The praised solution has been in use at Eurl Saterex-Iris in Algeria since autumn 2019. Eurl Saterex-Iris is the third biggest tyre manufacturing plant in Africa, serving both local and export markets. The modern plant was mainly designed and constructed by Black Donuts Engineering and its international partner network. Black Donuts is also responsible for production management, which applies the core principles of Lean Management and focuses on reducing the interim stocks to the bare minimum according to the pull method. To enhance this, the company developed an RFID-based electronic eKanban solution together with Toptunniste.

“The eKanban project started from a need to improve production management. The first acute challenge we met was the lack of adequate and accurate information on the overall production status,” Solution Manager Aki Nurminen recalls.

Originally, there were nine Kanban boards located all over the two-floor factory. One had to check each board manually, so it took time and effort to capture a complete view of the production status.

Another deficit concerned the insufficient information provided on manufacturing schedules. The old Kanban boards did not give enough information on when certain materials were supposed to be in production.

The returned cards included no accurate time markings, so it was hard to stay updated, notice stock alerts and to respond on time.

Real-time production status

New technology was needed to solve the problem. It became clear that initiating remote monitoring would require electronic boards instead of the traditional ones. Black Donuts contacted another Finnish technology company, Toptunniste, to present the idea and search for a way to actualise it. The solution was simple: adding RFID features to an existing Kanban board would upgrade it to a more accurate, more informative, and easy-to-use eKanban board. Next, the old cards were replaced by RFID tagged cards, readable through RFID technology.

Now, all nine eKanban boards are online in Saterex’s internal data system and easily monitored from any computer. Consequently, an up-to-date overall view of the entire production is now always at hand.

The eKanban solution enables better and real-time tracking of overall production status and enhances the supervision of production processes.

It adds the time markings automatically to each card on return, keeps account, and establishes automatic triggers to replenish stock when predefined minimums are reached for each inventory item.

The system also calculates and presents the estimated time left before reaching the pre-defined minimum of each item in the downstream processes. This is the lens that helps us prioritize and schedule the production runs.

Optimised processes

The new eKanban boards were taken into use at Saterex tyre plant in fall 2019. For the users operating in the production lines, the new solution has not brought any changes in their daily routines, but the Kanban boards are used the same way as before. For the supervisors and factory management, the new system enables a remote and real-time view of the production status through a web interface.

The new solution helps in prioritizing the tasks and shortens the reaction time to different problems arising in production. eKanban is also a great planning tool, as it gives us a complete process overview, Aki explains.

The eKanban system gets all the production information it needs straight from the company’s MES, where the daily consumption levels of each process, as well as the minimum and maximum storage levels, are defined. Separate eKanban views, visualizing the interim storage levels, can be reviewed through MES which enables effective inventory management.

The eKanban solution is designed for tracking the production, not to automatically assign anything. It is always the team, the people, who make the decisions based on the information they receive. However, the solution helps to improve tracking and optimizing operations, Aki says.

Advanced work management

Moreover, the eKanban solution enhances work management.

Compared to manual Kanban systems, eKanban gives additional information on storage unit rotations, events and even stock rotation history. It is valuable information for both follow-ups and for managing transportation activities and best working methods. Earlier, the material transportation could idle, and the return of cards to the Kanban boards be irregular, which caused various scheduling challenges, stockouts and unexpected changes in demand.

It was nearly impossible to find the root cause for problems and consequently improve it. Thanks to the digitised solution, we can now track every event, which supports work development and feedback giving.

While the manual Kanban boards already gave a good boost for companies in optimizing production, the new eKanban solution brings monitoring, tracking and optimizing to a remarkably higher level.

eKanban is an excellent example of how we can improve proven old methods during digital transformation.

eKanban was designed to add a remarkable value to the supply chain support operations. This was accomplished by optimizing cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and the movement of materials. Currently, Aki’s team is already developing the next generation eKanban solution, one without any physical cards or printed labels and boards. This will serve the needs of the highest automation solutions, which require visual identification instead of manual labelling or printed cards.

The operators do not even need to touch the storage units anymore, but the Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) completes the visual identification. Electronic Shelf Label is automatically updated during the manufacturing processes and events referring to RFID identifications and data communication. This way, the labels are never missing, old or wrong, and they are readable in all occasions and all the time, Aki explains.

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DUNLOP has unveiled a cashback promotion timed to coincide with the autumn motoring season, offering drivers a financial incentive of as much as EUR 80 on qualifying tyre purchases. The campaign runs from 1 October through 30 November 2026 and covers car, SUV and light commercial vehicle tyres. The exact rebate a customer receives is determined by how many tyres are bought and the diameter of those tyres in inches.

The initiative launches simultaneously across Germany, Austria and Poland, with France, Italy and Spain set to join in stages thereafter. Beyond the immediate price advantage, the company intends the promotion to showcase the breadth of its tyre portfolio. All DUNLOP tyres measuring 16 inches or larger bought within the promotional window qualify, while French customers can also claim on 15-inch tyres. In total, 891 products spanning 15 to 22 inches fall within the eligible range, 804 of them from 16 inches upward.

