Mahatma Gandhi University has signed a new industrial project collaboration with Apollo tyres, Chennai. The new project titled “Light Weight Nanocellulose/Rubber Hybrid Composites for Tyre Engineering: The Role of Interface Modification on Morphology and Ultimate Properties”.  This will be a new innovation for tyre tread fabrication. The use of lightweight materials will attract the attention of the tyre industry by reducing rolling resistance and increasing fuel efficiency. The use of Nanocellulose which usually extracts from the locally available plant wastes such as banana, coir, bamboo will give value addition and the prepared tyre will be more eco-friendly as compared to the commercially available tyres which are made of carbon black and silica. Prof. Sabu Thomas, the project lead, secured funding for the second time from Apollo tyres. His team has already developed the tyre inner lining material with Apollo tyres and received an Indian patent [135/CHE/2012] for it.