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.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) reported in Frankfurt am Main that used tyre disposal and recycling firms continue to face substantial shortages of used tyres, undermining a secure supply of secondary raw materials essential to a resilient and sustainable circular economy.

According to wdk Technical Director Stephan Rau, roughly 84,000 tonnes of used tyres were unaccounted for last year. These, and potentially far larger volumes, are suspected to have been exported outside the EU for incineration or pyrolysis under dire health and environmental conditions, removing them from German recyclers and the circular economy.

Although the loss rate has edged downward, the association argues that systematically recording waste tyres and their recycling pathways remains the most effective countermeasure. The wdk and allied organisations have urged this approach for years, describing it as easy to implement and capable of significantly strengthening the circular economy, provided political will emerges to support a functioning recycling system.

Rau also cited newly published statistics showing Germany generated 522,000 tonnes of waste tyres in 2025. Of that total, 210,000 tonnes became granules and rubber powder, now nearly triple the amount thermally recycled in the cement industry – a development the wdk called strongly positive, while noting that comprehensive quantity recording could enable substantially more tyres to be recycled.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Goodyear is presenting a collection of forward-looking concept and production vehicles at the Mondial de l’Auto Paris 2026 (Paris Motor Show 2026), taking place from 12 to 18 October at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, highlighting how tyres shape automotive design. For over a century, the company has influenced vehicle appearance, performance and driver connection, with its Advanced Design Studio partnering with manufacturers to create tyres that complement design, reinforce brand identity and support future mobility.

Sebastien Fontaine, Lead Designer at Goodyear’s Advanced Design Studio in Luxembourg, has explained that concept vehicles require customised tyres forming part of a vehicle’s visual identity and supporting the car designer’s vision. Close collaboration with OEM design teams lets Goodyear create unique solutions from early development through public reveal, using laser-carving technologies, customised sidewall treatments and premium production platforms.

Opel’s Sports Tourer eXperimental Concept, displayed on the Opel stand, represents the next stage of the brand’s design philosophy and a bold vision for the electric estate of tomorrow. Its prominent ‘Opel Vizor’ face is accented by strong lighting signatures front and rear, while the side features fluid, technical surfacing, extendable diffuser elements and three-zone alloy wheels. The customised tyres, based on the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric and sized 285/35R22, were tailored to complement the concept’s athletic stance, with visual cues extending from rim to sidewall.

Peugeot’s RCZ Vision concept debuts as the latest expression of the ‘Feline Future’ design language, inspired by the RCZ Coupé produced between 2009 and 2015. It embodies a feline stance leaning forward, with defined shoulders and a light signature of three horizontal claws front and rear. Its electric architecture includes a solid-state battery and ‘X-by-Wire’ technologies, with 500 horsepower delivered through 21-inch front and 22-inch rear forged-aluminium wheels. Tyres based on the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport, sized 255/35R21 and 295/30R22, feature a bespoke sidewall treatment connecting tyre to wheel and displaying the Goodyear and Eagle names.

Across the show, a wide range of production vehicles carry Goodyear tyres, spanning utility, sports, off-road, electric and petrol-powered models. These tyres are developed for efficiency, grip and durability, enhancing each vehicle’s capabilities. Highlights from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Jeep, DS, Volkswagen, Lancia, Fiat, Renault and others can be followed on Goodyear’s social channels.

Goodyear’s concept vehicle presence extends beyond the current show. For decades, it has collaborated with manufacturers on visionary concepts through innovative tire designs and custom OE partnerships. Milestones include the 2013 Wingfoot Concept and the 2015 BH-03 Concept, which introduced ideas around energy generation and intelligent mobility. The 2016 Eagle-360 Concept, featuring a spherical tire design, challenged conventional thinking about autonomous mobility, was named one of TIME Magazine’s ‘Best Inventions of 2016’ and earned several design awards.

