How will the collaboration with Michelin influence the future of the company? What vision do the companies share?

Michelin evaluated our recovered carbon black material in 2016. Since then, they have made significant testing of quite large volumes of our material over time to evaluate its consistency and quality. This is probably the most important parameter for any tyre manufacturer to use recovered carbon black. The interest in the technology itself started to grow as they saw that the performance of the recovered carbon black material was quite impressive. Over time, they started doing due diligence on the technology during those years. We intensified the negotiations in the early stages of 2020 and finally entered into a partnership agreement in April where Michelin invested 20 percent in Enviro. But, that was only one part of the partnership we envisioned. We also had, from the beginning, discussions about how we can provide the technology as a part of their solution to build a business model around mining tyres. This way, they could also offer their mining customers a solution for the recovery of the mining tyres. In that aspect, we negotiated regarding a joint plant project we are currently building in the Antofagasta region of Chile. We are also preparing the permitting for a plant in Uddevalla, Sweden, of 60,000-tonne ELT capacity for car and truck tyres.

In addition to that, we evaluate different technology experiences from both sides where we contribute with our experience in pyrolysis and treating end-of-life tyres in a professional way. Michelin is contributing with their extensive knowledge about developing and innovation into industrial capacity plants. What we have is a very intense collaboration on a more or less daily basis.

Going forward, we see that Michelin has a strategic ambition to replace up to 100 percent of the materials in the tyres with sustainable alternatives. Carbon black is one of the materials where we think that quite large volumes can be replaced over time. They're also involved in replacement and development of different types of oils in the tyres. From Michelin’s side, I think they have a wider interest in the recovery of all the materials in the tyres. This also aligns with our interest since we are recovering tyre pyrolysis oil and doing that quite successfully. We expect more plans in collaboration with Michelin in one way or another. Their investment in our company and the clear engagement in showing the market that they're using our material in motorcycle racing tyres in Moto E and in performance tyres for racing cars is helping us to get the acknowledgement in the market. This is important for our growth and our expansion plan.

How are you matching the quality and consistency of the recovered carbon black to virgin carbon black? Can you also please elaborate on the collaboration with AnvaPolytech, where Enviro completely replaced virgin carbon black used in Volvo's rubber components back in 2015?

We are using our patented batch process, which is a fixed batch process. The technology that we are using was developed for over 20 years to maintain control of the pyrolysis process. We can make sure that the result of the pyrolysis in the material is consistent, which means that we are not creating new carbon, as you easily do when you have a continuous process, and we are making sure that the pyrolysis process has evaporated all the volatiles out of the carbon fraction. This is very important and we control this with the system in multiple parameters that we measure during the process. We also have a significant quality control system downstream. So, in the post process of the pyrolysis, we do multiple quality checks. Before each shipment, we have ASTM standard controls for about 10 different parameters where we compare to the industry ASTM standard normally used for carbon black. There are a few ASTM measurements used for virgin carbon black that are not applicable for all recovered carbon black products, but the majority of the tests can be similar and we keep a very high consistency there. This is also one of the main achievements of the company since January 2016. We made the first commercial delivery to AnvaPolytech and they are a rubber component supplier to Volvo Cars. They have been involved with us before the commercial deliveries in the research and development of the material for rubber components. They were also involved in lots of different types of testing, where meeting the automotive standard for EPDM rubber components was a very significant part, and also got the final approval from Volvo Cars to replace the material. Since 2016, we have replaced 100 percent carbon black in those components with our material. I think it's now more than 100 million components delivered from Anva to Volvo Cars.

The gas produced during the pyrolysis process is used to fuel the machinery itself. Is there a commercial value for the gas in this market and are you exploring those business verticals?

It is a very valid question; we are producing new pyrolysis gas, and in the process, we condense out the oil, but there will be a fraction of gas that is not condensable. That gas is the excess gas that we use for the next pyrolysis phase. In our current plant at Åsensbruk, we use the excess gas and part of the oil to power the main process and the post process for heating purposes. In the new plants we will be building, for instance, one in Sweden, we plan to start production in the fourth quarter of 2023, where we will use green energy from wind, solar, water and waste to provide energy. In this case, the excess gas will be used only to heat the dryer system in the post process. Does it have a commercial value? I think some markets do; it might be used also in-turn to produce energy or electricity, but at the moment, this is not something that we are exploring further in detail.

The company recently received two ISCC certifications, one for the pyrolysis oil and the other for the carbon black. What were the challenges in earning the certifications and are there any other benchmarks that you're targeting for any other product in the future?

