The new headquarters of the Group, which has a history of 165 years of steady growth, serves the business units HF TireTech Group and HF ToolTech Group.

The designing of the new office is tuned to the needs of the Group’s forward march. Direct access from the office facilities to the assembly hall and machine testing area brings all fields of work close together and ensures optimised communication. The established and well proven production unit in Belišće, Croatia remains. Continuous investments in logistics, painting, warehousing and machining under highest economic aspects guarantee state of the art manufacturing.

Back on track

The COVID 19 pandemic and the global lockdown that came with it saw HF being tested hard for its resilience and the capability to help its partners put their production process back on track through its engineering and other services.

“For HF, partnership means to support its valued customers with benefits that will help to keep their production back on track,” says HF TireTech Group Managing Director Dr. Joern Seevers.

HF´s benefits & services for the tyre production are many:

• Technical support for restarting the HF Curing Presses

• Inspection and readjustment of mechanical settings

• Inspection of safety-related components

• Performance check and functional analysis of hydraulic/pneumatic systems

• Software check-up and functionality test

• Close coordination and supply of spare parts

• Individual training for technicians and service people for a smooth and efficient production ramp-up; trainings can take place on customers site or in Hamburg at the Group’s testing press. Virtual support is also available

Dr. Seevers said: “Together with our customers we analyse production processes, optimise, adjust to changed situations, look behind the production and develop new strategies to achieve more flexibility, increase quality, reduce costs and raw material - get into action with a higher level in automation and smart retrofitting and be ready for sustainable tyre production.”

Tandem Mixer technology:

HF takes it to the next level

HF Mixing Group is supplying Tandem Mixers for more than 15 years and has kicked off a revolution in mixing since then. The concept appears to be simple, but all those years of experience have shown that the highest degree of machine engineering has to be combined with extensive process know how to make a Tandem Mixer successful. And a mixing line is only successful if the calculated output and productivity is achieved – combined with a reliability which enables stable production for years.

As matter of fact to develop the process to mix on a Tandem Mixer takes some time and efforts – not to forget the technological know-how of the mixing process itself. HF offers the possibility to accompany this development by offering extensive trials and engineering studies – to shorten the time from ordering a machine up to the point of running in full production.

The goal of a Tandem Mixer is to reduce the specific cost of mixing a compound – on many occasions, HF has proven that overall cost reductions of 15% can be achieved compared to standard lines with a single mixer. This, in between other, is achieved by reducing the mixing steps for a PCR compound from 2,5 to 1,5 steps.

But productivity is not the only driving factor to invest in a Tandem Line – the quality of the compound overall and specifically constant and repeatable mixing of modern compounds is to be ensured. To optimise dispersion, distribution, temperature control and process stability makes a significant difference in today’s production of more complex compound recipes. The intermeshing mixers produced by HF and used in a Tandem Line guarantee to meet these requirements more than any other mixers on the market.

Experiences have shown that no compromise on quality can be made – and HF is supporting this approach with delivering a control system for Tandem Lines which enables their customers to not only run the machine efficiently but also uses online condition monitoring to always reflect on a reliable compound quality which is repeatable.

HF emphasises on result driven production concepts for its customers – further innovations in terms of integrating industry 4.0 solutions to the mixing process are on its way and the focus is clear: Intelligent machines will integrate new digital solutions into the mixing process and will ensure to meet the expectations of the future.

Brownfield projects

The COVID pandemic put a stronger focus on replacing existing machines instead of adding new capacities to a production plant. Also, productivity as well as sustainability aspects are driving many tyre companies to have a closer look to the installed base.

But inspecting a mixing line which has run for more than 15 years (or sometimes even 25 years) brings to light what challenges may come up if this line will be replaced by a new one. Output values need to be increased, a new mixer technology should improve the quality of compounds, modern automation solutions should support the daily production procedures and increase process stability – many more requirements should be met. One of the largest challenges is limited space when looking at an upgrade of machinery.

