From left: Arnab Banerjee, MD & CEO, CEAT, and Kuldeep Jain, MD, CleanMax

Leading Indian tyre manufacturer CEAT is advancing its sustainability targets through a strategic partnership with CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Limited. Under a group captive arrangement, CleanMax will supply renewable electricity from a combined ~59 MW hybrid wind-solar project. This clean energy will power CEAT’s manufacturing facilities located in Halol, Gujarat, and Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.

The hybrid model merges wind and solar generation, capitalising on their complementary patterns to deliver a more stable and consistent power output with a higher plant load factor. This reliability is essential for energy-intensive industrial operations and supports greater grid stability.

Annually, this initiative is projected to produce approximately 135.8 million units of renewable energy, elevating CEAT’s clean power consumption to around 60 percent of its needs. The environmental benefit is substantial, with an expected reduction of about 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year – an impact comparable to planting nearly 4.5 million trees annually.

This collaboration leverages CleanMax’s established expertise in the commercial and industrial renewable sector. For CEAT, it marks a significant step towards its net-zero ambition by enhancing energy security, boosting operational efficiency and achieving considerable progress in its decarbonisation journey.

Roopesh R, Senior Vice President – Procurement, CEAT, said, “This long-term partnership with CleanMax allows CEAT to strengthen our renewable energy footprint across Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Sustainability is an important part of how we plan for the long term and CEAT is committed to grow our business that serves our customer responsibly while remaining resilient for the future. As a company already advancing in areas such as green sourcing, sustainable transportation, biodegradable packaging, sustainable manufacturing and reduced distribution emissions, integrating this hybrid wind-solar renewable energy is a natural and strategic progression in our sustainability journey. These hybrid projects will bring cost efficiencies at our key manufacturing facilities and will help us in our journey to produce tyres with low carbon footprint – and be a benchmark in the industry.”

Kuldeep Jain, Managing Director, Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions Limited, said, “We are proud to collaborate with CEAT, a globally recognised brand in the automotive sector, and support its strategic sustainability objectives by enabling the decarbonisation of operations across its key manufacturing hubs. These projects demonstrate how well-structured collaborations can accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and build a more sustainable energy future for large-scale manufacturing.”

Kuraray America, Inc. marked National STEM Day on 8 November by spotlighting a community educational event that brought together 15 of its volunteers and students from the Houston Japanese Supplementary School at San Jacinto College for a day of hands-on exploration and discovery.

Participants engaged in activities illustrating how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) converge in chemical manufacturing. Experiments with superabsorbent polymer beads explored chemistry and material properties, while a tour of the college’s facilities introduced industrial equipment. Students also learned about water filtration and distillation processes and how mathematical concepts underpin scientific and engineering applications.

One student showed particular interest in the distillation tower, linking the experience to the Kuraray Group’s contributions to everyday life and its mission of achieving for people and the planet what no one else can. The event also benefited KAI volunteers, who shared technical knowledge, exchanged perspectives and learned alongside potential future scientists and engineers.

Kuraray America thanked Reiko Fuwa and Tomohiro Tani for coordinating the visit, Hans Vandommele for sharing his expertise and all 15 KAI volunteers. The company also expressed appreciation to San Jacinto College for facility access and to the Houston Japanese Supplementary School students for their curiosity, enthusiasm and thoughtful questions.

Liberty Tire Recycling attended the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, held from 3–6 November at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The automotive aftermarket event, one of the industry's largest, drew over 160,000 attendees from the automotive, tyre and transportation sectors to review new products, technologies and business opportunities.

The Lakin Tire brand, a consistent SEMA exhibitor, once again used the show to reinforce industry relationships and present Liberty's tyre collection, recycling and sustainable resource management capabilities. Personnel from Grade/Used Tires, Commercial Truck Tires, Metals, Recycling and Collection, together with corporate and regional leadership, met customers, suppliers and industry professionals from around the world.

The booth received existing and prospective customers from numerous tyre and automotive segments during the week. Costco Wholesale Corporate Office, United Tires and UTU Wholesale were among the organisations that stopped by to examine Liberty Tire's products, services and nationwide reach. The company viewed the event as an effective forum for monitoring emerging market trends and demonstrating its position in recycling and sustainability, alongside its focus on innovation, workforce development and circular economy principles.

A memorable moment came when a high school shop teacher and students, attending through a special educator programme, toured the booth to learn about tyre recycling and industry operations. Liberty team members provided industry insights, outlined career pathways and acknowledged educators' contribution to developing future skilled trades professionals, supplying tyre inflation gauges for classroom use.

Laufenn, Hankook's associate brand, earned a ‘Good’ ratingwith an overall score of 2.2 for its G Fit 4S in the Auto Bild Allrad all-season SUV tyre test published on 8 October 2026 (issue 41). The tyre competed credibly against 11 rivals from established premium marques, finishing competitively in a 12-strong field.

Wet handling proved a particular strength, with the G Fit 4S collecting the second-highest rating shared with other models. Aquaplaning resistance also impressed, as the tyre held its line until stability began to fade at roughly 100 kmph (62 mph). In snow, it recorded the third-shortest braking distance, matching two other contenders.

Testing spanned snow, wet and dry disciplines, each weighted equally in the final ranking, with a third-generation MINI Countryman serving as the test vehicle. Snow assessments were carried out in New Zealand, while European venues hosted the wet and dry evaluations. The jury's conclusion underscored Laufenn's value-focused positioning, finding the G Fit 4S a solid option for cost-conscious buyers.

Tyres Europe has underscored that tyres qualify as fully recyclable under ISO 22628:2002 and UN Regulation No. 133, describing the established methodology as a robust foundation for assessing tyre recyclability. The organisation recently set out its position on the matter.

The distinction between recyclability and actual recycling rates is central to the group's argument. Recyclability refers to the technical potential of a product and its materials to be recycled, while the real rate hinges on treatment capacity and demand for secondary raw materials. Regulatory frameworks should therefore separate the two concepts clearly and align with an internationally recognised standard.

Tyres consist of rubber compounds, chemical additives and reinforcing textile and steel cords, and at end of life they are separated into rubber, textile and steel fractions, all of which existing mechanical or chemical routes can recycle. Mechanical processing yields rubber granules and powders usable as secondary raw materials across many applications, recovered textiles can be further processed and valorised, and cleaned recovered steel can re-enter metal recycling and steelmaking.

Tyres Europe pledged continued cooperation with policymakers and value-chain partners to strengthen circularity and maximise recovery of valuable tyre materials in Europe, with the full paper available on its website.