ZC Rubber Receives China's State Science and Technology Progress Award

ZC Rubber received the second prize of China’s State Science and Technology Progress Award. ZC Rubber said the technology award recognized the project “Key Technologies and Green Intelligent Manufacturing of High-Performance Tires.”

The manufacturer completed the project with Harbin Institute of Technology. The company is the only Chinese tire manufacturer in the past decade to receive the award at the second prize level or above. The award is one of China’s highest state-level honors for scientific and technological innovation.

The award recognizes technologies that have progressed from laboratory research to industrial application. The project connects high-performance tire development with greener and more intelligent manufacturing.

ZC Rubber Technology Award Highlights R&D Systems

Two proprietary technology platforms are central to ZC Rubber’s research and development strategy:

• The X-Tech System, primarily for truck and bus radial tires;
• The Phecda Tech System, primarily for passenger car radial tires.

Both platforms combine compound formulation, tire structure design, process engineering, simulation, testing and intelligent manufacturing. These capabilities operate within a unified development framework.

The platforms use a forward-development approach rather than starting with an existing product architecture. ZC Rubber said it defines performance targets based on vehicle applications, operating conditions and customer requirements. The company then develops compounds, structures and manufacturing processes around those targets.

This approach supports tire development for specific duty cycles, climates, road conditions and regional performance requirements. It avoids applying one standardized design across all markets.

“Our objective is not simply to develop an individual material, tread pattern or manufacturing process,” Henry Shen, senior vice president of ZC Rubber, said. “X-Tech and Phecda are complete development systems that connect user requirements with simulation, materials, tire engineering, manufacturing and validation. This award recognizes the direction we have pursued through sustained R&D investment.”

Technology Platforms Support Regional Products

ZC Rubber has applied both platforms to products developed for different regional requirements.

In Asia, the X-Tech System supports the X-Elite Truck Tire Series. ZC Rubber said it developed the series for commercial transport applications and regional operating conditions. In Europe, the company applies X-Tech to the WESTLAKE Gen II commercial tire lineup. The lineup emphasizes fleet efficiency, performance and European regulatory requirements.

The Phecda Tech System supports high-performance passenger car tires. Products include the WESTLAKE ZuperAce Z-007 and GOODRIDE Solmax 1.

In the Americas, ZC Rubber has applied technologies from both platforms across ARISUN’s full TBR and PCR product ranges.

“International markets do not have identical requirements,” Shen said. “A tire developed for European highway fleets, Southeast Asian transport operations or passenger vehicles in the Americas must respond to different vehicles, roads, climates and customer priorities. Our technology platforms allow us to address those differences through a consistent and systematic development process.”

Green and Intelligent Tire Manufacturing

The award-winning project also includes green and intelligent manufacturing technologies. ZC Rubber said it designed these technologies to improve product consistency, production efficiency and energy performance.

The development process connects materials research, product engineering, manufacturing and validation.

ZC Rubber said this integrated approach helps translate research and development advances into measurable value. The company identified vehicle manufacturers, original equipment partners, fleets, distributors and drivers as intended beneficiaries.

The process also supports faster product development and more consistent production. It aligns tire development more closely with vehicle platforms and market-specific requirements.

ZC Rubber said the X-Tech and Phecda Tech Systems will continue to support original-equipment and replacement-market development. The systems will apply across WESTLAKE, GOODRIDE, ARISUN and the company’s other brands.