Bridgestone, a global leader in premium tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, will supply its premium Bridgestone BATTLAX motorcycle tyres to five teams in the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) 2025.

This year, Bridgestone will be the sole tyre supplier for five of the most ambitious teams, namely F.C.C. TSR Honda France, YART YAMAHA Official EWC Team, Yoshimura SERT Motul, and the new partners, BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM and Kawasaki Webike Trickstar. In order to further promote and uphold racing culture, Bridgestone continues to sponsor a variety of domestic and international motorsports, from elite professional race series to local amateur races. This includes its participation in the FIM EWC. Bridgestone has been providing teams competing in the entire EWC series with Bridgestone racing tyres since 2017.

Advanced materials and technology are used in the creation of Bridgestone racing tyres to maximise handling, grip and longevity. In addition to offering exceptional performance in a range of weather situations, Bridgestone racing tyres are made to provide riders the assurance they need to push themselves to the utmost in every circumstance.

Nico Thuy, Director Motorcycle at Bridgestone EMEA, said, “Bridgestone has a deep-rooted passion for motorsports, and the FIM Endurance World Championship is the ultimate test of tyre performance, durability and innovation. We’re proud to expand our support in 2025 – continuing to work with three outstanding teams and adding two more in BMW and Kawasaki, ahead of what will surely be another brilliant season. We know that our Bridgestone racing tyres will play their part and help push the limits of endurance racing once again.”

The schedule for the 2025 FIM EWC season is as follows:

    19-20 April: 24 Heures Motos, Le Mans, France

    7 June: 8 Hours of Spa Motos, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

    3 August: Suzuka 8 Hours, Suzuka race track, Japan

    20-21 September: the Bol d'Or, Circuit Paul Ricard, France

Linglong Tire, one of the world's leading tyre manufacturers, will make its debut with a stand at Autopromotec in Bologna, Italy, from 21 to 24 May 2025. The company will exhibit its main brand, Linglong, together with the two Group brands, Crosswind and Leao Tire, which are also sold in Europe, in Hall 20 (booth no. C 68).

The company will display the most significant Linglong passenger vehicle profiles, including the Sport Master and the Linglong Sport Master e, which has been tuned for NEVs. Along with new original equipment tyres that Linglong will provide straight to the OEM manufacturing line, the stand's main attraction will be the new Linglong van tyre Dura Master Van e, which will mark its global debut in Bologna. Also on display will be the primary Linglong truck tyres, all of which are produced in the recently constructed European tyre factory in Serbia, together with a variety of special tyres (OTR). The most significant car and truck tyres from the Leao Tire brand will also be on display, along with the newest Crosswind brand profiles, which are made solely in Europe.

Chinese tyre manufacturer Linglong Tire has launched its first overseas training centre in the Asia-Pacific region, marking a significant expansion of its global service infrastructure.

The nearly 2,000 square-metre facility, located in the southern Thai province of Chumphon, was officially opened by Yongchao Xu, Vice President of Linglong Tire, and Prasert Tanpibulsak, Chairman of local partner Sanguan Yangyont Chumphon Co., Ltd. (SYY).

The centre is designed to provide comprehensive training for dealers and workshop staff. It features fully equipped workshops, conference rooms, and a service area with an integrated brand shop. Training programmes will cover practical skills such as tyre-fitting, balancing, wheel alignment, and maintenance of automotive accessories such as batteries, brake pads, engine oil, shock absorbers, and rims.

Yongchao Xu, Vice President of Linglong Tire, and Prasert Tanpibulsak, Chairman of SYY, together with numerous dealers from all over the Asia-Pacific region, opened the almost 2000 m² training center, which is in the Thai province of Chumphon, in the southern part of the country.  It has a training area, several conference rooms, fully equipped workshops and a service area with an integrated Linglong brand shop to provide dealers and workshop staff with comprehensive and professional information and training in theory and practice. In the service area, everyday workshop life is simulated, and training courses are possible, for example, in the areas of tyre fitting, balancing and wheel alignment, but training is also provided in the sale and maintenance of accessories such as batteries, brake pads, engine oil, shock absorbers and rims.

