Hankook Tires has clinched a Guinness World Records title for the third time in a row with Challenge4 record-breaking driver Rainer Zietlow conquering the South American Andes. The all-electric vehicle reached a height of 5.816 metres up the Uturuncu volcano, which has two peaks reaching 6,008 and 5,930 metres, the company said in a release. 

After the VW ID.3 Germany Tour (2020) and the VW ID.4 US Tour (2021), the professional long-distance driver set a new altitude record with the VW ID.4 GTX with Hankook's all-terrain tyres for 4x4 vehicles, the Dynapro AT2. Having conquered the summit, the driver attended the German Embassy in La Paz on May 23, where he was presented with the Record Holder Certificate by a Guinness World Records representative. 

Sooil Lee, President and CEO of Hankook Tire & Technology, said, “We would like to congratulate record-breaking driver Rainer Zietlow and his team on the successful record using Hankook tyres. This shows how our Dynapro AT2 tyres have high levels of resilience and reliability over particularly demanding terrain, proving that it is possible to push to the absolute limits. It is our continuous research and development that make this possible.”  

Zietlow and his team of three drove to Bolivia in a Volkswagen ID.4 GTX to set their sights on conquering the highest, still passable mine road in the world at the Uturuncu volcano. After the long months of the pandemic, it has now been reopened for tourists by the Quetena community at the foot of the volcano. After two weeks of preparation, the team set off on the record run on 18 May and they surpassed the previous record by around 40 metres - a new altitude world record for electric vehicles. Rainer Zietlow has also been supporting the SOS Children's Village in La Paz with his world record journey. 

Zietlow said, “Our goal was to show that electromobility is capable of achieving top performances, even at extreme altitudes. The Hankook tyres on the vehicle played a really big part in all of this.” 

With the off-road specialist tyre Dynapro AT2, Hankook is positioning itself further into the all-terrain sector; the 4x4 tyre offers a specialist solution for all situations that is ready for all year round use, it said. The 3PMSF identification on the sidewall demonstrates that the newest member of the Dynapro family is also suitable for use in winter conditions. The development focus for this tyre was on achieving a special balance between the necessary traction and resistance off-road – which is a big advantage for driving over stony mountain roads in the Andes – and good driving characteristics on the road as well. (TT)

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Tegeta Green Planet and Shine Energy, both affiliated with Tegeta Holding, have launched a joint educational initiative to raise environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility among young people. The project addresses modern challenges such as environmental protection and sustainable development.

Company representatives are visiting schools across Tbilisi to hold informational meetings, presentations and workshops. The programme begins with presentations, followed by interactive games and activities designed to help students retain the information. At the end of each session, participants receive symbolic gifts and prizes as motivation.

Tegeta Green Planet focuses on teaching students the principles of specific waste management, including how to properly handle used tyres, batteries and oils. The sessions explain why proper waste management is essential for environmental protection and how it connects to the circular economy. Meanwhile, Shine Energy educates young people on the importance of energy, its everyday use and why developing renewable and sustainable energy resources is crucial.

The initiative is not limited to schools. In the near future, both organisations will expand their efforts to universities, aiming to broaden awareness about environmental protection, waste management and energy efficiency. The ultimate goal is to foster environmentally responsible attitudes among the younger generation, helping build a more sustainable and conscious society.

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Zeon has been recognised as a Supplier Engagement Leader in the 2025 Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA) conducted by CDP, a United Kingdom-based international environmental nonprofit organisation. This achievement represents the first time the company has received the highest possible rating in this assessment.

The evaluation measures how corporations address climate change within their supply chains, focusing on responses to the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire across five critical areas. These include governance, emissions targets, Scope 3 emissions management, risk management and overall supplier engagement strategies.

Zeon earned the top rating for its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through supplier collaboration, a group-wide initiative, alongside continuous dialogue maintained via procurement activities. Guided by its philosophy of contributing to planetary preservation and human prosperity, Zeon remains committed to sustainable management. The company reaffirmed that it will continue working with suppliers and other stakeholders to tackle climate change and meet societal expectations.

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German chemical group WACKER has announced a price increase of up to 15 percent for its resins, dispersions and dispersible polymer powders produced at its European and US facilities. The adjustment takes effect on 1 June 2026, or as existing customer contracts permit. The move is designed to allow the company’s Polymers division to maintain high product quality, deliver technological innovations and provide superior customer service and technical support. It will also support investments aimed at securing future growth in key markets.

Rising costs for raw materials and logistics have forced the pricing measure, with the Polymers division being particularly affected. The recent conflict in the Middle East has caused significant disruptions across global commodity markets. As a direct result, prices for energy, raw materials and transportation have climbed sharply.

Despite the increase, WACKER remains focused on sustaining its commitment to customer support and long-term capability. The company underscored that the adjustment is necessary to continue meeting market demands while ensuring operational stability and future-oriented development across its focus markets.

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Pirelli North America has launched its first closed-loop circular recycling initiative, marking a significant step in the company’s broader strategy to increase recycled and bio‑based content in its tyre production. The project has received the Tire Recycling Foundation’s Value Chain Collaboration Award.

The programme recovers scrap tyres generated during Pirelli’s own North American manufacturing process. These materials are sent to Bolder Industries, which applies ISCC PLUS‑certified pyrolysis technology to produce BolderBlack recovered carbon black. Pirelli then reintroduces this material into new tyre production at its North American facilities, partially replacing virgin carbon black. The effort is part of a wider Pirelli plan to expand such industrial ecosystems across the group’s production network, aiming to valorise waste by reintegrating recovered materials into tyre manufacturing.

Beyond the award, the initiative reflects Pirelli’s broader circularity approach, which includes ongoing work to boost recycled and bio‑based material usage. The company targets over 80 percent bio‑based and recycled content in its best‑performing products and forty percent in total production by 2030.

Claudio Zanardo, CEO, Pirelli North America, said, "The Rome plant is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturing facilities in Pirelli. This initiative reflects an approach focused on increasing the use of recovered materials within existing production processes. It is part of a broader effort to gradually integrate raw materials derived from recycled resources into our products while maintaining consistency in performance and quality."

Tony Wibbeler, CEO, Bolder Industries, said, "Our collaboration demonstrates that a traceable, mass-balance approach to tyre-to-tyre circularity is not only achievable, but it's ready to scale inside a premium manufacturing environment, meeting real performance and certification requirements at every step. This is the kind of progress the industry has been working toward for many years."

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