Not only the pure space but also intralogistics within a mixing line can create headache – from upstream equipment feeding a mixer all the way to downstream machinery processing the batch further – many modern solutions can be used today but looking at the available space installing them is the challenge.

With a clear focus on such brownfield projects, HF has managed several conversions from old to new with unmatched success. A key in such projects is the planning and pre-engineering process. Starting with an inspection of not only the mixer but all surrounding factors in the building – considering also the material flow – and then continuing with a 3D- scan of the existing equipment including pipe and cabling routing the basis for planning can be laid. Supported by this 3D-scan HF engineers plan and design with 3D models the complete mixing mill room.

By keeping the existing machinery as the base layer and inserting new equipment in an over-lay collisions of steel constructions, limitations in space and optimised pipe and cable routing can be identified. Furthermore, an improved process flow chart is the basis of planning material flow, work processes and even manpower to operate the new mixing line. Finally, new controls and automation solutions – on the basis of industry 4.0 – will improve operating and monitoring the equipment.

One of the largest benefits using HF’s Pre-Engineering is shortening the planning and execution time – and last but not least the reduction of financial funds is possible by starting up the new line much quicker compared to the conversion of lines in earlier years.

Safety first

Supporting all major tyre manufacturers with mixing technology HF constantly strives for improving operational procedures in the mixing mill room. When it came apparent that the variety of compounds increased more and more – driven by many more types and technologies in tyres today – the changeover times from one recipe to the other was put in the focus of operational optimisation. Not only flexible automation solutions are required but also quick availability of the mechanical equipment after the last batch of the current recipe was dispatched. In between other HF identified the cleaning of the mixing chamber as a critical action during changeover in two aspects: First it needs to be safe for the maintenance personal to enter the mixing chamber and secondly time can be saved if the access to the chamber can be optimized.

In order to meet both requirements HF’s engineers designed a maintenance box, the so-called mBox©, which is mechanically integrated directly underneath the mixer – combining the mixer with the chute of a dump extruder for example.

In the moment the mixing line is switched to cleaning mode and all movements of parts are blocked a moveable platform – the floor of the maintenance box – is inserted horizontally underneath the mixer. A door of the box can be opened, and maintenance personnel can enter the box safe and secure, standing underneath the mixer with easy access to the mixing chamber.

Besides the safe working environment customers from HF have noticed saving time and having the opportunity of even inspecting the mixing chamber easier and more frequent during a changeover.

Especially in new installations of a mixing line the mBox© can be integrated in the design of the line easily and right from the start – benefitting the safety and operation of the line daily.

HF Screw Presses

The production of screw presses is one of HF`s core competences for decades. The screw press has gained recognition during its affiliation with KRUPP. Thus, the presses operate all over the world and more than 2.500 presses are installed in various industries for example the edible oil industry, biomass technology and rendering. And, most interesting for the tyre industry, the presses accomplish benchmarking results in the dewatering of natural and synthetic caoutchouc. As a more efficient and space saving solution instead of band dryer systems or similar the screw press has its strong eligibility in dewatering process.

HF Curemaster

HF brought the first hydraulic column type curing press to the tyre industry in 1997. Since then, it continued to develop this product to meet the demanding requirements of its customers.

The HF Curemaster was launched two years ago and since then the patented truck tyre curing press has been successfully installed in multiple locations and in efficient operation. The press provides a flexible and compact footprint, making it possible to replace older presses with potentially more presses per existing trench.

The HF Curemaster also focuses on optimising energy efficiency to ensure the lowest total cost of ownership in the curing plant. The HF Curemaster´s hood design incorporates insulation inside the hood to provides the best insulation effect. In addition, the HF Curemaster provides an extremely fast cycle time to minimise the overall amount of heat loss during the open and close sequence of the press.

