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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Bekaert has secured a place on TIME magazine’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies for 2026. Developed in collaboration with data firm Statista, the ranking recognizes 750 enterprises from an initial global pool of 5,800, highlighting those with outstanding environmental and social performance.

The assessment employs a rigorous, multi-dimensional methodology examining over 20 indicators. These include the sustainability of core operations, external evaluations from organisations like CDP and the Science Based Targets initiative, ESG reporting transparency and social factors such as workplace safety, leadership diversity and employee engagement. This comprehensive data-driven approach determines the final standings.

This accolade underscores Bekaert’s ongoing dedication to responsible practices and its strategy of embedding sustainability into its solutions to foster efficient, circular and low-impact industrial processes. The company’s strong social metrics reflect a safe and inclusive culture, which supports the delivery of high-quality solutions and the cultivation of enduring partnerships with customers and stakeholders.

Ann-Françoise Versele, Vice President – Sustainability and Governmental Affairs, Bekaert, said, “We are honoured to be included in TIME’s ranking of the world’s most sustainable companies for 2026. This recognition confirms the progress we are making and the commitment of our teams worldwide. Sustainability is a core part of how we operate and how we innovate. I would like to thank all our colleagues who contribute to this journey every day. Together, we remain focused on advancing our ambitions and creating lasting positive impact.”

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Tyres Europe has issued a formal response to the European Commission’s recent Omnibus proposal on Energy Labelling, urging a more cohesive strategy for regulatory simplification within the tyre labelling framework. While the industry association acknowledges the intent behind certain proposed amendments, it has identified several areas where the package could inadvertently introduce new complexities.

The proposed measures include promising steps towards digitalisation, such as the introduction of digital labels, the creation of a technical link between the EPREL database and the Digital Product Passport registry and the automation of label image generation within EPREL. These initiatives are seen as positive moves that could modernise the system and reduce certain administrative burdens for manufacturers.

However, Tyres Europe has expressed concern that other aspects of the proposal risk undermining these benefits. The potential empowerment of delegated acts to facilitate a label rescaling could generate fresh regulatory uncertainty and technical hurdles. Furthermore, the expansion of the Product Information Sheet, alongside the introduction of nested labels and additional EPREL requirements, threatens to increase administrative complexity without clear evidence that these changes would meaningfully aid consumer decision-making.

Citing recent data, Tyres Europe notes that consumer engagement with existing tools remains low, with only 39 percent of shoppers recalling the tyre label in 2024, a decline from 50 percent in 2017, and a mere 5 percent Tyres Europe Urges Cohesive Simplification in Omnibus Labelling Proposal having consulted the EPREL database. Given that the 2021 revision already rejected similar data requirements due to technical challenges, the association advocates for a targeted approach focused on improving consumer awareness and market incentives rather than adding new layers. Tyres Europe has affirmed its readiness to collaborate with the Commission to ensure the final framework delivers genuine simplification and supports a competitive European business environment.

Adam McCarthy, Secretary General, Tyres Europe, said, “The priority should be to make the existing tyre label better understood and used by consumers, not to add new layers of complexity that risk creating costs without changing purchasing behaviour. A simplification package should simplify.”

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Michelin North America, Inc. has announced a major reorganisation of its US manufacturing operations for the BFGoodrich Tires brand, a move that will consolidate production and impact approximately 1,200 workers in Alabama. The restructuring, set to begin later this year, will centralise nearly all BFGoodrich production at the company’s Fort Wayne, Indiana, facility. Consequently, operations at the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, site will undergo a phased wind-down starting in early 2027, with a projected completion date by the end of 2028.

In alignment with its corporate values, Michelin is emphasising a supportive transition for affected staff. The company temporarily paused Tuscaloosa operations to commence direct discussions with employees, with normal production scheduled to resume on 29 June 2026. No job separations are expected for several months as transition plans are finalised, and the company will engage union leaders to determine separation benefits for wage employees in accordance with the existing collective bargaining agreement and federal regulations.

The decision stems from structural inefficiencies at both plants, which are operating well below designed capacity. Simultaneously, the BFGoodrich brand faces increasing competitive pressures in the recreational and off-road tyre segment despite maintaining a robust market share and a strong performance reputation. Company leadership determined that consolidating production at Fort Wayne is essential to establishing a more efficient industrial framework to secure the brand’s long-term viability.

As tyre production and rubber-mixing activities gradually decrease over the next two years, Michelin North America intends to partner with public and private entities to identify new purposes for the Tuscaloosa site. This collaborative effort reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to the community’s future prosperity, ensuring that stewardship of the facility remains a priority even as its current manufacturing role concludes.

Terry Redmile, Michelin’s Senior Vice President for Manufacturing Operations in the Americas, said, “Because of the dedication of our teams in Tuscaloosa, BFGoodrich Tires is celebrated as a pioneering American brand, and an enduring symbol of car and truck culture. Due to the size, footprint and infrastructure of the Fort Wayne factory, that site is better positioned to consolidate the capacity and meet future demands for the success of BFGoodrich Tires. Unfortunately, we could not identify any feasible structure that would enable us to continue operating in Tuscaloosa while also supporting long-term value creation across our factories in North America.” 

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Dow will invest approximately USD 100 million by the end of 2027 to expand its specialty silicones manufacturing and research capabilities in the US, China and Japan, as the chemicals group seeks to meet rising demand from the mobility, electronics and healthcare sectors.

The investments will increase production capacity for liquid silicone rubber and engineered silicone materials, while also expanding research facilities focused on thermal management technologies.

The company said the projects would strengthen regional supply chains and support customers through local manufacturing and technical capabilities.

“These investments underscore Dow’s focus on scaling specialty silicones materials and bringing innovation closer and faster to our customers,” said Brendy Lange, president of Performance Materials & Coatings. “By expanding manufacturing and innovation capabilities in these strategic regions, we are investing to meet increasing consumer demand, strengthening our global supply chain capabilities, and enabling customers to move faster from innovation to commercialisation.”

Dow plans to expand liquid silicone rubber manufacturing facilities in Carrollton, Kentucky, and Zhangjiagang, China. The facilities are expected to begin operations in 2027 and will support applications in mobility, electronics and healthcare.

The company is also increasing capacity for engineered silicone materials used in electronics applications, including power electronics, semiconductor packaging, thermal management and electrical protection.

New capacity in Songjiang, China, and Fukui, Japan, is scheduled to come on stream this year. Additional expansions in Auburn, Michigan, and Zhangjiagang are expected to be completed in 2027.

Dow expanded its Cooling Science Labs in Shanghai earlier this year and opened additional facilities in Midland, Michigan, in June. The facilities are intended to support the development and scale-up of thermal management technologies.

The investments complete the series of silicones projects outlined during Dow’s 2024 investor day. The company said project timelines had been updated to reflect market conditions and affordability considerations.

Dow said demand for specialty silicones continues to grow in mobility, electronics and medical applications, where supply reliability, technical support and product performance remain important considerations.

In mobility and electronics markets, the expanded capabilities are intended to support applications including mobility intelligence modules, data centres, microelectronics, energy electronics, consumer electronics components and advanced safety systems.

In medical applications, the company said regional manufacturing capabilities support local supply requirements for regulated products.

Dow said local manufacturing and technical support would help customers improve supply reliability, accelerate commercialisation and meet evolving qualification requirements.

The company said its integrated silicones manufacturing network across the Americas, Europe and Asia positions it to serve growing demand in specialty materials markets.

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