The eligible line-up spans winter, summer and all-season options suited to varied driving needs. Winter offerings include the DUNLOP WINTER, WINTER SPORT 5, SP WINTER SPORT 4D and SP WINTER SPORT 3D, alongside the year-round ALL SEASON 2 and summer tyres such as the SPORT MAXX RT2 and the BLUE RESPONSE TG launched in March. These cover small cars, compacts, estates, SUVs, motorhomes and light commercial vehicles, as well as horse boxes, boat trailers and caravans.

Summer tyres extend the range further, serving everything from daily commuting and long-distance travel to holiday journeys on country roads and motorways. Claiming the cashback is designed to be simple: purchasers register online at cashback.dunloptyres.com, submit their proof of purchase, and receive the corresponding amount once verification is complete.

Markus Bögner, President and Managing Director, Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, explains, “A price advantage alone does not sell a tyre – it is ultimately its quality, safety and performance that are decisive. With the cashback promotion, we are creating an additional purchase incentive and giving potential customers the opportunity to experience the strengths of our tyres for themselves. If this leads to long-term customer relationships, we will have achieved our goal. At the same time, we are supporting our retail partners with their sales and strengthening the profile of the DUNLOP brand in the market together.”

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Liberty Tire Recycling has continued its push to keep scrap tyres out of British Columbia landfills and illegal dump sites through a series of community collection events held in September. Working alongside Tire Stewardship BC and Duka Environmental Services Ltd., the company supported roundups in both Kelowna and Prince George that together diverted more than 3,000 unwanted tyres from the waste stream.

The Kelowna event, part of a wider provincial effort to expand recycling access, saw 939 tyres gathered in just four hours. In Prince George, a major transportation and trucking hub in central British Columbia, crews collected over 2,100 tyres during a similar four-hour window while speaking with residents about recycling and sustainability.

Beyond simply accepting tyres, Liberty Tire Recycling uses these events to engage directly with community members. Team members in Prince George spent the day answering questions about how scrap tyres are processed and how recycled rubber feeds into a circular economy, helping raise awareness of responsible tyre management across the province.

Improperly discarded tyres remain a common problem in rural areas, where they create visual blight and public health risks. Old tyres collect rainwater that can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and abandoned piles threaten farms, acreages and natural spaces. Recycling addresses these issues while supporting resource recovery.

Under Tire Stewardship BC's province-wide programme, collected tyres are transformed into playground surfacing, running tracks, livestock mats, safety flooring and other rubber products. The Regional District of Central Okanagan's annual tyre recycling event has removed more than 15,000 unwanted tyres from local properties over the past decade.

Liberty Tire Recycling entered Canada in 2010, though its British Columbia facility has operated since 1989, reflecting more than 37 years of combined tyre recycling experience. The company processes tyres in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario, and through the Return to Retailer programme, hundreds of locations across British Columbia accept up to four clean, off-rim tyres per resident, with officials recommending a call ahead to confirm capacity. 

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Hankook Tire has announced that its Winter i*cept evo 4 tyre secured first place in the latest Auto Bild winter tyre test. Competing in the 225/55 R18 size for SUVs and crossovers, it achieved an overall rating of 1.3, described as very good, beating nine rival models. The evaluation was carried out using a BMW X1.

The tyre stood out in wet conditions, earning a 1.2 rating after leading the field in both straight-line and cornering aquaplaning. It also recorded the highest average speed in dry handling while maintaining strong safety margins. Auto Bild further commended its dependable snow performance. Three tyres in total received very good ratings.

The Winter i*cept evo 4 is a studless tyre designed for passenger cars and SUVs, offering enhanced winter safety and fuel efficiency. It replaces the previous generation with a 5 percent improvement in snow grip, achieved through wider lateral grooves and semi-sipe technology.

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres through wholesale and franchise operations, joined forces with United Way Worldwide and the American Cancer Society's Road To Recovery for its yearly Week of Action.

Running from 21–25 September, the initiative mobilised staff at the company's Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. headquarters along with workers at about 100 distribution centres nationwide. The annual event, first introduced in 2024, invites TBC's roughly 3,000 employees to give back through volunteer work in their own communities. More than 2,000 volunteer hours have been logged since the programme began.

Across US sites, workers put together hygiene kits stocked with toothpaste, tissues, shampoo, conditioner, combs and deodorant, which were given to local United Way branches assisting people and families facing hardship. Additionally, employees wrote personalised messages for those served by the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery programme, which supplies free transportation to cancer-related medical visits. Thanks to TBC's involvement, 500 free rides became available for patients in that programme.

Looking ahead to October, the company's San Luis Potosi location in México will team up with Fondo Potosino and Colonia Juvenil, two organisations that deliver resources and create opportunities through programming, civic engagement and social support. TBC staff will take part in mentorship and team-building exercises alongside programme participants, aiming to build confidence and pave the way for future achievement.

Ron Harper, Chief Supply Chain Officer, TBC Corporation, said, “Giving back to the planet and making an impact in the communities in which we live and work is a core part of our vision. Our Week of Action reflects our commitment to doing right by our communities in meaningful and tangible ways.”

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