Later concepts including IntelliGrip, Eagle-360 Urban, Oxygene, Aero and reCharge explored artificial intelligence, autonomous transportation, sustainable materials, flying mobility and renewable tyre technologies, with several earning international design and innovation awards. More recent collaborations include the Citroën Skate Concept, Citroën Oli, Toyota Aygo X Prologue, Lancia PU+RA HPE, Opel Experimental and Peugeot Polygon.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR) is organising the NRW Tire Recycling Forum on 10 November 2026 at the Lohrheide Sports Park in Bochum, running from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Held under the umbrella of the North Rhine-Westphalia Roundtable on Circular Value Creation, the free event targets municipal officials responsible for building, sports, green spaces, road and civil engineering, along with sustainability and climate protection managers.

Discarded tyres can be transformed into an array of construction materials, including impact-absorbing sports surfaces, sound and vibration insulation and protective layers for green roofs and photovoltaic installations. The gathering will examine how municipalities can integrate such recycled goods into their infrastructure and building projects.

Expert presentations, real-world case studies and details on funding programmes for urban development and sports initiatives across North Rhine-Westphalia form the core of the agenda. Public procurement will receive particular attention, with discussion centring on how technology-neutral, quality-focused tendering can encourage greater adoption of suitable recycled products in municipal work.

A guided tour of the Lohrheide sports park's newly installed running track, which contains tyre rubber granulate, serves as a principal attraction. Attendees will learn about the material's characteristics, the construction process and lessons drawn from planning, tendering and execution, offering concrete evidence of mechanical tyre recycling within a functioning circular economy. The event also connects to North Rhine-Westphalia's new circular economy strategy, which treats used tyres as a distinct field of action.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

BendPak’s Ranger Division has introduced the DST30PX, a next-generation wheel balancer in its DST Series, built to help shops handle larger OEM wheel assemblies and heavy aftermarket truck tyres. Older balancing platforms can struggle with these oversized wheels, slowing service and creating bottlenecks. The DST30PX addresses those issues through a new hood design, a larger shaft and an overhauled structural chassis.

The robust hood accommodates a wider range of tyre shapes and sizes, including oversized off-road and fleet tyres, without time-consuming repositioning. Its open-side design lets wider tyres, aggressive offsets and bulky sidewalls slide in more easily, cutting setup time and allowing operators to position wheel assemblies up to 43 inches in diameter. Ranger reinforced the chassis and hood assembly to handle added mass without flexing, compromising alignment or generating excess vibration, supporting consistent measurements and reliable accuracy. The rugged 40 mm shaft increases stiffness and accuracy for heavier wheels.

A large, 64-tooth magnetic transducer encoder with precision-cut square teeth converts rotary position into a digital electronic signal, helping achieve accurate profile readings and top-dead-centre positioning for minimal, precise wheel placement. This extra resolution benefits modern wheels requiring cleaner correction, smaller weight changes and better placement accuracy. The DST30PX also streamlines repetitive service through simple wheel data entry, precise rolling weight readings, automatic braking, manual or automatic hood-start operation and rapid cycle times. A quick-release hub nut, side-position brake, top-dead-centre weight indicator and tiered placement indicators accelerate setup and correction, while onboard storage includes a top tray, side cone pegs and a side shelf for Ranger Quick-Peel adhesive tape weight rolls.

Key features include a 145-lb (approximately 65 kg) capacity, a 30-inch wheel diameter range, a 43-inch maximum tyre diameter, low-RPM operation, a six-second cycle time, Dynamic, Static and Performance Alloy settings, a 16-bit processor, multi-directional quartz piezoelectric sensors, a multi-user save function with presets, ergonomic controls and a full-tilt LED display control panel. The DST30PX suits shops seeking higher precision, faster workflow, and advanced measuring for modern wheels without moving to a larger premium machine. It is ETL certified to applicable UL and CSA safety standards in the United States and Canada, ships with a starter kit of adhesive and clip-on steel wheel weights and offers Ranger Select setup and training.

Sean Price, Director of Product Development, BendPak, said, “The Ranger DST30PX represents a fundamental shift in how modern shops handle today’s radically heavier, oversized wheel configurations. It ensures technicians can mount, spin and perfectly balance oversized assemblies without a single second of wasted motion.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!