We are very proud to be the first to achieve the certification for the recovered carbon black. It is an important step for both the certification and for us as a company. We are already seeing some of the players in the tyre industry looking to certify according to ISCC now. This means that there will be a higher value in connection to using that type of material. There are always challenges with being certified and the most challenging maybe is to follow the certification requirements in terms of how, when and where to measure. We need to make sure that this is something that we can live up to when we are audited annually. We must also commit resources and capabilities to do this. We also needed to involve our supplier of tyre material, which, in Sweden, are Ragn-Sells. They are also audited by the certifier.

Enviro was evaluating business prospects in India. What is the current status of opening a full-size plant? Pyrolysis is banned in India across almost all states by the pollution board, and we're seeing various companies being ordered to shut down plants. Where does Enviro fit in and what are the developments?

Yes, we have been conducting meetings together with the Swedish Energy Agency, Swedish Export Organization, Business Sweden and a few other organisations including India-Sweden Innovations Accelerator and Confederation of Indian Industry in India. We have been exploring the Indian market for many multiple axles, and during the last two years, we are meeting with all the major tyre producers, both local and international. We are meeting with oil companies downstream who are potential customers for oil. We are meeting with waste treatment and tyre treatment companies locally and also making presentations to most local governments. However, we feel it is a bit too early for us to enter India on a more massive basis.

We have decided strategically that we will start with Europe followed by probably the US in the next phase. I think that will help India to monitor what is happening with the technology and how it can be a part of the system in those markets. We can then use that as a showcase for creating a sustainable and long-term system for the Indian market. We hope that this display of the system will be appreciated by the players in India to implement and also be some kind of inspiration to make that happen. In regards to pyrolysis being banned, I think it's probably a very correct decision because the pyrolysis technologies that we have seen being used in India are mainly Chinese versions where the environmental 360-degree impact has not really been considered. I think it was a very necessary decision.

The system for import and collecting for the pyrolysis industry was not really in place at that moment. But I think we can showcase together with a few of our peers in the European market that batch pyrolysis process and pyrolysis in general can be made with a very sustainable and safe technology with the highest possible emission control systems. We are hoping that by setting an example in Europe and showing both the technology and the system, maybe we will enter India in the next five years.

What are some of the constraints that you see in entering the Indian market?

I think one constraint that we are struggling with – mainly in Europe, but also in other markets – is that end-of-life tyres are viewed purely as waste materials. To really get our authorities and government regulators to understand that we are making a transition of waste materials into something that can sustainably replace fossil resources is a challenge. We are in the right direction. ISCC certification is one step.

Reach of the materials is another step. I think that transition to get aligned with the current legislation in many countries is still a hurdle. Even if it's improving, making this kind of large transition of an industry that is not really present at the moment requires financial support. Financial investors need to be willing to take a little bit of a risk to make the industry change as rapidly as it needs to. It's not enough for the tyre industry if there is one company able to provide the small volume to the market; they need multiple suppliers and large volumes to replace larger volumes of virgin material. The volume is a constraint itself. We hope, together with Michelin and other parties that we're working with, to provide larger volumes in the coming 10 years. Our ambition is to establish at least 30 plants globally in the coming decade. We also hope that our competitors are also successful in India.

What potential do you see in the Indian market, being one of the biggest automotive markets in the world, in terms of government support or the infrastructure for the products Enviro produces?

One of the opportunities is the growing automotive market. There is also a foundation of industry there in India for a long time. There is a tradition to produce tyres with a lot of knowledge, research and development around tyres and rubber materials, which I think is a very interesting potential itself. The competence around the materials in India is significant. I think the size of the market itself is an opportunity. If you choose to see the immaturity of the collection system as an opportunity, which I do, I think there is a lot of potential to establish from ground-up, a workable system with different stakeholders where I think local and national government needs to play a role, but it needs to be still on market conditions. I think the model that we will be showcasing in Europe will be attractive for both the government and local private stakeholders like the tyre industry and rubber industry.

In a broader sense, what is the future for the company and what are your goals? What are you excited about?

There are very clear targets from the tyre industry since they are consuming more than 70 to 80 percent of the carbon black material in the world. We have very clear targets for replacing fossil-originated materials with recovered or sustainable materials. We are very excited about the volume potential we see there. We have started to take steps in that direction with multiple tyre producers. The regulation in Europe and other countries to reduce the fossil content in oil products and chemical products is very positive for us. ISCC is a very important tool for the market to implement recovered and bio-based materials which have tax incentives. These enable us to launch our expansion plan, which, as I mentioned, is for the next 10 years to open 30 plants globally. We are excited that we are now in the position to work in establishing one plant with Michelin in Chile and in parallel a plant in Sweden with more or less the same time scheduled to start production. In the pipeline, we have several very interesting projects building up.

Are there other manufacturers or automotive players that are satisfied with the level of quality in your recovered carbon black? Are there any projects in the pipeline?

