What kind of products does Uzer Makina offer to global tyre industry?

Uzer Makina has been serving top tyre makers all around the world with its tyre curing presses and molds since 1978. Our press product category consists of mechanical and hydraulic presses for all kinds of tyres; while mold category includes tread segments, sidewall plates, container mechanisms, AG molds and bladder molds.

Tell us about the evolution of the company as a global leader

The company was founded by Selahattin Uzuner and his nephew Bahattin Ertuğ. At first, the company was working for petrochemical industry in Turkey and later on started to make mold maintenance activities for various tyre companies in Kocaeli. First mold was manufactured 1984. Nearly 10 years later, Uzer Makina started to manufacture tyre curing presses again for plants in İzmit. In 2000, the plant was moved to Kartepe, Kocaeli, where it  is currently located. In 2004, first hydraulic tyre curing press is manufactured and in 2007 Uzer Makina designed, manufactured and internationally patented its popular product Floating Column Hydraulic Press. Until late 2000s, the company mostly served domestic market. After 2010, we started to supply a good amount of its products abroad as well. With an aggressive growth strategy, Uzer Makina invested in buildings, brand-new equipment, human resources and expanded production in last five years to become a global player in tyre curing equipment market. We now serve top tyre makers and their plants in more than 40 countries.

What is the latest step in your expansion process?

After doubling capacity in 2018 by separating press and mold factory, Uzer Makina has completed another expansion by June 2020. This new facility is entirely dedicated for pre-production activities, including storing steel raw materials, cutting, bending, construction, welding, sandblasting and heat treatment serving both for tyre curing press and mold categories which used to be a part of press manufacturing facility before. Uzer Makina also moved its HQ office from mold factory to press factory.

Investment decision was made at the end of 2019 by the top management before Covid-19 pandemic with the goal of decreasing the costs by decreasing the amount of manufacturing activities which are outsourced. Following this decision, Uzer Makina has acquired 9500 m² land just next to existing press manufacturing facility and finished 6500 m² building in less than 7 months.

Uzer Makina also has added brand-new pre-production equipment like heat treatment furnace, sandblasting machine and bending machine. With these new machinery investment, Uzer Makina is planning to decrease the cost per product and production time while increasing the total quality of the processes by taking these operations in house rather than outsourcing them.

This expansion enables Uzer Makina to better use the existing press manufacturing facility. Since pre-production occupied a good amount of space before leaving the building, remaining place is now used for press manufacturing and assembly. Therefore, Uzer Makina is able to manufacture more presses at the same time compared to previous set-up. Uzer Makina has also made machinery investments for existing press area as well including automated spray-painting booth for painting press bodies/parts and vertical turning machine with 3 meters turning diameter which would mainly be used for parts of bigger (over 85”) mechanical presses.            

What are the features of the new SUV & TBR Floating Column Hydraulic Press?

A new era for SUV & TBR tyre curing has begun as Uzer Makina announced the development of SUV & TBR version of its most popular and internationally patented Floating Column Type Hydraulic Press in the last Tyre Technology Expo. Uzer Makina dispatched the first 65” Floating Column Hydraulic Type Curing Press at the end of 2020. This new version outweighs the existing solution Frame Type which used to be the industry standard almost in every aspect. It offers a simpler design, the construction weights much less, has fewer components, maintenance requirements are lower and finally the energy requirement is lesser compared to Frame Type. Besides, most importantly, pricewise there is no significant difference between these two types.

On the other hand, tyre manufacturers will be able to benefit all the advantages of the internationally patented Floating Column Technology for curing of larger tyres. Floating Column Technology provides fully automatic mold height adjustment and therefore eliminates the need for conventional mold height adjustment systems. The technology features two squeezing cylinders under the columns on both sides of each cavity. The piston rods of these cylinders are directly connected to the columns. Besides applying squeezing force, these cylinders also change the position of the locking point, which is located on the columns for adjustment of mold height. Therefore, the press does not need multiple locking points and can work perfectly well with just one. Columns rise at the end of each cycle and release the locking plates from grooves, meaning the locking mechanism can work without jamming.

In addition to these, Uzer Makina is able to construct this new size Floating Column Type Hydraulic Press as V-Shape as well in order to save space. The V-Shape design enables tyre manufacturers to use the curing press area at least 12% more efficiently, in other words, tyre producers would be able to place 112 curing presses in an area that was previously large enough for 100 machines. This concept was developed by Uzer Makina engineers in response to the recent market demand for upgrading existing machines in tyre production plants.

