Hankook has confirmed its participation in the 2021 edition of the Solutrans trade fair that is set to take place at Eurexpo (Lyon) from 16-20 November 2021.

Hankook will showcase its new range of regional hybrid tyres – SmartFlex AH51 and SmartFlex DH51– at this edition of Solutrans trade fair. The company will also showcase its premium retread offer Alphatread at the tradeshow.

Hankook's SmartFlex AH51 steering axle tyre and SmartFlex DH51 drive axle tyres will come with 3PMSF certification and can be used all year round for a wide range of applications from regional traffic to last-mile distribution as well as long-distance use and transport site approach, if required.

Developed on Hankook's SmartLife concept, the Smartflex tyres offer the highest possible performance from the first to the last millimetre of tread depth. The Smartflex series of tyres also features Hankook's latest technology with tread patterns carefully developed to provide high grip and tyre life while being fuel-efficient. The tyre’s interlocking 3D sipes are revealed at 40 percent wear and enhance the rigidity of the tread blocks, maintaining high levels of grip and reducing rolling resistance. When the tyre is 70 percent worn, the tyre’s hidden grooves appear to provide wet traction and grip.

Like all new Hankook tyres, the new tyres can be regrooved and retreaded due to the additionally integrated rubber. Further, the Hankook SmartLife Premium casing with the Hankook Premium retreading ensures a 250 percent increase in tyre life and mileage. This increase in tyre life helps in sustainability, which is the primary focus of the SmartLife concept.

Xavier Antressangle, National TBR Sales Director – France and Maghreb, Hankook, said, "We are pleased to participate in this new edition and to introduce our offer, our services and our new tyres using the latest innovative technologies from Hankook. We are keen to show that Hankook is a premium brand with quality products and services adapted to fleets. This event is an opportunity for us to meet our partners and to develop new professional relationships." (TT)

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited has earned a total of 23 CSR-DIW awards, demonstrating its longstanding commitment to operating with ongoing responsibility towards society, local communities and the environment. In 2025, the Department of Industrial Works honoured the company under the CSR DIW to MIND for Sustainability programme, which recognises industrial factories that enhance their social and community responsibility for sustainable coexistence.

Among these accolades, five facilities received the CSR DIW Award for maintaining these high standards continuously for a decade, while another 18 facilities received the CSR DIW Continuous Award for consistently implementing responsible practices, collectively celebrating industrial organisations that serve as models for industry growing in harmony with communities under the principle of good industry coexisting sustainably.

These achievements reflect how the Sri Trang Group balances economic, social and environmental priorities, allowing the industrial sector to work alongside communities effectively and advancing Thailand’s rubber industry towards a sustainable green future. The group has steadily carried out community focused and socially responsible initiatives across six key areas, including youth development, arts and local traditions, livelihood and career support, environmental management, workplace health and hygiene as well as disaster relief and assistance for vulnerable groups.

This recognition further underscores Sri Trang Agro Industry’s role as a leading organisation that drives sustainable industrial practices while consistently creating lasting value for society, communities and the environment.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Bridgestone has announced its participation in the 41st Space Symposium, the largest space conference in United States, taking place in Colorado Springs from 13 to 16 April 2026. The company’s exhibit will be hosted within the Japanese Space Industry pavilion organised by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), marking its third consecutive year at the event since 2024. A key focus of Bridgestone’s presence is its ongoing development of lunar rover tyres, a project that embodies the company’s belief that ‘tyres carry life’.

Since 2019, Bridgestone has advanced research on lunar rover tyres and pursued co-creation with international partners to commercialise space mobility technology. In 2024, the company collaborated with Astrobotic Technology, followed by a basic agreement with ispace in 2025. These efforts aim to generate new value in the rapidly evolving space mobility sector.

At the symposium, Bridgestone will demonstrate tyres for small and medium lunar rovers, first unveiled in 2025, by mounting them on a mobility vehicle. Attendees can see and touch the tyres, experiencing their high traversability on simulated lunar challenges like fine sand and rocky ground. Through this showcase, Bridgestone seeks to expand its space business network and foster co-creation opportunities, ultimately supporting safe lunar mobility and humanity’s exploration goals.

The lunar rover tyre project applies Bridgestone’s AirFree technology, an exploratory business under its 2024–2026 Mid Term Business Plan. By refining this technology in the extreme lunar environment, the company aims to eventually bring those innovations back to Earth, enhancing conventional tyres and contributing to broader social value.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. is set to appear at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026 in Hamburg, Germany, collaborating with its American sales arm, Yokohama Aerospace America, Inc. This premier trade fair, running from 14 April over three days at Hamburg Messe, will host over 450 exhibitors from around the globe, all showcasing cutting edge cabin products, materials and technological innovations.

Visitors to the Yokohama booth will encounter a full range of aircraft lavatory solutions, including a prototype unit designed for wheelchair access and retrofit kits intended for existing restrooms. Those kits bring touchless operation to flush switches and faucets, thereby boosting accessibility. By targeting plane makers, airlines and maintenance firms, the company hopes to strengthen sales of its interior offerings.

Yokohama Rubber ranks among Japan's foremost aerospace suppliers. Since the 1980s, it has produced and sold numerous commercial jet components like lightweight composite lavatory modules, potable water tanks, onboard stairways, thermal insulation and honeycomb panels. Having delivered roughly 17,000 lavatory modules for Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft, the firm continues to supply replacement parts for those units and also crafts custom-made components for airline retrofit projects.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Petlas Tire Corporation has introduced the PtxMD51, an L-5 type tyre specifically engineered for underground mining loaders and trucks operating under severe service conditions. This new addition expands the company’s off-the-road product range to address the most demanding mining environments.

Built with an extra deep tread and an all-steel radial construction, this tyre excels where wear, impact and cut risks are consistently high. Its specially developed tread compound offers strong resistance to cuts and chips, while the reinforced structure, combining steel belts with a radial steel carcass, delivers high impact resistance under heavy loads and harsh operating conditions. A solid centre structure further boosts durability and resistance.

To maintain stability and traction, shoulder grooves are incorporated into the design, ensuring reliable performance in underground operations. With the PtxMD51, Petlas continues to strengthen its portfolio for high-risk, heavy-duty applications where durability, safety and cost efficiency remain essential priorities.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!