been a company for a few years, it has many interesting collaborations in the automotive industry. As Dagens industålri previously wrote, Reselo has worked with heavyweights such as Volvo Group, Polestar and Volvo Cars to explore how birch rubber can be used in the manufacture of the vehicles of the future. Scania has also shown interest in Reselo’s product.
Facts.From the bark to the rubber
● The components of the birch bark/fist are separated into three different components in a reactor. One of these, suberin, is then used for rubber production. Reselo’s patent covers the process of switching from suberin to rubber.
● The raw rubber produced can then be used in a conventional rubber manufacturing process, just like natural rubber or oil-based rubber.
Facts.Travel report
● Reselo was founded in 2021 by Thomas Baumgarten (inventor of the method), Josefin Larsson and Henrik Otendal.
● In 2024, the company had sales of SEK 1,195,000 and made a loss of SEK 946,000.
● Reselo works with Nokian Tires, Polestar, Volvo Cars, AB Volvo and CEVT, among others.
Read more about mobility and the green transformation of the transport sector at di.se/mobilitet
