Continental has unveiled the Conti Hybrid HT 5, a new trailer tyre that completes its fifth-generation hybrid tyre family designed specifically for regional freight transport. This launch provides fleet operators with a fully coordinated tyre solution for steering, drive and trailer axles, all engineered to handle the rigorous demands of distribution transport. These operations often involve a challenging mix of inner-city manoeuvring, highway cruising and occasional light off-road driving.

The new Conti Hybrid HT 5 was developed to address the specific pressures of daily regional logistics, including frequent stop-and-go traffic, navigating tight urban streets and managing variable load weights. According to Hinnerk Kaiser, Head of Product Development for Bus and Truck Tyres at Continental, this tyre model integrates safety, operational efficiency and robustness to support dependable and economical fleet performance under fluctuating conditions. The trailer tyre delivers a 15 percent increase in mileage over its predecessor, the Conti Hybrid HT 3+, leading to fewer replacements. For a fleet operating 80 trailers covering 110,000 kilometres each annually, this translates to saving roughly 32 trailer tyres per year, along with reduced labour, storage and procurement costs.

Beyond durability, the tyre contributes to lower fuel consumption thanks to its optimised rolling resistance, a critical factor given that tyres can constitute more than half of a commercial vehicle’s operating expenses. This efficiency also brings environmental advantages by decreasing raw material use and cutting CO2 emissions throughout the production chain. The Conti Hybrid HT 5 excels in wet and cold conditions, achieving a B rating for wet grip on the EU tyre label. This performance stems from a new tread compound and a redesigned pattern featuring zigzag centre grooves and 2D pocket sipes, which maintain reliable traction even as the tread wears down. The design also ensures even pressure distribution for stable braking on slippery surfaces. Additionally, it holds a top A rating for external rolling noise, helping to reduce sound pollution.

With the arrival of the HT 5, Continental now offers a unified technological approach across all axle positions for regional transport. The Conti Hybrid HS 5 provides steering precision and comfort, while the Conti Hybrid HD 5 delivers strong traction and consistent braking for drive axles. The new HT 5 rounds out the lineup for trailer axles with its stability, rugged build and adaptable grip. All Generation 5 tyres share a focus on extended mileage and long-term performance, featuring an optimised casing suitable for multiple retreading cycles and embedded RFID sensors for digital tracking. The Conti Hybrid HT 5 will launch in March in sizes 385/65 R22.5 and 385/55 R22.5, with additional sizes expected by 2027. These tyres come ready for integration with the ContiConnect digital management system via pre-installed sensors.

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Evonik, a global speciality chemicals company, has outlined a three-year strategy to sharpen its focus and accelerate growth, assigning distinct roles across its business portfolio and setting specific tasks for its major German sites. Targeted growth projects are also intended to improve the group's geostrategic balance. To fund these investments, the company is relying on its Evonik Tailor Made restructuring programme to further reduce its cost base. The plan involves cutting 3,200 jobs worldwide, with roughly 2,150 of those losses falling in Germany.

At the annual strategy meeting, the executive and supervisory boards reviewed plans through 2030. Interim CEO Claus Rettig said the industry faces a structural and economic crisis, and Evonik will use this polycrisis to reshape old structures and improve its positioning. Many parts of the business are still growing, so efforts will concentrate on strengths, future topics and lucrative markets, with better cost positions creating room to manoeuvre.

Transformation will proceed at every level. Healthcare and biotechnology projects in Canada and Slovakia, worth several hundred million euros, will strengthen the portfolio, while business units are aligned by role as growth drivers or cash generators. A new business line, Designed Polymer Solutions, bundles growth areas in aerospace, automotive and gas separation, including biogas and hydrogen. Asia and America offer strong opportunities, and further investments there are under review. Each of the six major German sites will receive a clear profile, with implementation starting shortly.

Evonik is also exiting activities with no internal prospects. Rettig said long-term leadership requires leading in what the company does, and volatility demands flexible responses. Closures of smaller sites fit this approach, and divestments of C4 chemicals and infrastructure are progressing as planned. Tailor Made's second phase begins in 2027 and runs to 2029. Measures will be finalised by late 2026, including unfilled vacancies, early retirements and voluntary severance departures. Chief Human Resources Officer Thomas Wessel said Evonik has long lived social responsibility and maintained intensive dialogue with employee representatives, and this transformation will be completed together.

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Continental recently showcased its new TerrainContact A/T2 tyre during a five-day driving event in Iceland, held from 14 to 18 September 2026. Journalists and invited customers tested the tyre across winding roads, rugged highlands, glaciers and volcanic terrain.

Starting at Þingvellir, the group travelled through Iceland's Western Highlands and the Kaldidalur valley, where gravel routes highlighted the tyre's blend of on-road comfort and off-road traction. The TerrainContact A/T2 targets pickup and SUV owners who mainly drive on pavement but require extra grip when conditions change.