HF PCR Design

Delivering for a new greenfield plant is relatively straightforward. However, HF understands the important need of the replacement market as well. It is important to be flexible to meet all the varying trench layouts (pit, shelf, pitless, and so on). Equally important is the need to be able to replace existing 42” – 45” old mechanical presses with 48” – 52” modern presses in order to meet the growing demand for larger tyre sizes.

All replacement projects are analysed carefully together with customers. Attention is paid closely to all details related to operation, maintenance access, mould & bladder change requirements as well as all local safety regulations. HF´s long experience with curing presses provides a large variety of modular options to be used for finding the optimised fit for each specific request.

HF Stack Passenger Car Inflator (PCI)

The requirement for post cured tyres continues to grow in the market and HF has designed a simple and compact solution that can be incorporated in all HF presses as well as behind most all existing older presses.

The patented HF Stack PCI design allows for the PCI to be integrated into even the tightest footprints. This solution eliminates any movement or rotations of the PCI body itself and greatly reduces the amount of moving mechanical components and maintenance.

HF Digitalisation

HF recognises the important trend of digitalisation for the tyre manufacturers and has developed reliable, customised software solutions for machine data communication between machine control and customer IT systems. The main steps were to focus on MES, SCADA and Recipe Management interfaces.

HF Smart Curing enables customers to get started quickly and effectively with a future-oriented digitisation solution. The main advantage in this case is that software for machine data acquisition is supplied directly by the supplier and not by IT service providers.

OPC server technology and efficient network solutions are tailored to the machine enable secure data acquisition. This software can provide feedback in regard to condition monitoring, diagnostic function, machine services, energy monitoring and remote service.

The benefit of connecting your equipment with digitalised solutions clearly accelerates a target-oriented development and improves the Total Cost of Ownership of the equipment.

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has welcomed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) announcement of a negotiated rulemaking aimed at modernising federal tyre testing standards. The association has long pushed for this update, arguing that current rules are outdated.

According to USTMA President and CEO Anne Forristall Luke, modern standards lead to safer roads, and the group praised Administrator Morrison for advancing the effort. Luke noted that testing designed for 1960s-era tyres reveals little about today's products and blocks Americans from accessing advanced technology available elsewhere. Aligning standards with modern tyre technology would give drivers access to the highest-performing tyres, and USTMA members are ready to contribute their engineering expertise to the process.

​“Modern standards make for safer roads. USTMA applauds Administrator Morrison for taking on work the tyre industry has urged for years: bringing federal tyre standards in line with the tyres Americans drive on today. Outdated tyre testing standards designed for the tyres of the 1960s tell us nothing about whether today’s tyres are safe. In fact, those outdated standards prevent American drivers from accessing the latest technology currently available in much of the rest of the world. Bringing our standards into line with modern tyre technology will ensure Americans have access to the highest performing tyres made today. USTMA’s members look forward to contributing their engineering expertise to the process,” ​said the USTMA President and CEO.

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Pirelli wrapped up the 2026 FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) season at Rally Fafe by securing its second consecutive Tyre Manufacturers' title, with two of its drivers finishing in the overall top three. Teemu Suninen had already clinched the drivers' crown in Wales with a round to spare, while Andrea Mabellini completed the standings in third aboard a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. Both frontrunners relied exclusively on Pirelli tyres throughout the campaign.

The Italian manufacturer's full range proved competitive across widely varying conditions, from the P Zero asphalt specifications to the new Scorpion AT gravel tyres, which made their European championship debut this season. These products were engineered to handle the high temperatures and abrasive roads of Rome, the slippery asphalt of Poland and the Czech Republic and the traction and braking demands of Scandinavia's fast gravel stages.

Suninen anchored his title-winning season with victory in Poland and second-place finishes in Rome, at the Barum Rally and at Rali Ceredigion. Additional points came from crews contesting selected rounds, including Mikko Heikkilä's win in Scandinavia, Roberto Daprà's triumph in Rome and Giandomenico Basso's podium at the Spanish season opener. Across the year, Pirelli-equipped crews won 45 of 101 special stages, a 45 percent share, comprising 32 of 68 asphalt stages (47 percent) and 13 of 33 gravel stages (39 percent).