We have seen the interest significantly increasing in suppliers to the automotive industries and to other core manufacturers since we got the ISCC certificate for our products. But I think that we could better market what we have achieved together with Volvo in order to really get the other car brands into using more of our material. I think we have some homework to do there, because what we do is too little known to them at the moment. So there is work to be done there. We know we can achieve it. We should focus on letting them know what we can do. We are working with some other automotive manufacturers not only for the recovered carbon black but also to help them achieve their zero-emission objectives. So that could be related to oil, carbon black, steel and potentially other materials such as carbon fibre, for instance. (MT)

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Hankook Tire will serve as the official sponsor of the Ballon d'Or for the third consecutive year, continuing its partnership with the prestigious award that honours the best individual performance of the past professional football season and stands as the sport's highest individual accolade. The premium tyre manufacturer's renewed commitment was confirmed ahead of the 2026 ceremony.

The 2026 ceremony, marking the award's 70th anniversary, will be held in London for the first time on 26 October. The event is set to take place at the London Palladium Theatre, where the successors to Aitana Bonmatí and Ousmane Dembélé will be revealed. London's selection as the anniversary venue also honours the first winner, England international Stanley Matthews, who received the award in 1956.

As part of its involvement, Hankook is running a competition offering football fans the chance to win a ticket to attend the ceremony. Participation details and competition conditions are available on a dedicated page of the company's website. The Ballon d'Or was established in 1956 by France Football and has been presented by the publication, part of the L'Équipe Group, in conjunction with UEFA since 2024.

Hankook's sponsorship reflects an internationally oriented strategy of selected partnerships at global, European and national levels, concentrating on motorsport and football platforms with wide reach and strong visibility in key markets. The company aims to expand its brand presence through prestigious sporting events with a global audience while creating touchpoints with fans, customers and business partners worldwide.

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Michelin UK is calling on motorists to check their tyres this October after new research (OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK drivers, conducted in September 2026, commissioned by Michelin) found that half are unsure about some of the most basic elements of tyre safety. The findings arrive as TyreSafe's Tyre Safety Month gets underway and suggest that while drivers recognise vehicle safety matters, knowing what to inspect and how to act when something requires attention remains unclear for many.

Nearly a quarter of those surveyed (24 percent) cannot tell whether their tyres are road legal, and only 53 percent know that the UK's legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm. Everyday maintenance also presents difficulties: 19 percent of motorists are not confident about inflating tyres and setting pressures correctly, and 56 percent lack confidence in using a tyre repair kit.

Since tyres are vital to braking, handling and grip, Michelin stresses that knowing how to check and maintain them is essential for the safety of drivers, passengers and other road users. The company is therefore urging drivers to act now and inspect their tyres during Tyre Safety Month rather than waiting for problems to emerge.

Michelin points drivers to four key areas of tyre care. On legality, UK car tyres need at least 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tread around the entire circumference, and drivers should watch for visible damage including cuts, cracks and bulges. On tread depth, regular checks are preferable to waiting for the legal limit; a gauge gives an accurate reading, while a 20 pence coin offers a handy alternative because its rim measures 1.6 mm.

On pressures, Michelin notes that incorrect inflation can affect handling, braking, fuel consumption and tyre wear. Drivers should check when tyres are cold, follow the manufacturer's recommendations, usually in the handbook or on a label inside the vehicle, and use a pressure gauge. On damage, drivers should learn their tyre repair kit before an emergency; many modern vehicles carry a sealant kit instead of a spare wheel, injecting sealant through the valve to temporarily seal certain punctures and restore pressure so the vehicle can reach safety or the nearest tyre professional.

Joe Brammer, Technical Manager, Michelin UK, said, “The findings highlight an opportunity to make tyre safety advice more accessible and help motorists feel better equipped to make informed decisions about their vehicles. By understanding a few key checks and knowing when to seek professional advice, drivers can take a more active role in maintaining their tyres and help to keep themselves and others safe on the road.”

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Toyo Tires will stage its Treadpass showcase at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas from 3–6 November, assembling a hand-picked roster of vehicles making their global premieres. Set between the Las Vegas Convention Center's Central and South Halls, the exhibit pairs the tyre maker with skilled builders, handing them a high-visibility platform for their craft.

Twenty-seven world-debut machines will populate this year's display, spanning a spectrum broad enough to satisfy nearly any automotive taste. Among them are a 1979 Porsche 935 styled after racing machinery and powered by a 637-horsepower electric drivetrain, alongside a 2027 Rolls-Royce Cullinan with a custom body kit marking its first North American appearance. Toyo Tires will again dedicate a section of its website to detailing each build, listing model year, make, model, wheel and tyre fitment and other notable modifications.