In his speech, Xu Yongchao, Vice President of Linglong Tire, said, “The training center developed jointly with SYY is a critical building block for Linglong’s strategic expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. Our goal is to use this platform to establish service standards and standardised training for service providers and dealers to improve their service and competitiveness in the market. In addition, we look forward to introducing our premium Linglong brand and Linglong’s latest and greatest products to many consumers.”

SYY Chairman  Prasert Tanpibulsak: “As a globally renowned tire brand, Linglong Tire has long been known for its product quality and outstanding service. We are pleased to partner with Linglong to set up this premium training centre. We are confident that this platform will enable our channel partners to serve consumers even more professionally and better and drive Linglong’s sustainable growth in the Thai market together.”

This expansion follows Linglong Tire’s commitment to strengthening its international presence and providing localised support to its growing global customer base.

Yokohama-ATG's Alliance Agri Star II tyre has achieved one-million-unit sales milestone globally within five years of its launch in 2020. The milestone coincides with Alliance’s 70th anniversary in 2025.

The Agri Star II was created with a particular emphasis on practical farming issues and has received praise for its overall performance, traction and durability. Even after 40 percent tread wear, the tyre's dual-angle lug design and unique Stratified Layer Technology (SLT) provide excellent grip. The lower tread layer takes over when the top layer deteriorates, guaranteeing steady grip for the course of the tyre's life. For farmers and agricultural professionals, the Agri Star II offers a plethora of advantages, including improved on-road comfort and stability thanks to overlapping central lugs, wear-resistant compound and stubble guard, superior traction with multi-angled lugs for optimal field grip and crop protection through a smooth lug design that minimises plant damage.

With a D speed rating that permits operation at up to 65 kmph, the Agri Star II is a powerful all-arounder for both field and road use. It comes in a broad range of sizes, including the more recent 65 Series. Alliance has stated that it intends to expand into more agricultural industries this spring due to the Agri Star II's exceptional performance. The goal of the extension is to increase the present tyre's popularity and offer even more fittings for the changing demands of farming today.

Angelo Noronha, President & CEO of Yokohama-ATG, said, “This milestone is a testament to the trust and confidence that farmers and agricultural professionals have placed in Agri Star II. Reaching 1 million tyres sold is not just a number – it’s a reflection of the tyre’s ability to meet the real-world challenges of modern farming. This milestone is not just about the Agri Star II - it’s about Alliance’s commitment to innovation, quality and customer satisfaction. As we celebrate 70 years of Alliance, we remain dedicated to supporting farmers with cutting-edge tyre solutions.”

Nokian Tyres is expanding its logistics centre in Nokia, Finland, with the construction of a modern and cost-effective warehouse for passenger car tyres. With this initiative, the company aims to consolidate its warehouses, which are now spread across Finland, under one roof.

In addition to reducing CO2 emissions from logistics in Finland, the new facility will be planned and constructed in line with the goals of LEED environmental certification. SEB Leasing Oy is financing the new property. The site and warehouse automation will be leased by Nokian Tyres on a long-term lease. By the end of 2027, the extension will be finished on a Nokian Tyres property next to the existing logistics facility in Nokia, Finland. Before being shipped to clients throughout the globe, all passenger car tyres produced at the Finnish plant will be stored in the highly automated warehouse. Heavy tyres and raw materials will eventually be relocated to the expanded logistics centre.

Miikka Kunnari, Head – Global Logistics, Nokian Tyres, said, "The modern logistics centre will enable efficient operation of the Finnish factory and reduce transports between the factory and warehouses as logistics operations are centralised in Nokia, Finland. In addition, the new warehouse will improve the safety and quality of warehouse operations.”