The Scorpion AT represented 2026's principal technical innovation, introducing the championship's only asymmetric, non-directional tread pattern alongside upgraded compounds to boost traction and braking. Heikkilä's Rally Scandinavia victory on the tyre's debut, using both soft and supersoft compounds, immediately validated its competitiveness. On asphalt, P Zero development centred on optimising compounds for the season's varied temperatures, abrasiveness and grip levels.

Terenzio Testoni, Rally Activity Manager, said, “This season rewards the work of our drivers and the entire team, as well as a clear technical commitment: to keep developing the range even when our products are already competitive. With the Scorpion AT, we introduced a new tread pattern and improved compounds; with the P Zero, we focused on compound development. The results came on both surfaces and in very different conditions. Suninen converted his speed into a title through a remarkably solid and consistent season, while Mabellini and the crews contesting individual rounds made a vital contribution to our success in the manufacturers’ standings.”

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Radar Tires has secured a multi-year tie-up with the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), taking on the role of Official Partner. The signing took place in General Santos City, at the residence of MPBL founder and boxing great Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Pacquiao. Both organisations frame the deal around a shared belief that sport can redirect young lives and deliver lasting benefits to society.

Pacquiao launched the MPBL in 2018 to steer Filipino youth towards a positive path through basketball, one that cultivates character and opens doors. His own rise from modest roots informed a league built on the nation's basketball fervour, giving players from every province a stage to be seen and rewarded. Homegrown athletes now use the MPBL as a national showcase and a route to a livelihood, while the home-and-away schedule carries live games into provincial communities. Games air on free-to-air television, and Pacquiao describes the league as his way of repaying the society that raised him.

Radar Tires carries a similar outlook, with community give-back woven into its identity since inception. Across roughly 20 years, the brand has funded efforts including 15 years of backing for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, support for emerging golfers via the Singapore Golf Association, and backing for athletes in tennis, off-road racing and other disciplines globally. Radar holds that financial limits should never block exceptional talent, and the MPBL deal puts that principle into practice in a basketball-loving nation.

The Philippines ranks among Radar's most important Asia-Pacific markets, and the company says Filipino drivers and dealers have responded warmly over the past decade. The tie-up opens with the rest of the Season 8 Playoffs and Finals before rolling into Season 9. As exclusive tyre sponsor, Radar receives full category exclusivity plus exposure across broadcast, livestream, digital and on-court channels. With 28 teams slated for roughly 400 games in 2027, the brand expects to reach neighbourhoods nationwide. The agreement joins Radar's wider global sports commitments, including Cricket South Africa, the Singapore Golf Association, the Texas Rangers, Michael Clarke and independent tennis and golf athletes.

Pacquiao said, "In basketball, just like in life, we go further when we move forward together. Through our partnership with Radar Tires, we share a common mission – to support Filipino talent, strengthen our communities and give our athletes the opportunity to chase their dreams. Because when we invest in sports, we invest in the future of our Filipino youth.”

G S Sareen, President and CEO, Omni United, said, "Giving back to the community has always been in our DNA. It is who we are at Radar Tires, and it is a commitment we have carried across every country we operate in. The Philippines holds a special place in our hearts. For over 17 years, Filipino drivers and dealers have welcomed our brand, and this partnership is our way of coming closer to them and the communities they call home. In the MPBL, we saw far more than a basketball league. Across eight seasons, Manny Pacquiao and his team have built something truly remarkable: a grassroots league that uplifts young Filipinos and their communities through sport, guides young people towards a positive path and gives rising talent the chance to be seen. Their mission reflects the very beliefs that guide us, and that shared purpose is what makes this partnership so meaningful. We have full faith in Manny Pacquiao's vision and in the MPBL's commitment to the next generation, and we are proud to stand alongside this exceptional league as it continues to grow."