Working with Time Capsule, a business-to-business firm known for finely crafted diecast miniatures, Treadpass will host an oversized die-cast toy box. The centrepiece is a 2014 Scion FRS (Toyota GT86) conceived and assembled by Daniel Song of DRVNmind. It carries the first Neo86 widebody conversion fitted outside the demonstration car built in Japan a year earlier, restyling the Scion with cues drawn from the iconic AE86 and honouring the celebrated US-built AE86 nicknamed ‘Run Free’. A Beams 3SGE swap with individual throttle bodies from Panic Made and custom high-rise headers from Dream Maker Goods sit under the hood, while Rays TE37V 18x10 wheels in Dash White carry Toyo Proxes Sport R 255/35/18 rubber.

Leen Customs returns as a collaborator, with limited-edition pins once again part of the SEMA experience. Ten designs will honour select Treadpass vehicles and be handed out at scheduled times. A separate 11th pin will be offered during an Artist's Meet with Leen Customs founder Hansel Echeverria on 4 November from noon to 1 p.m.

As the industry's premier trade gathering, the SEMA Show draws manufacturers and buyers from every sector. Toyo Tires remains a highlight, presenting distinctive builds from leading shops nationwide. Among the vehicles on view will be a 1972 Chevrolet Blazer K5 by Tony Arme, a 1974 Capri Mk 1 by JH Restorations Ltd., a 1979 Ford F-250 Crew Cab by Fat Fender Garage, a 1979 Porsche 935 Baby Moby by Bisimoto and a 2027 Rolls-Royce Cullinan by WALD USA. Further details on the tyres behind these builds can be found on the Toyo Tires website.

Stan Chen, Deputy Director – Consumer Marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp, said, “Over the years, Treadpass has been an incredible way for us to collaborate with top builders and create a one-of-a-kind experience at the SEMA Show. We are thrilled to bring the activation back for its 13th year and deliver another unforgettable experience for attendees while showcasing the largest culmination of world-debut cars at this year’s show.”

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Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited (STA) and Sri Trang Gloves (Thailand) Public Company Limited (STGT) collectively secured six accolades at the IAA Awards for Listed Companies 2026, a recognition reflecting their strength in corporate management, financial stewardship and investor relations. The Investment Analysts Association (IAA) hosted the ceremony on 21 October 2026, at the Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai.

STA claimed all three honours in the Agro Industry category for a second straight year. Chief Executive Officer Veerasith Sinchareonkul was named Outstanding CEO, with Thitima Wongwairoj, Regional Finance and Controller Manager, accepting on his behalf. Chief Financial Officer Patrawut Panitkul received the Outstanding CFO award, also collected by Wongwairoj. Executive Director Vitchaphol Sincharoenkul earned Outstanding IR recognition, with Pimpetch Sapkhoonthawee of Investor Relations accepting for him.

STGT, which won Outstanding CEO and Outstanding IR in 2024, took three awards in the Consumer Products category. Chief Executive Officer Jarinya Jirojkul was honoured as Outstanding CEO, while Chief Financial Officer Thanawan Sa-ngiamsak received Outstanding CFO. Chairman of the Executive Committee Vitanath Sincharoenkul was named Outstanding IR, with Sa-ngiamsak accepting on his behalf.

The six awards underscore the confidence of Thai securities analysts and fund managers in both companies' management teams amid global economic uncertainty. Sri Trang Group continues to uphold good corporate governance, rigorous financial discipline and transparent disclosure while integrating environmental, social and governance principles into its operations. These include STA's responsible raw material sourcing and EU Deforestation Regulation preparedness, alongside STGT's delivery of products meeting international quality standards. The IAA Awards, among Thailand's most prestigious capital market honours, are scored by analysts and fund managers on management expertise, disclosure quality and investor engagement.

Veerasith Sinchareonkul, Chief Executive Officer of Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited, said, “Receiving awards in all three categories for the second consecutive year is a great honour and a source of pride for Sri Trang. This recognition inspires us to continue upholding the highest standards of excellence. It reflects the dedication of our executives and every member of our team, who work together to advance the business responsibly and with a firm commitment to good corporate governance. As economic and industry conditions evolve, we will continue to communicate accurately, transparently and promptly about both opportunities and challenges, enabling investors to understand our strategic direction and strengthening their confidence in our long-term growth.”

Jarinya Jirojkul, Chief Executive Officer of Sri Trang Gloves (Thailand) Public Company Limited, said, “At Sri Trang Gloves, trust begins with the quality of the rubber gloves we deliver to users around the world and the responsibility with which we manage our business. Receiving awards in all three categories this year is a source of pride for our entire team, whose collective efforts uphold product quality, sound financial management and effective investor communication. We remain committed to financial discipline, prudent resource management and open, transparent disclosure so that shareholders and investors understand our performance, opportunities and risks. We will continue to develop our business to create long-term value.”

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