Hankook Tire has received the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS mark. It is in recognition of the company’s sustainability initiatives and a first such certification to be received by a tyre manufacturer.

The ISCC PLUS mark is an international sustainability certification programme for bio-based and circular (recycled) raw materials under the European Renewable Energy Directives (EU RED). It is given after the evaluation of an organisation’s efforts towards sustainability from the use of raw materials and manufacturing process right up to the finished goods.

Hankook received recognition from an institute that is considered to be the most reliable in the field of environment-friendly certification. The tyre major received the ISCC PLUS mark for the successful efforts of its Geumsan plant to replace petroleum-based oil with natural oil and for adopting the use of renewable bio-based polymers from petrochemical-based synthetic rubber.

The sustainable raw materials chosen by the tyre major were used to make environmentally friendly Kinergy 4S 2 all-weather tyres for passenger cars and Kinergy 4S 2X for SUVs.

Sooil Lee, President and CEO, Hankook Tire & Technology, said, “We are honoured to receive this high recognition from ISCC for our ongoing commitment to be the gold standard in sustainability. This certification demonstrates our meticulous focus to continue improving every facet of our business for the benefit of our planet, our communities, and our lives.” (TT)

Pirelli is all set to become the official tyre supplier to MotoGP from 2027. A new five-year agreement is in the works and will see the Italian tyre company become the single tyre supplier for the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 categories.

With the new MotoGP bikes and technical regulations scheduled to take effect in 2027, the approach of using a single supplier will offer the ideal progression ladder for the future champions to refine their skills while advancing to the top. Pirelli currently supplies tyres for Moto2 and Moto3 categories. With the new development, Pirelli will expand its presence to MotoGP and into MotoE, the electric world championship.

Michelin will remain the exclusive supplier for MotoGP and MotoE until the end of the current technical regulations at the close of the 2026 season, continuing to provide technical support, its products and world class technology over the next two seasons.

Nexen Tire’s NBlue 4S Van tyre has won the Best Light Commercial Tire award at the 22nd edition of the Tire of the Year Awards.

Neumáticos & Mecánica Rápida organised the esteemed awards ceremony, which took place on 30 January at the Novotel Madrid Center hotel. It honoured the top tyres of 2024 in the passenger vehicle, SUV, truck and agricultural tyre divisions. Key figures from the business, including executives from well-known tyre manufacturers such as Pirelli, Continental, Yokohama, Michelin and Bridgestone, attended the event. Raúl Jiménez, Nexen Tire’s Business Development Director for Iberia, accepted the award on behalf of the company from Eusebio Albert, Director of the Transport area at Versys Ediciones.

The NBlue 4S Van, a tyre made to satisfy the exacting requirements of commercial fleets and drivers, is recognised for its superior performance, safety and fuel efficiency with the Best Light Commercial Tire award. This accolade comes as Nexen Tire solidifies its position as a top producer of premium tyres by expanding its footprint in Europe and throughout the world.

Jiménez said, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award, which is a testament to our ongoing dedication to providing award-winning products for our customers. The NBlue 4S Van is designed to offer superior performance and durability, and this recognition reinforces our commitment to delivering the best solutions to the commercial sector.”

Pirelli is mulling expansion of its tyre production capacity in the US to offset the impact of US tariffs that came into effect from 4 March, company executives said on a 2024 financial results call.

The company has a contingency plan in place to deal with the US imposing 25 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. CFO Andrea Casaluci clarified that although Pirelli's US business accounted for over 20 percent of company sales, the amount of tyre manufacture there is restricted. The company's Georgia plant can produce about 400,000 tyres annually. Pirelli imports about half of its US supply from Mexico and around 40 percent from Brazil and Europe in order to fulfil market demand in the US.

Pirelli has a backup plan to boost imports from Brazil and expand US production capacity in order to lessen the effects of tariffs. According to the CFO, the Italian tyre manufacturer has already begun modernising the automated MIRS production processes in Georgia. This will serve as the foundation for the initial phase of capacity development in the US.

Additionally, the inflationary scenario will be used to examine the group's commercial approach. The CFO stated that since 30 percent of the US tyre market is imported, some inflationary pressure is to be expected in the wake of tariffs. The contingency plan also includes cost-cutting measures, in addition to the EUR 150 million in savings in 2025 that are anticipated under its industrial plan.

Nokian Tyres has launched the Seasonproof 2 all-season tyre for the Central European market to provide top-class safety on snow and slush as well as exceptional performance in summer for its customers.

The all-season Seasonproof 2 was created to satisfy the demands of drivers in Central and South Europe. By the fall of 2025, the product line will be accessible to customers in sizes for contemporary passenger cars, SUVs and CUVs. All-season tyres are made to function safely in Central European circumstances throughout the four seasons. The Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2 is legally certified for winter use since it bears the Snowflake emblem (3PMSF). 

The tyre range includes up to 38 percent recycled, renewable and ISCC PLUS certified materials, with two percent coming from bio-based, bio-circular and/or circular feedstock that has been certified using the ISCC PLUS mass balanced technique. The introduction is a significant step toward the company's non-financial goal of increasing the proportion of recycled and renewable raw materials in its products to 50 percent by 2030. Additionally, it is the first tyre range available on the market to be manufactured in Nokia's new Romanian facility, the first fully operational tyre factory with zero CO2 emissions.

Tommi Alhola, Senior Vice President of Passenger Car Tyres, Central Europe for Nokian Tyres, said, “Central Europe is an important strategic growth area for Nokian Tyres. Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2 is produced in our zero CO2 emission tyre factory in Oradea, Romania, close to the Central European consumers and customers. Furthermore, launching a tyre range using up to 38 percent renewable, recycled and ISCC PLUS certified materials takes us significantly closer to our goal of using 50 percent renewable and recycled materials in our tyres by 2030.”

Teemu Soini, Vice President of Innovations and Development at Nokian Tyres, said, “By incorporating renewable materials, we have been able to boost the tyre’s performance while also lowering the rolling resistance. We are committed to finding renewable or recycled options for traditional fossil-based materials, and together with various partners keep researching for new innovative options.”