Tenneco’s Clevite Elastomers Joins Consortium for Domestic Rubber Production

NORTHVILLE, Mich., June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tenneco’s Clevite Elastomers business, recognized as a leading global supplier of components aimed at minimizing noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) in transportation applications, has announced its participation in a research consortium dedicated to exploring the domestic production of natural rubber from U.S. agricultural products. This initiative, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and spearheaded by The Ohio State University, is part of the Transformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security (TARDISS) project. The primary objective is to reduce U.S. manufacturers' reliance on rubber imports, thus bolstering both the nation’s economy and its national security.

Clevite Elastomers, which operates engineering labs and production facilities across Ohio, Indiana, Mexico, and China, has been a significant consumer of natural rubber sourced predominantly from Southeast Asia. Cash Mahesh, Tenneco's Executive Vice President and Group President of Performance Solutions, emphasized the importance of scientific research in safeguarding the supply chains crucial to U.S. industry. "The TARDISS project addresses supply chain integrity by investigating how America can produce natural rubber at scale for domestic manufacturers," Mahesh stated.

Currently, the majority of the world’s natural rubber is harvested from plantations located in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and other suitable Southeast Asian countries. This conventional production method presents challenges, including high logistical costs, a limited harvest life cycle, and susceptibility to diseases affecting rubber trees due to adverse weather conditions.

The Ohio State College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences has been awarded a $26 million grant from the NSF to coordinate this five-year project, which integrates expertise from various fields, including engineering, biology, and agriculture. Participating institutions include Case Western Reserve University, California Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, Texas Tech University, University of California, Merced, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The research will focus on several crops, notably the desert shrub guayule, Russian dandelion, and mountain gum, which are being studied for their potential in rubber production.

John Kinnick, Vice President and General Manager of Clevite Elastomers, expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with distinguished partners on a project that could significantly transform the natural rubber supply chain. "This initiative aims to protect multiple industries and millions of customers by establishing secure domestic production sources," Kinnick remarked. Clevite Elastomers will play a key role in testing and demonstrating the viability of using domestically produced natural rubber in various manufactured products.

Tenneco, a prominent player in the automotive industry, designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of products for both original equipment and aftermarket customers. Through its various business segments, including DRiV, Performance Solutions, Clean Air, Powertrain, and Ignition, Tenneco is committed to advancing global mobility by providing innovative technology solutions for light vehicles, commercial trucks, off-highway applications, industrial sectors, motorsport, and aftermarket services. For more information about Tenneco, visit www.tenneco.com.

**Contact:** Simonetta Esposito, Global Communications, Tenneco, Email: sesposito@tenneco.com