Hankook Publishes 2022-23 ESG Report

Hankook, the premium tyre manufacturer, has released its 2022/23 Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Report, detailing its sustainability initiatives and strategies for the current year. Notably, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) has validated Hankook's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, committing the company to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 according to the SBTi Net Zero standard.

This marks Hankook's 14th ESG Report, following its ESG vision, "Innovation for a Sustainable Future" introduced in 2010. The report encompasses the company's sustainability activities and its medium- and long-term strategies across environmental, social, and governance areas. It places equal emphasis on three key priority areas: Eco Value Chain, Sustainable Product, and Responsible Engagement.

Hankook has been progressively strengthening its commitment to sustainable management, enhancing its ESG management system. This journey began in 2009 with the establishment of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) organisation, followed by the formation of the ESG Strategy Committee and Steering Committee in 2010. In 2018, Hankook initiated a strategic effort to implement sustainable natural rubber policies and promote an eco-friendly circular economy system. By 2021, the company established an ESG Committee within the Board of Directors, and in 2022, it unveiled a Corporate Governance Charter, cementing its commitment to transparent and ethical ESG practices.

Hankook has proactively reduced its greenhouse gas emissions, positioning itself as a leader in constructing an eco-value chain. The company has developed a comprehensive climate change response strategy and incorporated a Climate Change Committee into its management activities. It has also undertaken various energy-saving initiatives, including adopting high-efficiency equipment, optimising energy efficiency, and using renewable energy. These efforts have resulted in a 2.74 percent reduction in greenhouse gas intensity compared to the previous year.

With a firm commitment to addressing climate change, Hankook joined the Science Based Targets Initiative in March 2022 and submitted its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. These targets align with the latest climate research findings and the goals of the Paris Agreement. By 2030, Hankook aims to achieve a 46.2 percent reduction in total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) generated during the production stage, compared to 2019 figures, in compliance with the SBTi validation. Additionally, the company has set a 2030 target to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout the value chain (Scope 3) by 27.5% compared to 2019 figures. This recognition by the SBTi signifies Hankook's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 based on the SBTi Net Zero standard, a responsibility shared by approximately 5,700 companies worldwide.

Hankook is also dedicated to developing eco-friendly tyres using highly functional synthetic rubber, furthering its ESG goal of increasing the use of sustainable raw materials. Recognised for its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, Hankook has received top ratings from multiple global ESG evaluation agencies.

Moreover, the company is actively engaged in intelligent tyre technology, incorporating sensors in the tread to detect wear and developing airless tyres like the i-Flex. To contribute to a more sustainable future, Hankook is actively involved in establishing a sustainable supply chain, implementing human rights management, promoting employee well-being, and participating in social contribution activities.

Hankook has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) World, a prestigious sustainability index, for seven consecutive years.

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Pirelli has chosen the softest trio in its range for the Mexico City Grand Prix, with the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft. This departs from last year, when a compound step using the C2 as Hard proved less appealing than the softer alternatives. The second round of the Americas triple-header takes place at the circuit named after brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez, unique on the calendar due to its altitude of over 2,000 metres.

A large portion of the circuit has been resurfaced, covering Turn 16 to Turn 1 and Turn 7 to Turn 16, leaving only the first sector largely unchanged. New asphalt normally brings higher grip and lower roughness, though its actual characteristics will need assessment during the opening stages. The track is often dirty early on, with grip improving lap after lap, and that evolution could be more pronounced this year.

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez has traditionally been one of the least demanding circuits on tyres, with low-speed corners and limited lateral loads keeping wear under control. The thin air reduces aerodynamic load, increasing tyre slip and making graining a factor to watch, possibly more so with the smoother asphalt. The circuit's low severity could favour a one-stop race, though tyre management to extend stints will remain important, particularly for the rear axle.

