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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ZC Rubber showcased an extensive range of mining tyre solutions at the recently concluded Mining Indonesia 2026, highlighting key sizes such as 27.00R49, 24.00R35, 29.5R25 and 12.00R24 across its brand portfolio. The display featured over 10 specialised products designed for rigid dump trucks, articulated dump trucks, wide-body mining dump trucks and haulage trucks used in surface mines, underground operations and transportation.

The company’s decades of mining sector experience, product quality reputation and deep understanding of diverse equipment and harsh operating conditions drew significant attention from industry professionals throughout the exhibition. A standout exhibit was a field-proven 29.5R25 TUL400 tyre, its tread nearly worn smooth after extensive service on an articulated dump truck at an Indonesian nickel mine. It had accumulated over 3,000 operating hours without any quality-related issues, with the mine operator reporting field performance comparable to leading international brands.

The booth also presented 14.00R25, 16.00R25 and 23.5-25 TBR and loader tyres produced by MTI, ZC Rubber’s Indonesian subsidiary. This growing range of locally manufactured products underscores the company’s ongoing localization efforts and its capacity to serve regional markets more efficiently.

As ZC Rubber continues expanding global production capabilities, it will further reinforce its speciality tyre portfolio and uphold rigorous quality standards to better serve customers worldwide. Through sustained innovation and international collaboration, the company remains dedicated to providing reliable, one-stop specialty tyre solutions for demanding applications.

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Giti Tire deepened its engagement with football supporters across Southeast Asia by serving as an Official Supporter of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026. The company brought its brand directly to fans through match-day activations staged in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, using the tournament as a platform to move beyond conventional sponsorship visibility.

Under the banner ‘Engineered for Every Journey’, Giti created stadium experiences that invited supporters to actively participate in the campaign. These included branded touchpoints, interactive fan activities and the Giti Match Day Photo Contest, all designed to channel the energy of Southeast Asian football into the brand’s promise. The strategy emphasised participation, user-generated content and shareable moments rather than passive logo exposure.

The tournament itself demonstrated the scale of regional football passion. Across 28 matches, including two play-offs, stadium attendance totalled 365,949. Digital reach proved equally significant, with ASEAN United FC’s social channels generating roughly 914.3 million video views, supported by country-specific content for Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. More than 11 million live views were recorded on ASEAN United FC’s YouTube and Facebook channels for audiences outside ASEAN, China and Korea. The final in Vietnam, where the host nation lifted the trophy, drew 37.6 million viewers on VTV6, including 32.7 million live.

For Giti, the combination of stadium attendance, digital engagement and broadcast reach offered multiple avenues to connect with football audiences. The campaign also linked football’s demands for confidence and performance under pressure with the reliability drivers expect from tires engineered for varied journeys and conditions. By pairing a major regional platform with locally relevant activations, Giti communicated its positioning in an environment already charged with passion and engagement.

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Michelin has issued guidance for motorcyclists as autumn brings cooler starts and slicker roads, with the tyre maker urging riders to adapt both their machines and their habits to the shifting season. Sabrina Sabel, a product technician for motorcycle tyres at Michelin and a seasoned racing rider, outlined measures covering pressure checks, compound behaviour, tread design and off-season storage.

Falling temperatures and unpredictable surfaces alter how a bike responds, making the tyre’s rubber blend and groove pattern central to preserving grip and stability. According to Michelin, riders should verify tyre pressures on a regular basis and adhere strictly to the figures supplied by the motorcycle manufacturer, particularly before any extended journey.

Sabrina Sabel, Product Technician for motorcycle tyres at Michelin

Modern touring rubber is generally formulated to deliver dependable grip from the outset, so deliberately warming tyres is unnecessary for most riders in ordinary autumn conditions. Compounds rich in silica help a tyre generate traction quickly when temperatures drop while also aiding performance on wet asphalt. Sabel noted that she rides gently for the opening kilometres, letting the tyres warm evenly through smooth braking and acceleration with the bike held upright, avoiding undue stress on the rubber.

Cold grip refers to a tyre’s capacity to hold the road at lower temperatures, a quality shaped by its compound, which may combine silica with other ingredients to balance traction, longevity and wet-weather ability. Touring tyres typically cover a wide operating range, whereas sport tyres favour higher-temperature performance, meaning riders should consider their fitted rubber and temper their style accordingly on chilly days.

Wet conditions make tread design vital for keeping rubber in contact with the road. Grooves and channels clear water from the contact patch, so adequate tread depth matters as seasons shift. Michelin’s Road 6 employs Water-Evergrip Technology, whose progressively opening sipes maintain water evacuation as the tyre wears, supporting consistent wet performance. The M+S marking indicates mud and snow suitability, relevant for adventure riders in mountainous regions; the Anakee Adventure 2’s pattern displaces mud and water while aiding braking and cornering feedback. The best choice depends on the bike, riding style, routes and personal preference.

For those storing a motorcycle, tyre care continues after the riding season ends. Michelin advises checking pressures before storage, periodically shifting the bike to prevent prolonged pressure on one section, and keeping tyres in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place away from sunlight, UV light, heat and chemicals such as petrol and solvents. For extended storage, manufacturer guidance on pressures and positioning should always be followed.

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ARLANXEO’s Changzhou EPDM facility in China has reached a cumulative production milestone of surpassing the one-million-tonne mark. The plant began operations in 2015 with a nameplate capacity of 160,000 metric tonnes per year and has steadily enhanced its manufacturing capabilities to serve evolving demand in the automotive, construction, infrastructure and industrial sectors.

The achievement stems from employee dedication and expertise, alongside the trust of customers and partners, and underscores ARLANXEO’s commitment to supplying high-quality Keltan EPDM solutions throughout China, Asia and globally. The company expressed appreciation to all contributors and said it looks forward to building on this foundation to create further value for customers and partners in the years ahead.

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