On the other hand, Uzer Makina have been recently putting so much effort to increase energy efficiency on the presses and therefore help tyre manufacturers to comply with the latest European regulations. With this object in mind, Uzer Makina has developed “Energy Saver Steam Hoses” as a subsidiary product that would work both with Uzer Makina presses and others. With these hoses, one can save up to 5% energy per press which is equal huge amount of energy considering the fact that tyre curing is the most energy consumer process of tyre production. These hoses also prevent curing area from overheating. In case there is an effort to cool down the area, there is no need for it or at least it requires much less effort to keep the curing area at normal temperature.

Uzer Makina is not solely a tyre curing press and mold producer – the company also strives to improve the efficiency of the entire curing process. Uzer Makina places great emphasis on digitization and designs its presses to be fully compatible with Industry 4.0 requirements such as EMS, AGV, SCADA, MES and ERP systems. In addition, the company conducts its own research and also works with leading industry companies to offer solutions such as mold pre-heating presses, mold changing pickup cranes and RFID mold management systems – to help tyre manufacturers achieve the most efficient curing processes.

How did the company take on the pandemic?

Even though pandemic conditions were very challenging for tyre industry especially in terms of demand last year, 2021 is very promising also for Uzer Makina. There are many reasons for this: firstly, because of US tariffs against Asian tyre makers, Turkey & Eastern Europe has become a very attractive country for capacity increase for tyre production. Almost all tyre makers in Turkey runs at full capacity and some of them already is expanding. Secondly, there has been a global change in transportation as many people now prefers to move more individually than ever, this probably will eventually affect the number of tyres produced globally. Uzer Makina started to feel this rebound in the demand as many existing customers has decided to restart their previously on hold orders and requesting inquiries for new equipment, and it is also a known fact that quite a few tyre makers are making new greenfield & expansion projects. As Uzer Makina continues to improve its reputation in the market year by year, this rebound will have much more positive effect on the company.

In the pandemic period, like all other companies, Uzer Makina also had to transform the way to operate business into more digital. Now in Uzer Makina, all internal meetings are video meetings. Since travelling abroad is still an issue, nearly all the meetings with customers and suppliers are done via video calls too. Uzer Makina enriched the content of the installation and commissioning materials and provided remote support in order to help the customers which cannot accept people to their plants because of travelling bans. (TT)

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Continental has introduced a special-edition tyre set for the 2026 Tour de France, merging its two most advanced road offerings into a single commemorative package. The release pairs the aerodynamically focused Aero 111 with the endurance-tested Grand Prix 5000 S TR, both dressed in translucent sidewalls and exclusive race insignia that distinguish them from standard production models.

Available only as a bundled pair, the front tyre measures 29 mm while the rear comes in at 30 mm, a configuration aimed at optimising both steering precision and rolling efficiency. This marks the debut of the Aero 111 in a transparent finish, giving riders a visually distinctive option without compromising the tread technology that reduces drag and harnesses crosswind energy for forward momentum.

The front tyre's specialised pattern has already proven effective in competitive settings, including early-season classics, by working in tandem with modern wheel profiles to maintain speed under variable wind conditions. Paired with the Grand Prix 5000 S TR, known for its balance of low resistance and dependable traction, the combination addresses the full spectrum of race-day demands. Both tyres share Continental's BlackChili rubber compound and Vectran reinforcement, supporting tubeless setups as well as hookless rims.

Several professional squads across the men's and women's pelotons, including UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Movistar, Bahrain-Victorious, Decathlon CMA CGM, Groupama-FDJ United and Uno-X Mobility, are slated to use the limited-edition tyres during this year's Tour de France and its female counterpart. Weighing 265 grammes for the front and 305 grammes for the rear, the package delivers a race-ready system that merges aesthetic distinction with field-proven performance characteristics.

Hannah Ferle, Road Product Manager, Continental Tires, said, "With this year's Tour de France Limited Edition, we wanted to bring together two products that represent the very best of Continental road performance. The Aero 111 continues to demonstrate how much untapped performance exists within the tyre itself, while the Grand Prix 5000 S TR remains the benchmark for speed, grip and reliability. Together, they create a unique package worthy of cycling's biggest race."