Joe Ramos, Chief Executive Officer, MPBL, said, "The MPBL was built to bring basketball closer to Filipinos across the country. Partnerships like this help us continue that mission while creating more opportunities for our teams, players and communities. We welcome Radar Tires to the MPBL family and look forward to growing together.”

Emmer Oreta, MPBL Commissioner, said, "Radar Tires coming on board reflects the growing commercial appeal of the MPBL. Partnerships of this scale strengthen the league and create greater value for our fans and partners as we move toward Season 9.”

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India’s tyre maker reports record quarterly revenue but warns of weaker demand growth and rising input costs

CEAT will raise tyre prices further in the coming quarter as surging raw material costs threaten to undermine profitability, even as strong demand helped the Indian manufacturer deliver record quarterly revenue.

The company expects raw material costs to rise by a further 3–3.5 percent in the three months to December, following increases of 8–9 percent in the previous quarter and about 15 percent in the first quarter of the financial year. The cumulative increase since the end of March is expected to reach about 27 percent by December, management said recently.

Arnab Banerjee, Managing Director And Chief Executive, said CEAT would continue to raise prices across product categories in the coming quarter to recover higher input costs. The company would also pursue further increases in international markets, where pricing adjustments have lagged those in India.

“We need price increase and we will go for price increase,” Banerjee told analysts on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.

Consolidated revenue rose 26.2 percent year on year to INR 47.62 billion in the three months to September, the highest quarterly figure in the company’s history. Volume growth contributed about 40 percent of the increase, with the remainder coming from higher prices and a shift towards more expensive products.

But consolidated earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell 4 percent from a year earlier to INR 4.52 billion, leaving an EBITDA margin of 9.5 percent, down from a year earlier despite improving sequentially. Net profit dropped to INR 1.12 billion from INR 1.86 billion.

CEAT’s standalone EBITDA margin improved to 10.1 percent from the previous quarter, but remained well below the level recorded a year earlier as higher raw material costs worked through the business.

Price rises face a test

CEAT has increased prices by about 12–13 percent in the replacement market since the start of the financial year, and by 14–15 percent for original equipment manufacturers, which supply tyres directly to vehicle makers. Further increases are planned throughout the third quarter, with export prices to be adjusted selectively according to local competition.

Banerjee said the company’s standalone gross margin was about 33.5–33.6 percent in the first half, against a preferred range of 41–42 percent. A further increase in raw material costs in the coming quarter would add to the pressure.

The timing of price rises matters. Chief Financial Officer Kumar Subbiah said there was typically a lag of about three months before increases were fully reflected in the company’s results, particularly in the original equipment segment.

Management expects margins to remain closer to current levels in the third quarter, provided planned price increases are implemented. It declined to offer a firm forecast before those adjustments had taken effect.

CEAT’s pricing strategy is complicated by the difference between domestic and international markets. Export demand has recovered, particularly in Africa and Latin America, but the company has been slower to pass on higher costs overseas because it competes with both premium European manufacturers and lower-priced Chinese brands.

CEAT positions its products at prices about 15–25 per cent below leading European brands. Banerjee said the company would pursue smaller, more frequent price increases in individual countries rather than attempt simultaneous increases across all markets. He added that the international business remained more profitable at both gross margin and EBITDA levels than the domestic business.

The pressure on margins has been compounded by rising freight costs and disruption to shipping schedules.

Crude oil, which averaged about USD 84–85 a barrel at the beginning of the second quarter, subsequently rose to around USD 100 and was hovering near USD 105 at the time of the call. Natural rubber prices on the Singapore Commodity Exchange climbed from about USD 2,200 a tonne to USD 2,600, while domestic prices reached approximately INR 285 a kilogram, a more than 20-year high, according to Subbiah.

