Michelin India Technology Centre has been operating for over five years. Could you highlight how the centre has been playing its role in research and development for Michelin's domestic and international markets?

The centre has grown over the years in terms of developing competencies and delivering products and solutions to businesses in the local market, region and globally. The agility and flexibility in delivery of solutions to sustainable mobility is one of our key strengths. The product solutions that are developed in conjunction with other regional teams have the cutting edge, keeping Michelin ahead of the curve. The gender and domain diverse team at the centre has brought unique dimensions to meet customer aspirations specific to different vehicle platforms. There are forward looking concepts and products that are being developed in different life cycle stages by the team in India that have upgraded their skills due to their world class training. Our teams are also exposed to global norms and developments in mature markets, thus enabling them to bring in such perspectives while developing products in the domestic market. 

What will drive the Indian truck and bus tyre market in future?

This is very interesting and all of us have seen a reset of a new normal due to Covid-19 in ways we are conducting the different facets of our businesses. The Indian market is smart, agile and ahead in their thought process compared to some of the other markets. The digital solutions, smarts, AI and services will drive the Indian truck and bus tyre market. Customers, whether they own transportation fleets or personal vehicles, want the worry-free ‘fit and forget’ tyre solutions. At Michelin, we have many such services, charging cost per kilometre to customers, which have been deployed in mature markets as well as in India, allowing our customers to focus on other aspects of their business models or personal routines.

The other driving factor will be ‘smarts’ in the tyre industry. The embedded chips in tyres for V2X interfaces are a huge opportunity for the mobility ecosystem with a vast application playfield that includes monitoring tear wear, tyre rotation periods, driver behaviour, inputs fed to active integrated suspensions for ride comfort, adjusting speed depending on terrain for safety and ergonomics of driver comfort as well as cargo movement.

Advanced materials will change the game with growing percentages of recycled rubber in tyre design and manufacturing. These will be an enabler in reducing carbon footprint of a vehicle and the holistic ecosystem including tyre dust. Faster curing materials, self-sealing tyres are around the corner in India. There are pilots and that will be the real ‘aah-ha’ moment for the industry and consumers. 

The centre also has a material testing lab. Sustainable raw materials are growing focus of tyre companies. What are the activities of the centre in the material testing space?

Materials, we believe, will be the strategic edge of our products and solutions as mentioned earlier. The centre does leverage material testing, monitoring various aspects of product development. The automation of test data for faster evaluation and upstream design actions is an important aspect with regard to speed to market. This is something that our teams are good at creatively innovating at the centre and the lab downstream.  

How do you distinguish the product requirements for developed and developing countries?

It is not the product but the solutions and services that are adapted for different regions. This is decided based on local regulations and norms, and the ecosystem and the infrastructure available there to support it. Product development also considers the tech savviness in the totem poles of the customers. The smartness in deploying the right solutions at the right price, at the right time will continue to be a distinguishing and winning factor for us across the globe.

MITC joined hands with IIT Bombay and ARAI. According to you, how will the new mobility shape in India, and how are you preparing, through R&D work, to offer the customised products in India?

This is one amazing aspect of India that we believe can be leveraged to the advantage of the Indian ecosystem. The Indian competitiveness for delivering ‘more customer value with lesser resources’ will help Michelin progress with these engagements. We will have students exposed to mature markets, working with global academia and experienced Michelin engineers to straight-on take the lead in their careers and solution mindset. We are confident that these and such partnerships are the diving boards to our collective growth. To use the cricket analogies, we are here to play well, in both the T20 and the test matches, and we are building teams that can switch on and off the pace between such situations due to their exposure, mentoring and talent acceleration.    

Will you be open to more partnerships in India?

The power of Collective Intelligence is second to none when it comes to delivering smarts to our customers through such valuable partnerships. The centre is already working with few of the academic institutions in India and is in discussions with the right-minded players that are on the same page. We have a clear understanding of ‘where to play’ as it forms our evaluation matrix when we are exploring start-ups, incubation parks and innovation accelerators. We will continue this journey as it helps with the step-change in the Indian ecosystem on many aspects of mobility and related solutions that are beneficial to all stakeholders.

According to you, what are the more significant challenges for scientists and engineers in the tyre industry?