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Bridgestone Golf has unveiled the latest iteration of its premier ball franchise, the e6 SOFT TREADLINE, which now features the innovative 360 Align Tech. As the longest-running and best-selling series in the company’s history, this new model draws inspiration from the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Ascent tyre, applying tread-like technology to the golf ball’s design. The launch reinforces the brand’s commitment to blending automotive engineering insights with golf performance.

The new e6 SOFT TREADLINE maintains the core engineering that has defined its predecessors, including a large, soft and fast core with gradational compression to maximise ball speed and distance. Its seamless Surlyn cover ensures durability and responsive feedback, while advanced aerodynamic patterns promote stability during flight. This combination produces a high launch with low spin off the tee, alongside reliable short-game feel and control around the greens.

Central to the new design is the 360 Align Tech, a full-coverage alignment aid that wraps entirely around the ball. This feature assists golfers in putting precision, visualising roll, squaring the putter face and aiming with greater confidence while also supporting a repeatable pre-shot routine. The tread pattern provides a visible reference from any angle, helping players achieve cleaner setup visuals and improved target awareness.

Available now as a limited-edition two-piece model, the Bridgestone e6 SOFT TREADLINE is priced at USD 23.99 per dozen. Golfers seeking guidance on the ideal ball for their game can utilise the online Golf Ball Selection Guide available on the company’s official website.

Adam Rehberg, Senior Marketing Manager of golf balls at Bridgestone Golf, said, “Our research showed golfers are increasingly looking for more advanced visual alignment technology both on the tee and on the greens, and the 360-degree TREADLINE pattern is designed to deliver a highly effective solution in both environments. By integrating design inspiration from the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Ascent tyre, we were able to create a performance-driven alignment system with a unique connection to the broader Bridgestone brand.”

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Tegeta Green Planet has launched a significant educational initiative across the Borjomi region of Georgia, designed to cultivate environmental stewardship among the youth. The programme, which commenced in 2022, holds a pioneering status as one of the first organisations in the country authorised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the Extended Producer Responsibility framework. This authorisation underscores the company's commitment to managing the full lifecycle of specific waste streams, including used tyres, oils and batteries, in alignment with circular economy principles.

The initiative recently brought company representatives to Public Schools No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 in Borjomi, as well as the Kvibisi Public School. The programme’s location is strategically significant, given that Borjomi is celebrated for its unique natural environment, mineral waters and vital forest ecosystems. The region’s sustainable development is inherently linked to the preservation of its natural heritage, making the education of local youth a critical component for its future.

During the school visits, students were introduced to the technicalities of waste stream management, learning the proper handling procedures for tyres, batteries and oils. The curriculum emphasised the environmental necessity of correct disposal and explained the broader connection to a circular economy, demonstrating how discarded materials can be transformed into valuable resources. The sessions highlighted how individual responsibility directly contributes to broader environmental protection and sustainable societal growth.

The educational format employed by Tegeta Green Planet was highly interactive, moving beyond traditional lectures. The programme featured presentations followed by engaging activities and educational games to reinforce learning, encouraging active participation from the students. The workshops provided a platform for open dialogue, where young attendees posed questions and proposed local solutions for creating eco-friendly communities. To make the experience more memorable and rewarding, symbolic gifts were distributed to all participants at the conclusion of the sessions.

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China’s Longmarch Group has initiated construction on a substantial tyre manufacturing venture in Egypt, valued at EGP 9.5 billion (EUR 160 million). The official groundbreaking was confirmed on 17 June by the Suez Canal Economic Zone's general authority. The new facility, named Longmarch Tyre (Egypt) Ltd, will be situated within the integrated industrial zone of Ain Sokhna, occupying a sprawling 200,000-square-metre site.

The development is structured as a two-phase project. The initial stage is designed to achieve an annual production capacity of 600,000 units for trucks and buses. Upon completion of the second phase, the plant's total output for these tyres will escalate to one million units per year, alongside an additional annual capacity of 4.5 million passenger car radial tyres.

Production from the Egyptian plant is primarily intended to satisfy local market demand, though the company also has clear ambitions to target export markets across the region and beyond. Longmarch Group’s chairman, Jin Yong Sheng, lauded the investment climate within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, highlighting its strategic location and superior logistical advantages as key factors for the company's expansion.

Established in 2003, Longmarch already operates a production base in Chaoyang, China, and manages a tyre joint venture in Pakistan. The Egyptian project marks a significant milestone in the firm's global strategy, leveraging the economic zone's competitive environment to strengthen its international footprint.

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