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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TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has launched its annual Tyre Safety Month by cautioning UK motorists that confidence in their vehicles’ stopping ability may be misplaced. Research indicates that although 83 percent of drivers feel fully in control of stopping distances, merely 6 percent know the additional distance required to halt in wet conditions at motorway speeds.

The study reveals that 94 percent of drivers underestimate how sharply stopping distances grow in rain, with many erring by substantial margins. This mismatch between perceived and actual risk spans every UK region, pointing to a nationwide problem involving driver awareness and vehicle preparedness.

In response, TyreSafe advises routine tyre checks, especially before seasonal shifts and heavier rainfall. Motorists are urged to remember the ACT principle – air pressure, condition and tread depth – and to act before they react.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “Many drivers and riders believe they are in control – but that confidence is often misplaced. Stopping distances in wet conditions can be far greater than expected, and tyres play a critical role in that equation. If your tyres are not properly maintained, your ability to stop safely is significantly reduced – no matter how confident you feel behind the wheel.”

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has secured a second extension of its company reorganisation, with the Gothenburg District Court approving a further three-month period lasting until 27 November 2026. The company has been under reorganisation since 27 February 2026, when the court initially granted the process. An earlier extension had already pushed the deadline to 27 August 2026 before this latest decision.

In its ruling, the District Court noted that Enviro has submitted a draft reconstruction plan and secured the necessary financing for it. The court also found that the company has taken other required measures, leading it to conclude that exceptional grounds exist to justify continuing the reorganisation beyond the ordinary timeframe.

Enviro now plans to ask the court to order plan negotiations and schedule a plan hearing as soon as possible. At that hearing, affected parties will be placed into groups and permitted to vote on whether to adopt the reorganisation plan. Details of the hearing date and participation instructions will be announced via press release and the company's website. Unless plan negotiations are ordered earlier, a reorganisation may last at most one year, or 15 months from the initial decision in such cases.

Fredrik Aaben, CEO, Enviro, said, "The District Court's decision gives us the opportunity to continue the intensive work of completing the company reorganisation. We have taken several important steps forward and are now working purposefully to establish a strong and long-term sustainable Scandinavian Enviro Systems. The strong interest in Enviro's technology persists, both with regard to licensing and other forms of collaboration. We are firmly committed to completing the reorganisation and building a strong industrial company based on our world-leading technology.”

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Continental has launched the Conti HSR 5 EP steer tyre and Conti HDR 5 EP drive tyre, expanding its Generation 5 regional haul lineup. Engineered for regional fleet operations, both products target greater mileage, better fuel economy and longer casing life, aiming to lower fleets’ total cost of ownership.

The tyres suit routes marked by frequent stops and starts, urban and suburban travel and changing road surfaces. Their advanced tread patterns and latest compound technology seek a balance among wear performance, rolling resistance and retreadability while supporting year-round operation.

For the steer position, the Conti HSR 5 EP uses a new five-rib tread pattern and optimised footprint to improve wear and promote even treadwear. With Continental’s Generation 5 compound, it offers an estimated 22 percent mileage gain over its predecessor while keeping rolling resistance low for fuel efficiency.

The Conti HDR 5 EP drive tyre combines an open shoulder design, enhanced stone-trapping resistance and better cut-and-chip protection to preserve casing integrity and retread potential. It delivers an estimated 19 percent removal mileage improvement over its predecessor while maintaining fuel-saving rolling resistance. Both tyres are available from October 2026 in key regional haul sizes, with more sizes planned during 2027.

Shaun Uys, Vice President Marketing and Sales, Truck Tires US, said, "Regional fleets continue to face mounting pressure to improve operating efficiency while controlling costs. The new Conti HSR 5 EP and Conti HDR 5 EP were developed to help fleets go farther on every tyre investment through increased removal mileage, lower fuel consumption and enhanced casing life."

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The DUNLOP Group is restructuring its sustainability management to more closely align business strategies with sustainability initiatives, aiming to achieve sustainable corporate value growth. As part of this effort, each business division will establish a Divisional Sustainability Promotion Committee under the umbrella of the existing Sustainability Promotion Committee, which oversees company-wide efforts. This change is intended to accelerate the integration of business strategies and sustainability measures.

The newly formed divisional committees will discuss and decide on sustainability policies designed to create business opportunities and drive growth within their respective divisions. They will also monitor progress towards division-specific targets under the Long-Term Sustainability Targets, known as ‘Driving Our Future Initiatives’, and share relevant information. Progress updates will be reported to the Sustainability Promotion Committee, strengthening company-wide monitoring.

Chart of sustainability management structure

In addition, a cross-divisional Sustainable Natural Rubber (SNR) Subcommittee will be launched to manage and reduce risks and create opportunities in the natural rubber supply chain. Natural rubber is a natural capital resource on which the Group’s business significantly depends and also has significant impacts. The subcommittee will address these issues from natural capital and human rights perspectives, based on the Sustainable Natural Rubber Policy.

The SNR Subcommittee will serve as a cross-functional body that concentrates and accelerates the Group’s various SNR activities. By aligning with biodiversity and human rights initiatives and taking a mid- to long-term approach, it will pursue sustainable natural rubber through efforts such as supporting natural rubber farmers and collaborating with external partners.

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