Challenges are to find, train and retain individuals with the right kind of skill-sets. The gestation period to train and get an engineer to deliver high quality smart solutions requires patience and commitment. The more experienced scientists and engineers are at cross roads to delegate to the pipeline of talent that graduates out of our engineering institutions in their early professional journey. The infra and technical power needs to grow in India since the AI solutions and digitalisation can be catapulted very well in an existing innovation mindset for deployment. The race to get to the senior positions without developing a depth in domains is a challenge and not sustainable for growth in the long term. Talent in AI and data analytics tied to tyre and mobility domains is growing, but this talent is enticed by other non-mobility industries, creating a churn and dampening the speed to market and ability to provide attractive solutions and products to our customers. (TT)

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Bridgestone, alongside Kwik Fit, has announced a new two-year sponsorship deal with Camper Calling Festival covering 2026 and 2027. The partnership, which kicks off over the August Bank Holiday weekend, positions the tyre manufacturer as the Official Tyre Partner and the sponsor of the Lakeside Stage at the Warwickshire event.

Held at Ragley Hall from 28 to 30 August, the festival draws around 25,000 annual attendees, including campers, music fans and families. This collaboration provides a direct channel for Bridgestone and Kwik Fit to connect with that adventure-seeking audience in a relaxed, outdoor environment.

The timing aligns with the UK summer introduction of Bridgestone’s new Duravis Camper Van tyre. Engineered for the growing campervan segment, the premium tyre emphasises durability, safety and driving confidence. The festival setting offers an authentic lifestyle backdrop to showcase the product and strengthen Bridgestone’s reputation among British campervan users.

Drew Chapman, Consumer Sales Director, Bridgestone UK, said, “We’re delighted to announce that Bridgestone, in partnership with Kwik Fit, is joining the Camper Calling family as sponsor of the festival and the Lakeside Stage. The Lakeside Stage is one of the standout parts of Camper Calling, giving festivalgoers the chance to enjoy great live music in a brilliant setting. With our support, it’s set to be a real highlight of the weekend. This partnership reflects our shared ambition to help people enjoy every journey with confidence, focusing on what really matters to drivers – safety, reliability and peace of mind. It also gives us a strong platform to support the launch of the first ever Bridgestone Duravis Camper Van tyre.”

Andy Lane, Director of Marketing, Kwik Fit, said, “Camper Calling is a strong fit for Kwik Fit, giving us the chance to connect with campers, families and festivalgoers during one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer. Our partnership with Bridgestone brings together two trusted brands with a shared focus on helping drivers stay safe, prepared and ready for every journey. It also gives us a strong opportunity to show how Kwik Fit supports customers with practical, dependable service when it matters most. We’re looking forward to bringing the partnership to life at Ragley Hall and showing how Kwik Fit can help keep people moving with confidence, whether they’re setting off for the festival or heading home again afterwards.”

David Arthur, Managing Director of Camper Calling, said, “We’re delighted to welcome Bridgestone and Kwik Fit as official partners of Camper Calling. Both brands are synonymous with quality, reliability and helping people enjoy the journey, which makes them a natural fit for our festival campers.”

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TyreSafe has issued a fresh warning to families during Child Safety Week, emphasising that protecting children on the road requires attention beyond just child car seats. The road safety charity urges parents and carers to consider the entire vehicle’s condition before every journey, particularly the tyres, which are critical for braking, grip and overall control.

The organisation stresses that while correctly fitted child restraints offer vital protection during a collision, vehicle safety begins before a crash ever occurs. Worn, damaged or underinflated tyres can significantly increase stopping distances and compromise a vehicle’s ability to respond in an emergency, undermining the protection that child seats are designed to provide.

This guidance aligns with the government’s new Road Safety Strategy, which aims to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 65 percent overall and by 70 percent for children under 16 by 2035. TyreSafe notes that achieving these targets depends on a Safe System approach, where multiple layers of safety work together. Recent data from Good Egg Safety CIC community checks reinforces this point, revealing that approximately two thirds of inspected child restraints are incorrectly fitted or unsuitable due to issues such as slack seat belts, loose bases, misrouted belts or improperly adjusted support legs and carry handles.

To help families act, TyreSafe promotes its simple ACT checklist. Air pressure should be checked regularly against the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended levels. Condition must be inspected for cuts, bulges, cracks or embedded objects. Tread depth must meet the legal minimum of 1.6 mm with no uneven wear. These checks are especially important given that children must use an appropriate car seat until age 12 or until they reach 135 centimetres in height.

As part of Child Safety Week, TyreSafe is supporting local initiatives across UK, including free child car seat checking events in West Yorkshire delivered with West Yorkshire Vision Zero and Good Egg Safety CIC. Selected sessions will also offer free tyre safety checks and practical advice. TyreSafe encourages families to attend such events and remember that every part of the journey matters when it comes to protecting children on the road.

