The Indian government has imposed some restrictions on the import of new pneumatic tyres used in cars, buses, trucks and two-wheelers – a step that could boost the morale of domestic tyre manufacturers. Free, unrestricted import, which was the norm till now, has been stopped through a new amendment, media reports said. Instead, importers need approval from the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the reports said. Tyre has now been put under “restricted” category of imports.

This will please the Indian tyre companies, who have been crying foul against the glut of imported tyres, especially low quality, cheap tyres in the market. Also, this will provide the much-needed confidence to the market now facing the pandemic impact crisis.

The Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) has been demanding government action to support the tyre industry by putting the brakes on this free import of tyres. The COVID crisis only added to the crisis.

ATMA Chairman KM Mammen, who is also the Chairman and MD of MRF Tyres, told Tyre Trends in a recent interview that free import is a threat to the domestic industry. “Total tyre imports from China have increased at an alarming rate of 20% YoY during Apr-Jan, FY20. What is of bigger concern is that in recent years, tyre imports have increased significantly from Thailand, mainly since Anti-Dumping Duty and CVD was imposed on Radial CV tyre imports from China,” he said.

l’Aventure Michelin is reopening its doors to visitors after a month’s closure with a revamped visitor trail. The overhauled visitor trail will offer visitors a glimpse of Michelin’s history: right from bicycle tyres to the Michelin Man and the MICHELIN Guide, which is celebrating its 125 anniversary this year.

In order to facilitate visitors' movements and enhance the immersive experience of exploration, l'Aventure Michelin has redesigned its trail for its reopening. Access for those with disabilities was carefully considered. Since its inception, l'Aventure Michelin has maintained the French Tourism & Disability quality rating. It continuously improves its visitor trail to make the trip accessible to everyone, which is evident from the magnetic loops, easily comprehensible brochures and videos in French Sign Language.

This more inclusive visitor trail is complemented by a recently added section that emphasises sustainable mobility and development. Michelin will showcase its MILAW lunar wheel concept designed for vehicles travelling through harsh settings, such as the lunar south pole area. It is specifically designed to withstand harsh circumstances with its flexible construction and lack of air, which maximises traction on uneven ground. The second invention is the WISAMO inflatable wingsail, which uses wind power to cut down on ship fuel usage and contribute to the decarbonisation of marine transportation. It uses a renewable energy source and is compatible with both cargo ships and sailboats.

A member survey of the German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) has come to a conclusion that the situation in Germany as a production location remains worrying. The member survey highlighted that industry sales fell by almost two percent last year. Sales and domestic production were even weaker, with a decrease of three percent compared to the previous year.

Michael Klein, President, wdk, termed this as an ‘overly clear warning signal’ in Frankfurt am Main today with regard to the earnings situation. "While earnings in 2023 were 'only' strained or even threatened the existence of around a quarter of the companies in the industry, this proportion has now increased to more than 40 percent. That is why improving the location conditions must be at the top of the agenda of the next federal government," he said, explaining that more than one in five companies in the industry are already planning to relocate production out of Germany by 2025.

Demand, legislation, energy, sustainability, and specifically, location conditions are the biggest challenges facing the companies in the rubber industry, according to the member survey. Pointing out that 90 percent of companies are feeling an increase in bureaucratic burdens, Klein further added, "This is a clear mandate for politicians. The new federal government must immediately address the issue of reducing bureaucracy - in Germany and in Europe. 13,000 new laws since 2019 are not an achievement, but a burden.”

The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers' Association (ETRMA) has sent its recommendations to the public consultation held by the European Commission about the urgent measures that must be taken to ensure the automotive industry's survival in Europe and to pinpoint possible remedies.

The proposals made by ETRMA are intended to reduce bureaucratic burdens, create a legislative climate that will increase competitiveness and advance a broader EU Automotive Action Plan that views the whole automotive supply chain as strategically important.

The main points of ETRMA's recommendations include promoting best-performing tyres and tackling the high energy costs for the industry, establishing sector-specific regulation for safe access to in-vehicle data, developing an EU Rubber Strategy to secure supply chain of raw materials such as natural rubber and including it in list of critical raw materials, equipping the current and future workforce with the skills required to meet increasing demands of the industry, achieving fair and open access to global markets for European tyres with a focus on emerging high-growth regions like India and Indonesia and simplifying the tyre regulatory environment to reduce implementation costs and legal uncertainties to promote investing in R&D and producing in Europe.

As the FIA Formula 1 World Championship hosted an exceptional event at London’s O2 Arena to celebrate and mark its 75th anniversary, Pirelli, who is the global tyre partner of Formula 1, marked the beginning of its own celebration. The year 2025 is special for Pirelli too as it is set to hit the 500 Grands Prix mark during the coming season. On the occasion, the company revealed a version of the Pirelli logo that will be used for all its Formula 1 communication throughout the 2025 season.

Pirelli will reach the 500-mark at the Dutch Grand Prix on 31 August at Zandvoort, having participated in 485 championship events thus far. A week later, Pirelli will host a number of special festivities at its home event in Monza to commemorate this milestone. The company has planned a series of celebration activities, the first of which was the unveiling of the logo.

An analysis of the 50 most important Grands Prix during Pirelli's tenure on the F1 World Championship trail will be the first initiative, and it will be featured on Pirelli.com. The British Grand Prix, which took place at Silverstone on 13 May 1950, was the inaugural round of motor racing's blue riband category. That day, there were 21 cars on the grid, eight of which were equipped with Pirelli tires. All three of the top finishers were Alfa Romeos, with Giuseppe Fagioli and Nino Farina of Italy leading the field ahead of Reg Parnell of England. It was the first chapter in Pirelli's lengthy and continuous history in Formula 1, where the Italian business would provide the tyres this year with the longest record in the sport.