Published: 8/24/2022

(Akron, Ohio) – August 24, 2022 – Smithers, a leading provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services, announces that Josh Guilliams, Lori Knous, and Matt Kent will speak at the 2022 International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC), September 13-15, 2022.
 
Josh Guilliams, Vice President of Consultancy, is giving a presentation titled “Trends in Tire Development to Support Rolling Resistance Performance” on Wednesday, September 14, at 3:30 p.m. Reducing tire rolling resistance remains an incontrovertible objective for materials scientists and tire design engineers. Guilliams will present a comprehensive review of tire construction and materials data from over 500 tires analyzed over the past five years. He will present a comparison of the ISO 28580 rolling resistance coefficient from laboratory testing versus the DMA tangent delta predictors determined from a sample of those same tread compounds. He will also share a comprehensive evaluation of a proprietary Smithers tire database to determine the major construction and material feature contributors to rolling resistance for all-season, summer, winter, high performance, EV, and truck, bus, and radial (TBR) tires.
 
Lori Knous, General Manager, Smithers Akron Labs, is giving a presentation titled “Trends in Winter Tire Materials and Construction Features” on Wednesday, September 14, at 3:00 p.m. The evolution of winter tire design has been an area of interest and research for many years. Knous will review construction and materials data from a proprietary database of winter passenger car tires from the North American and European markets, including data from the last five years. Knous will also share observations and comparisons of all-season, summer, and high-performance passenger tires, including an empirical assessment of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) traction laboratory predictors for various conditions, predicted winter traction performance of tire tread materials, and other relevant tread material observations pertaining to snow, wet, and dry traction.
 
Matt Kent, Technical Director, Smithers Tire & Wheel Test Center, is giving a presentation titled “High-Speed Uniformity Testing for Evolving Vehicle and Tire Development” on Wednesday, September 14, at 1:30 p.m. High-speed uniformity (HSU) testing data is used throughout the supply chain to validate tires and quantify potential issues in both OEM and aftermarket applications. HSU testing can be used to understand flat-spotting issues, impact response, and ride quality. Electric vehicle (EV) and EV tire manufacturers are using HSU testing to minimize the vibrations and resonances generated by the tire and felt by the driver. Additionally, HSU testing is a critical element for vehicle models. Kent’s presentation will review common HSU test methods and how they apply to automotive OEM, tire manufacturer, and tire distributor requirements.
 
“Smithers is nearing our 100-year anniversary of serving the evolving needs of the tire industry, and we’re still dedicated to providing accurate data, on time, with excellent service to our valued clients,” said Jim Popio, PhD, Vice President, Smithers Materials Science and Engineering Division. “Josh, Lori, and Matt each have a unique perspective on these specialized topics thanks to their long careers in the industry. I’m confident that their insights will invaluable to anyone who joins us at ITEC 2022.”
 
The Smithers team will also be present at booth #516 on the exhibition floor. Those interested in attending ITEC 2022 can register here.
 
As Vice President of Consultancy, Guilliams leads the Smithers technical consulting team based in Akron, Ohio, managing client relationships and working with other Smithers experts on complex projects. He also conducts in-depth investigations of a wide variety of rubber materials and final products on behalf of clients. Before joining the team at Smithers, Guilliams spent several years in leadership at Polymer Valley Chemicals, Inc. and held technical and commercial roles at Hankook Tire, EASTMAN Chemical Corporation, LANXESS Corporation, and Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. He has a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and engineering from Baldwin Wallace University and a Master of Polymer Science from the University of Akron. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt. 
 
As General Manager of Akron Labs, Knous manages operations at the Smithers materials testing laboratories in Akron, including both analytical and physical properties testing of primarily rubber, plastic, and composite materials. She oversees a team of experienced testing engineers, chemists, and technicians to deliver excellent customer service and ensure that all quality systems and processes continue to meet industry and client standards. Before joining the team at Smithers, Knous held leadership roles in metallurgy, continuous improvement, quality, and business development at Alpha Technologies and Allied Machine and Engineering Corp. She has a Bachelor of Science in metallurgical and materials engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Master of Science in metallurgical and material science from Case Western Reserve University.
 
Kent has over 20 years of experience in the tire industry and has worked in tire manufacturing and tire testing. He has been responsible for many testing machines, including MTS Flat Tracs, acoustic, laser measurement, uniformity, spring rate, and high- and low-speed durability. He became the Technical Director of the Smithers Tire & Wheel Test Center in 2017. Kent has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Toledo. He is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, is certified in FARO Measurement Systems, and has received training Lean and pneumatic systems design.
 
For more information about Smithers, please visit https://www.smithers.com/
 
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About Smithers:
Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Smithers is a multinational provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services. With laboratories and operations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Smithers supports customers in the transportation, life science, packaging, materials, components, consumer, dry commodities, and energy industries. Smithers delivers accurate data, on time, with high touch, by integrating science, technology, and business expertise, so customers can innovate with confidence.