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “A correctly fitted child seat offers vital protection, but it is only one part of the safety picture. Tyres are the only contact between the vehicle and the road and have a direct impact on braking, grip and control. If tyres are not properly maintained, stopping distances increase and vehicle performance can be affected – particularly in emergency situations or poor weather conditions. Keeping children safe means looking at the whole journey and the whole vehicle. Simple checks can make a significant difference.”

Janis James MBE, Chief Executive of Good Egg Safety CIC, said, “Parents and carers go to extraordinary lengths to protect the children they love, yet our national data consistently shows that around two thirds of child car seats are being used incorrectly – often by caring families who simply don’t realise something is wrong. The encouraging news is that many of the issues we identify can usually be corrected quickly with the support of our highly experienced and accredited Safety Advisors, potentially making a life-saving difference in the event of a collision. By working alongside TyreSafe at selected events, we are supporting the wider Safe System approach – helping families stay safer both inside and outside the vehicle.”

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Goodyear highlighted progress at its Amiens tyre plant modernisation during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron. The facility, which first opened in 1958, is undergoing a major transformation launched in 2022 and supported by the French government’s France 2030 programme. This investment aims to strengthen the site’s long-term competitiveness and future readiness.

Nearly 800 employees work at the Amiens plant, producing consumer tyres for global original equipment and replacement markets. Beyond technology, the overhaul emphasises workforce development through expanded training, upskilling programmes and active recruitment for roles ranging from operators to engineers. These efforts are designed to align the site’s evolution with new technologies while preparing a skilled workforce for the future.

Mark Stewart, Chief Executive Officer and President, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, said, “We’re proud to welcome President Macron to Amiens and show the progress our team has made. Over the past several years, we’ve reshaped this plant – bringing in more advanced technologies, increasing automation and digital solutions to shift its production towards premium, higher-value tyres. This modernisation is about our people and the future of the Amiens facility. Together with the French government, we’ve strengthened this site and built on Goodyear’s longstanding presence in France, reinforcing our commitment to manufacturing and jobs here.”

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The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) has recognised outstanding individuals and organisations for their leadership and contributions to the tyre and rubber industry, including end-of-life tyre management and broader sustainability efforts. The awards were presented on 4 June 2026, following the association’s annual general meeting at the Alt Hotel Toronto Airport in Mississauga.

The 2026 Industry Leadership Awards honoured achievements in three categories: Lifetime Achievement, Sustainability and Young Leader. The ceremony highlighted a range of innovations, from circular economy advancements to operational excellence and community-focused initiatives.

Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award was Emmie Leung of Emterra Group. Over five decades, she grew a single-person start-up into one of Canada’s largest integrated resource management companies. In 2005, she founded Emterra Tire Recycling, which became a leading supplier of crumb rubber and recycled tyre materials, significantly advancing responsible tyre management nationwide. Beyond business growth, she introduced a formal diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and the Community Care programme, supporting charitable partnerships and environmental awareness.

In the Sustainability category, TRAC recognised three recipients. Dr Marcela Castano of Bridgestone led the implementation of ISCC Plus certification across 15 manufacturing facilities, integrating certified mass balance into operations and strengthening market confidence in sustainable materials. Reliable Tire Recycling was honoured for transforming end-of-life tyres into valuable products through proprietary machinery and research partnerships with the University of Manitoba, focusing on energy efficiency and waste reduction. Muhammad Shah of eTracks Tire Management Systems was recognised for his collaborative, solutions-focused work supporting service providers and ensuring responsible recovery streams across Ontario.

The Young Leader award went to three professionals. Paul-André Gaudreault, plant manager at AirBoss of America, oversees complex rubber production processes and has strengthened operational consistency since joining the company in 2013. Paresh Kulkarni of Kal Tire manages Canada’s only commercial rubber devulcanisation line, helping scale operations across North America, Latin America and Europe. Tyler Scott of Nokian Tyres has built a 26-year career spanning sales, technical service and training, managing national accounts and securing early EV OEM fitments while earning an MBA.

All recipients demonstrated measurable impact in advancing circular economy principles, operational innovation or industry leadership. Their work continues to strengthen environmental outcomes and economic resilience within Canada’s tyre and rubber sector.

The annual awards underscore TRAC’s commitment to celebrating leadership that drives sustainable change. The association noted that the honourees reflect the growing importance of cross-sector collaboration in building a more circular tyre industry.

Carol Hochu, President and CEO, Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, said, “This year’s award recipients represent the strength and diversity of our industry. Across different roles and areas of expertise, they have demonstrated leadership, innovation and a strong commitment to advancing the sector. Their contributions are helping address complex challenges and support the long-term sustainability of our industry. Recipients are recognised across three categories: Lifetime Achievement, Sustainability and Young Leader.”

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