CEAT imports roughly two-thirds of its natural rubber and buys the remainder locally. The narrowing gap between international and domestic prices has reduced the advantage of sourcing from overseas, while longer transit times have increased the need to hold imported inventory.

Two-wheelers provide a demand buffer

Demand has so far proved resilient to higher prices, with replacement sales benefiting from the continued strength of India’s two-wheeler market and rural consumption.

CEAT expects replacement demand for two-wheeler tyres to grow at a double-digit rate in the second half of the financial year. Commercial vehicle replacement demand is forecast to rise at a mid-single-digit pace, while passenger car tyres are expected to grow at a low-single-digit rate. Farm-related demand is likely to remain subdued.

The outlook is less buoyant than the recent growth figures suggest. Management warned that demand could moderate in the third quarter because of a higher base of comparison, the potential effects of El Niño and a recent increase in the Reserve Bank of India’s repo rate.

Original equipment demand remains strong across vehicle categories, although year-on-year growth may ease as the comparison becomes more demanding.

CEAT said replacement demand had not suffered a material slowdown despite the price rises. A slight moderation in volumes during the quarter was partly attributable to production bottlenecks in some categories in July and August, alongside normal seasonal weakness after the summer months.

The company also said dealer inventories were not unusually high, arguing that any significant stock build-up would have become apparent by now.

CAMSO integration offers longer-term growth

Beyond the immediate pressure on costs, CEAT is counting on the integration of CAMSO, its off-highway tyre business, to expand its international reach and improve earnings over the next two years.

About 85 percent of CAMSO’s customers had transferred to CEAT by the end of September, with the remainder expected to move across by the end of November. The business is generating customer billings of about $10mn a month, management said, with revenue recognised by CEAT expected to increase as the transfer is completed.

The next stage is the installation of upstream equipment at CAMSO’s Sri Lankan plant, giving CEAT control over more of the production process, from raw material procurement to customer servicing. The work remains broadly on schedule, although completion could slip from the end of the current financial year into the first quarter of the next.

CEAT expects CAMSO’s volumes in the second half to increase by 20–25 per cent compared with the first half. The business should approach break-even or turn EBITDA-positive during the second half of the current financial year, with margins improving further in 2027-28. Management expects the acquisition to become earnings-per-share accretive at group level by 2028-29.

The company has established local entities in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany and Poland to serve customers directly rather than exporting from Sri Lanka. Utilisation at the Sri Lankan plant remains below 50 per cent, leaving room to increase production as the business expands.

The integration will require further investment. CEAT expects to spend an additional INR1 billion–INR 1.5 billion on CAMSO’s upstream equipment during the current financial year, on top of about INR 14 billion planned for standalone capital expenditure. A further USD 44 million acquisition-related payment is due around the end of August 2028.

Expansion

 CEAT is investing in domestic manufacturing capacity at the same time as it absorbs CAMSO and manages higher working capital requirements.

The company spent INR 4.93 billion on standalone capital expenditure in the second quarter. This included more than INR 1.2 billion at its Nagpur plant to increase two-wheeler tyre capacity from 80,000 to 100,000 tyres a day, and about INR 2.8 billion at Chennai to expand truck and bus radial and passenger car tyre production.

Management said utilisation remained high in two-wheeler and truck and bus tyre categories, making the expansion necessary to meet expected demand.

International business accounted for about 20 per cent of standalone revenue and 24 per cent of consolidated revenue in the second quarter. CEAT wants to increase the international contribution to 33 per cent of total business within five years.

The company is also seeking to move upmarket. Sales of premium passenger car tyres, defined as those with rim sizes of 17 inches and above, grew at a mid-30s rate year to date. Its premium two-wheeler portfolio grew at a high mid-teens rate.

CEAT said it held a 25 percent share of the original equipment market for electric passenger cars and utility vehicles, and more than 30 percent in electric two-wheelers. It is also expanding the use of artificial intelligence in sales, manufacturing, finance and supply-chain management.

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