Bridgestone EMEA has unveiled a leadership transition, with Laurent Dartoux, Group President of Bridgestone EMEA and Vice President and Senior Officer of Bridgestone Corporation, set to retire.

Dartoux will remain in an advisory role until 31 March 2025 to ensure a seamless handover, the company said in a statement.

Effective 1 February 2025, Mete Ekin will assume the role of Group President of Bridgestone EMEA. Ekin, a nearly 30-year veteran of the tyre industry, joined Bridgestone’s Joint Global COO Office in 2023 after leading sales teams across the Middle East and Africa.

He currently serves as President of Core Tire Europe, a position he took up in 2024.

In his new role, Ekin will lead the Bridgestone EMEA Management Board and report directly to Scott Damon, CEO of Bridgestone West, which oversees operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Dartoux, who joined Bridgestone EMEA in 2014, has been credited with steering the region through the global pandemic and other significant challenges. During his tenure, the company advanced its sustainability goals, though specific details on progress were not disclosed.

"We are deeply grateful for Laurent's contributions and thoughtful leadership throughout his career at Bridgestone," said Scott Damon, CEO of Bridgestone West and Group President of Bridgestone Americas. "We extend our heartfelt thanks to Laurent for his dedication and leadership and wish him all the best in his retirement. We also look forward to Mete's leadership. His extensive experience and strategic vision make him the ideal leader to guide Bridgestone EMEA into its next chapter."

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Laurent for his leadership and for overcoming various important challenges in the EMEA region over the past 10 years,” said Shu Ishibashi, Global CEO of Bridgestone Corporation. “His contributions will serve as our cornerstone for growth as we enter the next chapter under Mete’s leadership.”

Trelleborg Tires has extended its TM800 ProgressiveTraction tractor tyre range with the launch of two new sizes (540/65R28 and 650/65R38) for mid- to high-horsepower tractors. Four more sizes will be gradually rolled out in the coming weeks.

From light to hard soils, the TM800 ProgressiveTraction is made to produce exceptional results in a variety of agricultural terrains. By increasing operational efficiency, farming operations become more productive and economical by lowering working time per hectare, increasing tread life and improving fuel economy. Its cutting-edge ProgressiveTraction tread design greatly improves traction, which boosts field performance. Its capacity to perform well in a variety of circumstances was confirmed by testing against rival tyres, which showed up to 17 percent traction improvement on soft soil and a 10 percent boost on hard terrain.

Its optimised lug angles and shapes further improve driving comfort and stability, making the work experience smoother, safer and more pleasurable. A three percent gain over rival tyres was found in comfort testing, guaranteeing improved driving conditions throughout extended workdays. Furthermore, the TM800 ProgressiveTraction has a unique tread pattern and quality materials, which improve wear resistance by up to 18 percent when compared to competitors. Longer working hours and lower operating expenses are made possible by this improvement, which results in fewer tyre changes. Even at high speeds, the strengthened carcass guarantees excellent tyre performance and vehicle handling.

Alessio Bucci, Global Product Marketing Director, Trelleborg Tires, said, “The TM800 ProgressiveTraction exemplifies our commitment to innovation and customer-driven solutions. By integrating our award-winning ProgressiveTraction technology into one of our most iconic tyre lines, we are providing farmers with a tyre that not only redefines efficiency, comfort and durability in the field, but also meets the evolving demands of modern agriculture. Currently available in two sizes tailored for mid- to high-horsepower tractors, with four more being introduced progressively in the coming weeks, this tyre offers superior handling, enhanced fuel economy and reduced downtime, all contributing to the overall boost in productivity.”

REP and LWB have undergone common reorientation of their strategy in China, wherein REP has sold its shares of the URP joint venture to LWB but will continue to work with URP as sales and service agent for China. While LWB will further enhance its worldwide equipment profile, REP will deepen its cooperation and collaboration with Tung Yu, which has lasted for more than 20 years, the company release adds.

Mumbai-headquartered diversified, multi-product, multi-fuel company Greaves Cotton has appointed Parag Satpute as the new Managing Director (MD) and Group CEO. In his new role, he will be responsible for Greaves Engineering, Greaves Retail, Greaves Finance, Greaves Technologies and Excel Controlinkage.

Satpute an automotive industry veteran brings with him over 29 years of experience and last held the position as the President of Bridgestone’s Fleet Business in Europe within the Global Business Unit Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. Prior to that he had led Bridgestone India as the MD.

He started his career with Sandvik as a Product Manager in 1997, and by 2014, he had become MD and Chairman of the Board (subsidiaries) for India operations.

He holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Pune University and an Executive MBA from Warwick Business School.

China National Tire & Rubber Co. plans to invest in Egypt, expanding its current operations with two key projects, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced after meeting with company executives.

The company will double heavy-duty tyres production at its Alexandria factory and establish a new passenger car tyre manufacturing facility on an adjacent 180,000-square-metre plot. Its current factory produces 1.1 million heavy-duty tyres annually, exporting 70 per cent of its output and employing 2,000 workers.

Government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Kamel El-Wazir, expressed support for the expansion, providing comprehensive market data and investment incentives. Wang Jijun, the company’s chairman, described the investment outlook as “very positive.”

The projects aim to address local market demand, with most passenger car tyres currently imported. The Egyptian government has pledged to facilitate swift project execution and provide necessary support.

In this regard, Wang Jijun said: “We will work diligently to expedite the implementation of our upcoming investment plan in Egypt,” adding: “After our meeting with the Prime Minister, our confidence in the Egyptian market has increased.”

He added: “We hope you will return to us with the studies related to the two projects as soon as possible, and we will witness the signing of the final contracts for the two projects soon.”

He continued: “Regarding the land adjacent to the factory, where the passenger car tyre manufacturing activity will be established, we are open to all options, whether through establishing a partnership between the government, via the Ministry of Public Business Sector, and the company, or through the company purchasing the land.”