Strategy may depend more on driver confidence in a compound than on genuine tyre life limitation, with some teams favouring softer compounds for grip and others the Hard for consistency. The Soft could play a central role, having shown strong characteristics on low-severity circuits. Braking performance also warrants monitoring, as the altitude reduces aerodynamic efficiency and the long main straight into Turn 1 could increase lock-up risk. Last year's grid was split between one-stop and two-stop strategies. This will be the sixth Grand Prix under the Mexico City Grand Prix name, with Max Verstappen the most successful driver at the venue with five victories, matching Red Bull. The Pirelli Podium Cap celebrates Día de los Muertos, which falls on race Sunday.

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Mitas marked its entry into Chinese agriculture with an official brand ceremony held on 27 October at the National Exhibition Center in Tianjin, during CIAME 2026, the China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition. Customers, partners and industry figures attended the event, which introduced the international tyre maker and its agricultural portfolio to the local market.

Bringing close to 100 years of tyre manufacturing experience and enduring ties with farmers and equipment builders around the world, the company presents Chinese customers with a commercially available international option built on proven agricultural knowledge, technology and dependability. The dedicated exhibition booth featured the HC 2000 and SFT CHO. The former, a VF tractor tyre, delivers high load capacity at low inflation pressure alongside efficient traction and diminished soil compaction, achieved through a large contact patch and even load distribution. The latter, engineered for demanding cyclic-load duties, pairs high load capacity and low inflation pressure with a broad footprint for gentle ground handling. Both models demonstrated the brand's dedication to proven engineering and high-value performance for contemporary agriculture.

Going forward, the company plans to strengthen its Chinese footprint by collaborating closely with equipment manufacturers, distributors and farmers, deepening understanding of local applications and addressing the evolving requirements of Chinese agriculture.

Roberta D’Agnano, Global Marketing Director Mitas at Yokohama TWS, said, “Entering the Chinese market means bringing the strength of an established international brand to a new customer base. Mitas combines nearly a century of agricultural expertise with proven tyre technology and a clear focus on dependable performance. Our ambition is to establish Mitas as a reliable partner for Chinese farmers, distributors and equipment manufacturers, offering solutions that help them get the most from their machinery.”

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has published its 2025 End-of-Life Tire Market Report, continuing a biennial series begun in the early 1990s. With over 30 years of figures on tyre generation, destination markets and stockpiles, the study stands as the nation's most thorough accounting of what happens to tyres after they leave the road.

Of the 273 million tyres retired nationwide in 2025, some 79 percent were absorbed by end-use markets. Only lead-acid batteries surpass tyres as a recycled and reclaimed material; paper, aluminium, glass and PET plastic all trail behind. The result is that valuable rubber stays in productive circulation rather than accumulating in landfills.

Abandoned and illegal stockpiles shrank to roughly 42.1 million tyres, compared with about 48 million two years earlier – a 12 percent drop in that span and a 96 percent fall from the billion-tyre high of 1990. Colorado's cleanup effort accounted for much of the gain, eliminating over 12 million tyres, while New Jersey and Pennsylvania recorded large reductions. North Carolina, Tennessee and Delaware cleared their stockpiles entirely, and land disposal declined nearly 11 percent to 779 thousand tonnes.

Tyre-derived fuel stayed the biggest outlet, taking about 1,317 thousand tonnes, with ground rubber just behind at roughly 1,201 thousand tonnes. Cement kilns consumed about 5 percent more, reaching 821 thousand tonnes – 62 percent of all tyre-derived fuel – as carbon-reduction mandates and the fuel's biogenic nature enhance its appeal. Reclamation applications expanded by roughly a tenth.

Most declines arose from forces outside the industry's influence. Pulp and paper mill shutdowns halved nothing less than 40 percent of that outlet, while revised Michigan energy rules trimmed utility boiler demand by about 22 percent. Synthetic turf continues yielding ground to cork, coconut husk and olive pit infill; moulded and extruded goods eased from a 2021 high; and energy price swings have shifted tyre-derived fuel's competitiveness. Exports, however, climbed 270 percent since 2023 – from 253 thousand tonnes to 936 thousand tonnes – making them the third-largest outlet, driven by India's rapid growth and sustained fuel shipments to Japan and South Korea. USTMA urges exporters to confirm that receiving markets are environmentally sound and economically viable.

