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Falken, a tire brand exclusively represented in Portugal by Alves Bandeira Tyres, known for its high-performance tires, now stands out for its  sustainability and renewable energy leadership.

As part of the Sumitomo Rubber Industries Group, the brand maintains a clear vision about it's social and environmental responsibility and has continuously worked to improve its energy efficiency and reduce its ecological footprint in all its operations.

Currently, the company is covering the roof of its factory in Thailand with the world's largest installation of solar panels, that is going to cover an area of 100,000 square meters, equivalent to more than 18 soccer fields, is composed of 40,000 panels and will have a total production of 22 megawatts (MW).

However, this is not the only initiative of the company towards energy independence. The new photovoltaic panel installation is part of a larger investment in sustainable energy at the Rayong Province factory, which also includes a gas cogeneration system with two 6.6 MW boilers powered by renewable energy and a biomass-based electrical system for electricity production. When all these initiatives are operational, the factory will be capable of using 100% renewable energy, an important step towards a greener and more sustainable future.

These actions will have a significant impact on the company's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, with estimates suggesting that these changes will reduce annual emissions by 38,000 tons, representing a considerable reduction in the company's environmental impact.

For Filipe Bandeira, Administrator and General Director of AB Tyres Portugal, "When we closed the agreement with the Sumitomo Group approximately ten years ago to be the exclusive representative of the Falken and Sumitomo brands in Portugal, we took into consideration not only the unquestionable quality of the brand but also the values and strategy of the Group for the future in the areas of corporate responsibility. At AB Tyres and the Alves Bandeira Group, we prioritize long-lasting and trustworthy relationships, knowing that sometimes we lose occasional opportunities to make good deals. It's part of our DNA."

The measures currently being implemented are part of the Sumitomo Rubber Industries Group's sustainability policy, into which Falken is integrated. The Group's objective is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and the initiatives currently underway in the infrastructure in question are an important step towards that goal.