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 Tyre Europe GmbH (DUNLOP) has unveiled a comprehensive winter and all-season tyre portfolio for the 2026 season, targeting European drivers who face unpredictable cold-weather conditions. The range covers high-performance passenger car and SUV applications, blending dependable winter traction with year-round versatility. The lineup includes the DUNLOP WINTER, WINTER SPORT 5, SP WINTER SPORT 4D and SP WINTER SPORT 3D winter tyres, alongside the DUNLOP ALL SEASON 2 for those seeking a single year-round solution.

The DUNLOP WINTER addresses drivers prioritising balanced low-temperature performance. Its directional tread and multidirectional sipes evacuate water and slush efficiently, supporting grip and stability, while lightweight materials reduce rolling resistance and aid fuel efficiency. It earned an ‘Exemplary’ rating in last year's Auto Bild tyre test, also praised for strong value. The WINTER SPORT 5, fitted as original equipment on selected Mercedes-Benz models, uses wide, deep grooves for efficient water evacuation and predictable cold-weather handling.

For enthusiasts, the SP WINTER SPORT 4D offers direct steering response through a lightweight construction, interlocking sipes, V-shaped snow grooves and an adaptive winter compound that promotes even contact-patch pressure. It is trusted as original equipment by Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. The SP WINTER SPORT 3D, original equipment on selected Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen models, combines three-dimensional interlocking sipes for snow traction and braking with a Shape Lock System that maintains tread stability at higher speeds.

Completing the portfolio, the DUNLOP ALL SEASON 2 delivers a balance of summer and winter tyre benefits across varied conditions. Its 3D interlocking sipes aid winter traction, while a reinforced carcass supports stability and handling on both wet and dry surfaces, providing year-round confidence for European motorists.

Marcus Schulz, Assistant Manager – Product Planning, Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, said, "Winter no longer necessarily means facing months of snow and ice, with often milder temperatures adding to the unpredictability of the weather. This makes it even more important to have tyres that can cope with a wide range of weather conditions. With our winter portfolio, DUNLOP offers tyres designed to meet the increasingly diverse conditions and ensuring drivers can rely on consistent performance.

"In DUNLOP's first full year with Sumitomo Rubber Industries, we are entering a new chapter in Europe. By continuously strengthening and expanding our product portfolio, we are enhancing the brand's competitiveness and laying the ideal foundation for a successful and safer 2026 winter season.”

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Michelin has broadened its agricultural trailer tyre lineup with the launch of the MICHELIN WORKXBIB. Designed primarily for tipping trailers, slurry tankers, manure spreaders and similar farm equipment, the new addition complements the existing MICHELIN TRAILXBIB, which features the company’s patented Ultraflex technology for reduced soil compaction.

Engineered to handle the demands of trailer platforms, the WORKXBIB combines endurance, high load capacity and reliability for intensive road use. It supports loads of up to 6,500 kg at speeds of 65 kmph and is offered in a size range tailored to current vehicles, drawing on Michelin’s innovation to deliver dependable performance.

The tyre’s flat crown and reinforced, serrated shoulders provide a larger footprint, promoting stability even under heavy loads and at high speed. A steel-belted crown, robust carcass and bead area, and a high-performance rubber compound enhance puncture resistance. Serrated shoulders improve stability on sloping ground, while large tread blocks self-clean to reduce maintenance. This design delivers up to 80 percent longer life than the previous generation of Michelin trailer products.

For contractors and farm owners, the result is fewer tyre replacement and maintenance stops, greater equipment availability and better-controlled operating costs. The replacement market rollout begins with size 600/55 R26.5 in October 2026, followed by three additional sizes in the second quarter of 2027: 650/55 R26.5, 600/60 R30.5 and 560/60 R22.5.

Tom Saunders, Agricultural Beyond Road Customer Engineering Support Manager at Michelin, said, “In a sector marked by increasingly intensive road use and demanding field performance, we’ve developed the MICHELIN WORKXBIB for contractors and farmers. Our latest fitment has a wide range of applications from public works and civil engineering through to haulage and livestock farming.”

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Tegeta Green Planet participated in a Circular Economy Action Platform meeting hosted by the UN Global Compact Network Georgia on 6 October. The session examined packaging waste management and the need for technical regulation from a business standpoint, with participants exploring existing practices and the challenges tied to the issue.

Attendees stressed that an effective waste management system would serve environmental goals while giving businesses a clear and predictable operating environment. Shalva Akhvlediani, Director of Tegeta Green Planet, presented the company’s vision and hands-on experience. Discussion topics included the Extended Producer Responsibility system, the role of businesses in waste management and practical obstacles to advancing a circular economy in Georgia.

As an EPR organisation, Tegeta Green Planet helps producers and importers meet their environmental obligations and supports an effective waste chain spanning collection, proper treatment and conversion into a resource. Akhvlediani detailed the company’s work with used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries, noting that a sustainable system demands coordinated cooperation among businesses, government and other stakeholders alongside practical experience.

The meeting underscored the value of technical regulation, with clear requirements and strong enforcement seen as ways to develop waste management, reinforce responsible business practices and encourage more efficient resource use. Developing a circular economy remains a key focus for Tegeta Green Planet, which continues working with the business, public and educational sectors so that waste management moves beyond regulatory compliance toward reuse and recycling opportunities.

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TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has raised concerns that overconfidence among UK motorists could be concealing a serious road safety problem. Fresh research indicates a notable gap between how drivers rate their own abilities and their actual vehicle maintenance habits. While 42 percent of drivers consider themselves above average at handling emergencies, that figure rises to 51 percent among men. Yet 1 in 10 has never examined tyre pressure or tread depth, and merely a quarter have done so within the previous month.

Regional patterns remain broadly similar, though behavioural differences point to inconsistent awareness and upkeep across the country. The organisation stresses that tyres represent the sole contact between a vehicle and the road, meaning even minor defects can materially affect braking, grip and control. TyreSafe is therefore urging drivers to incorporate regular tyre checks into their routines and to act before they react.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “Confidence is not a substitute for preparation. No matter how skilled a driver believes they are, tyres ultimately determine how a vehicle performs in an emergency. You cannot outdrive poor tyre condition. Regular checks are essential to ensure your vehicle responds as expected when it matters most.”

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