The old mindset was that tyre consumers weren’t able to make their own purchase decisions, so the repair shop salesperson usually had the power to decide which products to offer, and the only issue would be what they sold, not if they sold. And the whole package or fitting and balancing the tyres sold was already money in the bank. Now, they are lucky if they get the latter, as an enormous amount of consumers have found that there is a lot of money to be saved by purchasing the tyres online and then shopping around for the cheapest place to have them fitted and balanced. People in the industry know that this often results in consumers buying the wrong products, as there are many factors apart from the size of the tyres that are equally important, and it can end up being a lot more expensive for consumers if they are not careful. But this still doesn’t defer the wide masses of consumers to take this route. Some companies have figured this out, and I have even seen an example of a really clever online platform, offering consumers the option to first find the best price for a given set of tyres and then choose the most convenient shop where they will be delivered directly and fitted after booking a time through the portal. That is a brilliant solution for consumers – but yes, the platform takes most of the profits from both the party selling the tyres and the shop selling the fitting service, no doubt about that.

Regardless, it shows that intelligent solutions making things easier and cheaper for consumers are those that create market shares. The ability to let the consumer choose between tyre offers from all over the country instead of just the local shop is already a great benefit, but to also be able to book a time and place to have them fitted without having to contact another party for that is truly brilliant. Furthermore, in these Covid times it’s perfect, as everything except dropping the car off for the service can be done in a flash in front of the screen at home. The next thing might be shops also offering home services using mobile tyre fitting stations, and the client would just need to unlock the car using the remote key from behind the window in case it needs to roll a bit. But it does sound a bit paranoid, doesn’t it? I mean, I hope we’ll get a bit back to real human interaction after Covid, and this last service step might just be a bit too much.

That being said, it would make sense to offer the service at the office parking lot to save the employee/consumer the time to drop off and pick up the car at the shop. Lately, we have seen windshield repair companies offering this exact type of service, even for whole windshield replacement jobs, and I hear it’s fabulous – as long as it’s not raining. These sort of intelligent, out-of-the-box solutions where companies move their products and services to where it’s convenient for the consumers are definitely creating great value, and growing in scale. The key trend which Covid has spawned here is moving the focus to value and benefits instead of unit pricing; after all, it’s easier to make profits from a transaction when having more than just the product itself in the basket, and it becomes harder for consumers to distinguish offers when only looking at the price.

In these days, where the costs of freight and transportation have skyrocketed as an after-effect of the first Covid-19 outbreak in China, and later strengthened by compound effects related to shipping disruptions, accordion-style capacity fluctuations, congestion and semi-conductor chip shortages, one can only thrive and prosper in the tyre business if one is successful in letting consumers see the value of a proposal, and not only the price. Intelligent algorithms, traffic analysis and consumer behaviour projections will be the most important factors going forward. (TT)

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With the rise of electric vehicles reducing exhaust emissions, attention is shifting to non-exhaust emission like Tyre and Road Wear Particles (TRWP). These microscopic particles, generated from tyre and road surface friction, are a growing environmental concern and will be addressed in the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standard. To tackle this challenge, Nynas has joined a major research consortium coordinated by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), alongside Volvo Cars, Scania and the Karolinska Institute.

The project aims to close a significant scientific knowledge gap by thoroughly investigating the formation, characteristics and environmental impact of TRWP. Nynas contributes a unique dual perspective to this interdisciplinary effort, bringing deep expertise in both tyre rubber compounds and bitumen-based road materials. Pär Nyman, Technical Manager – Tyre & Chemical Industries, Nynas, represents the company in the project alongside the company’s Chief Scientist, Dr Xiaohu Lu, who brings extensive expertise in bitumen and asphalt to the collaboration. A key focus will be understanding how different materials contribute to wear mechanisms.

The research scope extends beyond particle analysis to include measuring the rolling resistance of various tyre and bitumen combinations, a parameter directly linked to vehicle energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. By uniting industry and academia, this collaboration is poised to drive innovation and set new benchmarks in sustainable mobility research.

Pär Nyman, Technical Manager – Tyre & Chemical Industries, Nynas, said, “While Sweden lacks domestic tyre manufacturers, Nynas' research capabilities fill that gap by providing foundational insight into the chemistry and physics behind TRWP generation. Nynas' rubber and asphalt labs are at the heart of this contribution. One of the core insights driving this initiative is that wear particles cannot be fully understood by analysing tyres or roads in isolation. It's the interaction – the system – that matters. By studying both tyre composition and road structure, the project aims to develop a holistic view of TRWP formation, dispersion and toxicity. At Nynas, we are excited to contribute our unique knowledge of materials to help solve an important challenge for both the environment and human health. Through collaboration and scientific inquiry, we aim to pave the way for cleaner roads and cleaner air – one particle at a time.”

