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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Continental has announced the sale of mycar Tyre & Auto, its Australian tyre and automotive servicing subsidiary, to Chinese automotive service platform Tuhu. The enterprise value of the deal stands at AUD 403 million (approximately USD 283 million), and closing depends on regulatory clearances.

The move aligns with the German company's broader intention to sharpen its focus on developing and producing tyres. For mycar, the change in ownership brings a parent whose priorities centre squarely on automotive services, giving the chain a stable footing to keep expanding. Roughly 280 outlets and over 1,600 staff fall within the scope of the agreement.

Back in 2018, Continental bought the business as a way to widen its Australian distribution reach and bolster its standing in the global tyre sector. Australia has since matured into a well-established and valuable market for the firm, which has simultaneously assembled a robust local sales operation. Across eight years under Continental, mycar gradually reinforced its Australian market position by adding stores, diversifying its offering and raising its profile.

Once the sale concludes, mycar will keep distributing Continental tyres in Australia and the two sides foresee room for tighter collaboration ahead. The chain's services span routine maintenance, tyres, brakes, suspension, batteries and general mechanical work, and its workforce ranks among the sector's largest in the country.

Dalibor Kalina, head of Continental’s tyre business in the Asia-Pacific region, said, “mycar Tyre & Auto has developed very successfully under the Continental umbrella and is now exceptionally well positioned in the Australian market. In Tuhu, mycar Tyre & Auto is gaining an owner with many years of experience who will actively drive the company’s strategic direction and sustainable long-term development. Tuhu and Continental have a longstanding and strong strategic partnership in China. With our own sales organisation in Australia and the continued distribution of our tyres through the mycar Tyre & Auto network, we will ensure seamless continuity for our customers.”

Min Chen, Founder and CEO, Tuhu, said, “Australia is a highly attractive and promising market for automotive services, and mycar Tyre & Auto is a distinctive business with a strong position in this market. We look forward to working closely with the existing management team and employees while continuing our longstanding partnership with Continental. As a new entrant to the Australian market from China, we are committed to adapting quickly to the local market and building on mycar’s strong foundation established under Continental’s management and its proven track record of responsible and reliable operations. By bringing Tuhu’s capabilities and experience to Australia, we look forward to continuing to deliver value, choice and convenience for Australian vehicle owners.”

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Apollo Tyres Ltd has commissioned a new Passenger Vehicle Testing Caravan, a sophisticated mobile workshop engineered to move tyre assembly preparation directly to the test track. The facility represents a strategic advancement over the company’s prior setup, intended to sharpen testing efficiency, responsiveness and customer alignment while elevating the standard of preparation work.

Purpose-built for on-site operations, the caravan integrates a dedicated assembly workshop with office space for engineers and client meetings. Both the workshop and meeting areas are fully air-conditioned, and an advanced balancing machine has been installed to achieve highly precise wheel and tyre balancing.

The enhanced balancing capability carries particular weight for high-speed comfort performance targets, reinforcing the company’s capacity to produce precise, repeatable testing outcomes. Apollo Tyres describes the investment as another milestone in its ongoing pursuit of continuous improvement, innovation and customer-centricity, further bolstering testing capabilities in support of world-class product delivery.

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WESTLAKE wrapped up its participation at IAA Transportation 2026 in partnership with Interpneu and Pneuhage Fleet Solution, using the event to highlight its newest Gen II commercial truck tyre advances. The brand’s presence at Hall 12, Booth B66 centred on four newly introduced products: the WSL2 steer tyre, WDL2+ drive tyre, WTL2 wide-base trailer tyre and WTR PRO trailer tyre. Each was available to order during the exhibition, underscoring two priorities for European fleets, namely reduced rolling resistance and improved mileage.

Over the course of the show, WESTLAKE representatives engaged with fleet customers, distributors and industry partners on subjects including tyre performance, operating efficiency and shifting fleet requirements. The booth’s theme, ‘Strong Service. Strong Network.’, embodied the company’s intention to collaborate closely with customers and partners so that stronger service support can be delivered throughout Europe. Availability, service and a robust local network were likewise shown to matter alongside tyre performance itself.

Central to the display was the Long Run range, made up of the WSL2, WDL2+ and WTL2 for steer, drive and trailer axle positions in long-haul work. Both the WSL2 and WDL2+ have now secured EU Tyre Label Class A for rolling resistance, sharpening the range’s fuel-efficiency emphasis while preserving mileage and operational capability. The WSL2 targets stable handling and high mileage, the WDL2+ blends mileage, traction and efficiency for drive axles, and the WTL2 wide-base trailer tyre prioritises fuel efficiency, stability and wet-road performance.

The newly launched WTR PRO trailer tyre was also featured, signalling the high-mileage direction of the PRO series for applications where mileage and wear matter most. It employs a wider tread, greater pattern saturation and a wear-resistant tread compound to encourage longer mileage and more even wear. Beyond the four new products, WESTLAKE exhibited selected Gen II commercial tyres and outlined its ‘Our Green Way’ approach, offering a wider view of the portfolio and its efficiency and sustainable transport aims. The company will keep developing its Gen II portfolio around practical fleet needs while reinforcing its regional product and service offering.

Leo Liao, General Manager, ZC Rubber Europe, said, “IAA Transportation is always an important opportunity for us to meet customers and partners across Europe and understand what is changing in their daily operations. This year, many of the conversations came back to the same priorities: fuel efficiency, mileage and operating costs. Our new Long Run and PRO products are developed around these needs, with each range focusing on different priorities while still delivering balanced overall performance. We will continue working with our partners to strengthen the WESTLAKE offering in Europe.”

Robin Brucke, Head – Commercial Product Group Management, Pneuhage Management GmbH & Co. KG, said, “For fleets, tyre performance is the foundation of efficient operation, but long-term value also depends on availability, service and a reliable network behind the product. Our cooperation with ZC Rubber and WESTLAKE has developed over many years, with products and services evolving together around the needs of the market. The new Gen II range continues that journey and gives us a strong platform to support fleets across Europe.”

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Santosh Rubber Machinery Pvt. Ltd. has received the Export Merit Award from the All India Rubber Industries Association for outstanding export performance in rubber processing machinery during 2025–2026. This marks the company’s 24th consecutive export accolade, underscoring decades of engineering excellence, quality manufacturing, customer confidence and international collaboration.

An ISO 9001-2008 certified enterprise, Santosh is a leading name in quality rubber machinery. Its Mumbai facility spans 36,000 square feet and houses an ultra-modern workshop equipped with heavy production machinery. A team of qualified engineers and professionals brings 50 years of experience since 1966, continually expanding the manufacturing range. The firm offers India’s largest assortment of rubber processing machinery under one roof.

Serving customers from India to markets worldwide, Santosh remains dedicated to designing and producing machinery that delivers performance, reliability and value. The company expressed gratitude to its customers, partners and entire team, whose commitment makes each milestone achievable.

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