Ainscough Crane Hire, UK’s largest crane hire business, has significantly deepened its collaboration with Michelin by placing its entire tyre management operation in the hands of Michelin’s Connected Solutions (CXS) division. What began in 2023 as an arrangement focused on the company’s truck tyres has now evolved into a comprehensive, long-term partnership covering the full spectrum of the operator’s fleet.

Operating from 30 sites nationwide, the agreement encompasses more than 350 Liebherr cranes, a substantial number of which are 16-wheelers, alongside 135 trucks and trailers and 199 support vans. Included within this are 40 Scania heavy goods vehicles dedicated to heavy haulage. CXS now coordinates the supply of roughly 1,000 tyres annually through a national network while also providing detailed sustainability reporting to support Ainscough’s environmental goals.

The extension of the partnership was reinforced by a successful benchmarking trial, which demonstrated that Michelin’s X Multi truck tyres delivered three times the lifespan of a leading competitor. These fitments now equip the majority of the haulage fleet. Michelin is also introducing its advanced X Crane 2 tyres across the heavy crane fleet as existing rubber is replaced. These tyres offer a new tread pattern for enhanced grip and braking, alongside a higher load capacity that permits an additional 800 kilogrammes per tyre at highway speeds. Certified testing also shows they are more than 13 percent more fuel-efficient than their main premium rival due to reduced rolling resistance.

Sustainability remains central to the arrangement. Ainsworth makes full use of Michelin’s multi-life tyre policy for its trucks and ballast trailers. Casings are regrooved once tread depth diminishes, then later retreaded at Michelin’s Remix facility in Stoke, with the option for further regrooving. The company’s Mercedes-Benz service vans are fitted with the adaptable Michelin Agilis CrossClimate tyre.

Supporting this comprehensive operation is Fraser Greer, Key Account Manager at CXS. Ainscough Crane Hire continues to serve a wide array of sectors including infrastructure, defence, energy and telecommunications, cementing its role as a key contributor to the UK’s built environment.

Chris Britton, Head of Operations Support, Ainscough Crane Hire, said, “Michelin has become our latest highly valued strategic supplier relationship. Being the number one operator in our field, we only go with trusted and number one brands as our suppliers. The fuel savings of GBP 130 per 10,000 km will save us GBP 100,000s across the lifetime of the machines and reduce their environmental impact. Likewise, the increased load factor of the fitments and the 20 percent improvement in braking distances really impressed us. It means safety margins will increase, and safety is at the heart of everything we do.

“As a business we aren’t looking for the cheapest deal, but the best value. We are receiving a world class service from Michelin. It has streamlined procurement and helped us forecast tyre costs better; it has delivered the right products in the right place ensuring maximum uptime for our cranes; we have a ‘best way of working’ when it comes to protocols and tyres being fitted at our sites; and we have full traceability of each tyre and an insight into its environmental impact.”

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Pirelli has marked a successful start to the 2026 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season, as the specially developed P Zero tyres for DTM’s GT3 cars received widespread praise from drivers and teams following the opening round at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. The weekend featured bright sunshine, mild temperatures, close competition and full grandstands, with German brands demonstrating absolute dominance on track. From Pirelli’s perspective, the event encapsulated the best possible debut for its exclusive tire technology.

The Red Bull Ring crowd witnessed two thrilling races. Saturday’s victory went to Thomas Preining of the Manthey team driving a Porsche, who secured the win after qualifying third in an exceptionally tight session. That qualifying session saw lap times surpass the 2023 track record, with eleven drivers finishing within less than one second of each other. Behind Preining, Luca Auer in a Landgraf team Mercedes-AMG finished second, followed by Maro Engel in a Ravenol team Mercedes-AMG in third.

Sunday’s race delivered another dramatic contest, with Engel taking the win after starting from fifth on the grid. Marco Wittmann in a Schubert team BMW climbed from ninth place to finish second, while Auer claimed third again. Spectators also enjoyed action from other Pirelli-partnered categories, including GT Masters, GT4 Germany and the FIA Formula Regional championship, which launched its season with a new generation of cars fitted with bespoke 15-inch Pirelli P Zero tyres developed exclusively for that series.

Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager, Pirelli, said, "We are very satisfied with the performance of the new P Zero tyres for the DTM. It was not a given that already at the first race the drivers would be able to get the best out of the tyres, exploiting the performance optimised for this race format. We saw many different tyre strategies, which was one of the objectives set for us by the teams and the promoter during product development. Furthermore, the faster warm-up minimised the impact of pit stops, allowing drivers to defend their position more easily after the stop. There will certainly still be a great deal for everyone to learn: first and foremost on our side, as we gathered interesting data over the weekend, but also on the drivers' side, who will need to optimise the management of the mix between new and used tyres over the course of each event and throughout the seasonal carry-over."

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Sailun Group has received an upgraded ESG rating from the internationally recognised index provider MSCI, moving from A to AA. This latest assessment cements the company’s top position within China’s tyre industry on MSCI’s ESG rankings and places it among the highest-rated tyre manufacturers worldwide.

Following its previous upgrade to an A rating in 2025, Sailun Group’s further rise to AA signals strong endorsement from global capital markets regarding the firm’s ESG governance, execution capabilities and ability to generate long-term value. This progress stems from the company’s sustained effort to integrate sustainability principles across its entire operations, including global expansion, research and development, manufacturing, labour management and supply chain oversight.

Looking forward, Sailun Group intends to press ahead with its eco-friendly sustainable development strategy, using its industry leadership to help steer the global tire sector towards a new phase of high-quality and sustainable growth.

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FORNNAX TECHNOLOGY PVT LTD recently convened its Fornnax Annual Meet 2026, a landmark gathering that celebrated the organisation’s complete achievement of its targets. The event brought together top professionals from across the company for a day focused on leadership development, recognition of excellence and strategic planning. The atmosphere was marked by a shared sense of pride and purpose, with activities ranging from intensive leadership sessions to an emotional award ceremony and a vibrant celebration reflecting the firm’s core spirit.

The keynote address was delivered by Director and CEO Jignesh Kundaria, who traced the company’s journey from its earliest days without a formal blueprint to its current status as a globally recognised multi-division original equipment manufacturer. Kundaria spoke of building the enterprise through relentless determination and engineering excellence, emphasising that Indian-made machinery could set worldwide standards. His narrative highlighted grit and growth, weaving together humble origins with the firm’s present stature as an internationally respected brand.

Kundaria also presented a detailed review of Fornnax’s major recent accomplishments, including the launch of the R-MAX3300, described as the world’s largest secondary shredder. This engineering breakthrough demonstrates the company’s ability to lead at the highest levels of industrial performance. Additionally, he showcased the development of Fornnax’s largest New Product Development centre and demo plant, a facility designed to accelerate innovation and allow customers to experience solutions at full operational scale. A new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was also unveiled, aimed at boosting capacity and meeting rising global demand.

A defining segment of the annual meet involved forward-looking roadmaps presented by heads of four key functional pillars. The Head of Sales outlined an ambitious market expansion strategy for deeper geographical penetration and customer-centric growth. The Design Department head focused on accelerating product development cycles and expanding differentiated solutions. The Production Department leader presented plans for capacity optimisation and quality enhancement using the new facility. Meanwhile, the Project and E&I Department head detailed strategies to strengthen project execution and reduce delivery timelines. The Service Department head committed to building a responsive post-sales ecosystem with faster turnaround times and proactive maintenance support.

The event also featured leadership training sessions that encouraged ownership and accountability among participants. An awards ceremony recognised individuals and teams who had driven the company’s complete achievement, with each honour reflecting real effort and tangible results. The gathering served as a reminder that behind every milestone are people who refused to settle for mediocrity.

All departmental roadmaps collectively converge on an ambitious financial target: achieving INR 5 billion in revenue by 2030. The Fornnax Annual Meet 2026 thus stood as both a celebration of past performance and a strategic launchpad for future growth, underscoring the organisation’s commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centric engineering on a global scale.

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Zeon has confirmed its participation at Chemspec Europe, the premier international exhibition for fine and speciality chemicals, taking place in Cologne from 6 to 7 May 2026. The event gathers global manufacturers, suppliers and industry experts to foster connections and explore innovations across the chemical value chain.

At the trade fair, Zeon aims to engage with both current and potential partners. Discussions will centre on pressing challenges and future trends within the speciality chemicals sector while also identifying fresh avenues for collaboration and technological advancement.

Attendees of Chemspec are invited to visit Zeon for an exchange of ideas. The company’s representatives will be located at Booth D89 within Hall 8, ready to discuss opportunities and industry developments in person.

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