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Ecolomondo Corporation, a Canadian developer of sustainable tyre recycling technology, has released its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ending 30 June 2025. The period was marked by significant progress in commercialising its Hawkesbury thermal decomposition facility, particularly within the recovered carbon black (rCB) department. A major milestone was reached with the installation and commissioning of new milling equipment, a critical step for the plant to achieve full operational capacity, as rCB is its primary revenue generator.

Following the quarter's end, the company's main rCB client formally approved the product quality, leading to five consecutive purchase orders for multiple truckloads delivered between July and August. A separate US-based customer has also approved the rCB quality, with bulk purchase orders anticipated imminently.

Financially, Ecolomondo secured USD 1.5 million through private placements and finalised a significant agreement with Export Development Canada (EDC). This arrangement provides a temporary postponement of principal and interest payments on three existing loans, improving the company's working capital and investor confidence. This debt modification resulted in a gain of USD 2,495,209, which contributed to a reported net profit of USD 1,452,712, for the quarter, despite an operating loss, which stood at USD 1,042,497 for the quarter, compared to USD 443,418 for the same period of 2024.

Revenue saw substantial growth, increasing by 212 percent to USD 395,149 compared to the same period in 2024, driven by product sales and tipping fees at the Hawkesbury plant. Capital expenditures for the Hawkesbury TDP turnkey facility totalled USD 51,358,723 after accounting for depreciation, while the company’s cash and cash equivalents stood at USD 1,508,645. Over the coming 12 months, Ecolomondo anticipates utilising an additional USD 2.0 million, which will be primarily allocated to covering ongoing working capital requirements and essential capital purchases for the Hawkesbury facility.

The company also advanced its global expansion strategy, signing a definitive agreement with ARESOL, a renewable energy group, to construct four turnkey recycling facilities in the European Union. The first plant is planned for Valencia, Spain. At its Annual General Meeting, all management proposals were unanimously adopted by shareholders.

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The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), alongside 13 other European business organisations, has signed a Joint Statement urging the European Commission to ensure a strong and ambitious implementation of the Data Act.

The coalition, including numerous SMEs and Small Mid-Caps from the digital and industrial sectors of European companies, has urged the European Commission to uphold the regulation against pressure to dilute its core provisions, identifying it as a crucial framework for unlocking industrial data across the EU economy. The signatories contend that a robust implementation is vital for fostering a competitive market and unleashing innovation, particularly for smaller businesses.

The coalition highlights the Act’s benefits, which include empowering SMEs with data portability rights, protecting them from unfair contractual terms and mandating that data sharing occurs on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. A key provision requires cloud providers to facilitate switching through open standards, combating vendor lock-in. The statement expresses concern that lobbying efforts for delayed enforcement, weaker interoperability definitions and reliance on global standards without fairness guarantees threaten to undermine these objectives.

For the Data Act to be effective, the coalition insists on full implementation to open data markets to genuine competition and prevent SMEs from being excluded by legal complexity. The statement also calls for a proportionate approach, requesting practical guidance, standard contractual clauses and well-resourced enforcement authorities to support smaller companies. It notes that in certain sectors, supplementary legislation may be needed for full clarity.

The coalition concludes that strong enforcement is paramount, asserting that without it, the Act's rights will remain theoretical. They warn that any delay or softening of key provisions risks reinforcing the very market barriers the regulation was designed to eliminate. The signatories urge the Commission to ensure robust enforcement to secure a competitive and innovative Single Market for all companies.

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has been selected as the official tyre supplier for the groundbreaking FIA Extreme H World Cup, the world's first hydrogen-powered motorsport series. The company will supply its GEOLANDAR brand of tyres for the championship, which is scheduled to commence next month in Saudi Arabia. The company will also continue to supply GEOLANDAR tyres for the Extreme E off-road electric vehicle series, which holds its final event on 4–5 October in Saudi Arabia.

Central to both the Extreme H and Extreme E series is a shared mission to advance sustainability and equality. The championships serve as dynamic platforms to promote environmental awareness and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies while also enforcing a strict mandate for gender parity by requiring each team to field one male and one female driver. The Extreme H series will feature eight international teams operating the Pioneer 25, a cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cell vehicle capable of generating 550 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.5 seconds. The global significance of this new championship is expected to draw a worldwide television audience across multiple continents.

As the predecessor to Extreme H, the Extreme E series utilised the high-performance all-electric Odyssey 21 vehicle. All teams competing in the new hydrogen series will also participate in this final Extreme E event, marking the conclusion of the electric championship as it transitions towards a hydrogen future.

In alignment with the environmental principles of these series, Yokohama Rubber will provide a specially developed prototype tyre based on its GEOLANDAR X-AT model. This tyre has been engineered with a significantly increased ratio of sustainable materials, comprising 38 percent renewable and recycled content. It has also been fortified with enhanced durability characteristics to withstand the unique demands of heavy hydrogen-powered and electric off-road racing vehicles.

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