Near-term investments include Tire Recycling Foundation-backed environmental product declarations, wider chip seal use, advances in dry-process rubber-modified asphalt and pavement funding. Kentucky devoted over USD 1.16 million in 2025 to nine county rubber-asphalt projects, and California opened USD 6.57 million in grants for fiscal 2025–26. Pyrolysis is now quantifiable as it reaches commercial scale, and the Tire Recycling Foundation is growing into a platform for education, research and demonstration. State-level stockpile figures accompany the report on the ELT Report page of the association’s website.

Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO, USTMA, said, “This report gives a picture of a market in transition. Stockpile cleanup continues, and 79 percent of end-of-life tyres reached end-use markets. At the same time, several domestic markets contracted, and the rise in exports shows strong demand for this material outside the US Together, those trends tell us our markets still depend on a handful of large industrial outlets, and that market development has to be the priority. The data points to where the work is needed, and much of that work is already underway.”

Amelia Chucholowski, Associate Director, Sustainability and Recycling Policy, USTMA, said, “International demand further demonstrates that this material has real value, but our priority is domestic circular end-use markets, because a tire processed here supports a US recycler, US jobs and US infrastructure. That includes ensuring that domestic processors have adequate feedstock. We’re watching it closely and working with our global partners both to understand what’s driving this trend and to report it transparently.

“The work that actually grows these markets is underway right now, and almost none of it shows up in a 2025 market report. Read this report as a snapshot of 2025. What we’re building now will be measured against in the future. State programmes have built one of the country’s great recycling success stories. 96 percent of the tyre stockpiles that existed in 1990 are gone, and the lesson is clear: when states fund their programmes, enforce the rules and invest in markets, results follow. The next chapter is about markets. The more states invest in uses like rubber-modified asphalt, the more tires become roads, products and energy here at home.”

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PRINX CHENGSHAN showcased a lineup of agricultural tyres under its Chengshan brand at the 2026 China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition (CIAME 2026) in Tianjin on 26 October. The display featured tyre solutions tailored to modern agricultural needs, with emphasis on large-scale field cultivation and fall harvesting applications.

Rising performance demands across smart, high-end and environmentally sustainable farming have prompted the company to steadily expand its research and development investment in agricultural tyre applications. PRINX CHENGSHAN has built a comprehensive portfolio for large agricultural machinery, including tractors and combine harvesters, delivering integrated solutions for varied operating conditions along with service support spanning the entire product life cycle.

The TX600 and TX700 radial tyres, intended mainly for tractors, each offer distinct advantages. The TX600 pairs large tread blocks with a proprietary cut- and puncture-resistant rubber compound, ensuring stable driving, dependable handling and puncture resistance during high-speed transfers between work areas. The TX700 employs a high-strength carcass and belt construction to deliver strong load capacity and traction, even in muddy, difficult fields.

For combine harvesters, the TX2000 raises load capacity by 20 percent through high-flexion characteristics, while its low inflation pressure and larger contact patch lessen soil compaction, reconciling efficient operations with farmland protection. The TB500 bias-ply tyre, a notable addition to the tractor range, features a deep tread and large, robust blocks for excellent traction, wear resistance and puncture resistance, sustaining stable, slip-resistant performance in mud and gravel.

Looking ahead, PRINX CHENGSHAN plans to continue advancing agricultural tyre innovation, targeting the evolving requirements of modern equipment and practical field challenges. The company aims to collaborate closely with partners throughout the agricultural machinery supply chain to enhance the quality and efficiency of modern farming and support a stronger agricultural sector and greater food security in China.

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