Compared with its predecessor, the tyre offers better wet braking and snow traction while preserving a quiet ride and off-road ability. A new tread compound boosts wet performance, greater tread depth aids snow grip, and optimised zig-zag grooves and traction teeth add control on loose or snowy surfaces. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol and is engineered with electric vehicles in mind.

Okan Sen, National Marketing Manager, Continental Tire Canada, said, “The TerrainContact A/T2, as one of the best-balanced performance all-terrain tyres in the market, was developed for drivers who want the freedom to explore without compromising their everyday driving experience. Iceland was the perfect setting to bring that versatility to life, giving attendees the opportunity to experience the tire across the kind of changing terrain it was designed to handle.”

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A new Oxford Economics study commissioned by Tyres Europe underscores the tyre sector's vital economic and social contribution, arriving as Brussels shapes its Industrial Accelerator Act to reinforce European industrial competitiveness. The report, titled ‘The Critical Importance of the EU Tyre Industry’, makes the case that EU industrial policy ought to encompass the finished products sustaining Europe's economy and essential services, rather than focusing solely on raw materials and technologies.

Through the lens of tyres, the research maps the relationships between European manufacturing capacity, reliance on external sources and the smooth operation of mobility, freight and public services. It concludes that EU-produced tyres potentially enabled freight, agriculture and passenger transport, directly yielding EUR 1.5 trillion in GDP – 9 percent of the EU's total – and providing work for 30.5 million people, 13 percent of EU employment.

The study further reveals exposure on both sides of the tyre value chain. Imported intermediate inputs constitute 11.9 percent of EU tyre production value, exceeding the EU economy average of 7 percent, while natural rubber supplies depend wholly on imports. In 2024, imported tyres made up 40 percent of newly fitted tyres across the EU, a proportion that continues to climb.

Adam McCarthy, Secretary General, Tyres Europe, said, “Economic resilience depends not only on access to materials but also on retaining the capacity to transform them into safe, advanced products in Europe. The Industrial Accelerator Act is an opportunity to recognise strategically-important finished products and support competitive manufacturing in Europe. A strong EU tyre manufacturing base reduces reliance on external suppliers and helps build a more resilient, competitive automotive value chain.”

Pete Collings, Managing Director, Oxford Economics, said, “Europe’s tyre industry is far more than a manufacturing sector: it is a critical enabler of mobility, trade and wider economic activity. Our analysis shows that EU-produced tyres support hundreds of billions of euros in GDP and millions of jobs across key customer sectors, while the industry itself depends on complex global supply chains. The findings underline the economic value of maintaining a strong European tyre manufacturing base.”

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The J&K Bank presents JK Tyre Rally of Himalayas 2026, a premier Cross Country Rally, was flagged off from Manali on 26 September. Organised by Himalayan Xtreme Motorsports and Adventure X Fusion Tribe, the sixth edition achieved a significant milestone by entering the Zanskar region for the first time. The ceremonial start occurred at 5:00 PM at Dev Lok, 15th Mile, near Span Resort, Manali. Bhuvneshwar Gaur, MLA Manali, served as Chief Guest, joined by V P S. Jasrotia, Deputy General Manager of Jammu & Kashmir Bank, as Guest of Honour alongside JK Tyre officials. The rally is supported by J&K Bank as Presenting Sponsor, JK Tyre as Title Sponsor, Ladakh Tourism as Official Sponsor and Impulse and Liqui Moly as Partners.

The competition features 140 participants across Moto, Extreme and TSD categories over five days in the formidable Himalayas. The route traverses Kaza, Jispa, Padum and Pensi La before concluding in Padum, Zanskar, on 30 September. The Moto category includes 80 riders, among them one female rider. The Extreme category comprises 35 participants, including two female drivers and five Army teams. The TSD category has 24 competitors, four of whom are female, testing precision, timing and navigation. This diverse field includes professionals, private entrants, women and Army teams.

This edition serves as a tribute to Hari Singh, the legendary Gypsy King and five-time National Rally Champion, whose legacy inspires competitors. The event's defining feature is its inaugural entry into Zanskar, introducing high-altitude terrain, remote landscapes, long competitive sections and shifting Himalayan conditions. From Kaza, competitors progress to Jispa and into Zanskar, tackling Padum and Pensi La before returning to Padum. Preparation, navigation, endurance and reliability become critical. Since its 2021 inception, the rally has grown into a demanding platform testing riders and drivers against Himalayan challenges.

JK Tyre, synonymous with Indian motorsport, continues its legacy rooted in rallying, embodying endurance and adventure. For J&K Bank, supporting the event reflects nearly nine decades of commitment to regional development and showcases tourism potential. The Department of Tourism, UT Ladakh, partners as a sponsor to position Zanskar as a premier adventure tourism destination, highlighting landscapes, heritage and driving routes to national and international audiences.

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