James McGraw, former Managing Director and CEO of the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP),  passed away on June 8th, 2020 in Houston, Texas.

The company extends its sincerest condolences to his family in this difficult time and expresses its enduring gratitude for his decades of leadership and inspiration. “We are deeply saddened by his loss,” said Juan Ramon Salinas, actual Managing Director & CEO of the IISRP.

“Jim was a visionary leader, who had a true passion for the Rubber Industry and an exceptional commitment to our Members. His energy, drive and leadership will be missed.” He was born on June 27, 1949 in Louisville, Kentucky. Jim graduated from Corydon Central High School in 1967. From 1972-78 he was a medic in the Indiana Army National Guard. In 1975 he earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University and in 1985 a MS is Engineering Management from the University of Louisville. Jim began his 40-year career in 1975 in Louisville as an American Synthetic Rubber Corporation (ASRC) and during his 23 years at ASRC Jim held various assignments all of which included compliance management. Jim McGraw served the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Inc. (IISRP) for 36 years, both as an IISRP chair and active committee member while employed by ASRC and subsequently as both Deputy and as Managing Director and CEO for over 17 years. Jim has tirelessly travelled the world to support current members and recruit new ones. During McGraw’s tenure, membership has expanded to include upstream companies affiliated with IISRP and agents and distributors. More recently, he added members from subsidiaries and joint ventures of producer members. Under his leadership, IISRP developed single-product manufacturing benchmarking exercises, the life cycle assessment project, and enhanced statistical exercises. His focus on the future led to the Strategic Direction Initiative, designed to take IISRP into the next decade. Jim’s passion for the industry throughout his career has been evident in his dedication to the mission of IISRP.

Jim managed complex, multi-year scientific research to meet members’ safety and health needs. This research, conducted at renowned international universities, was presented to agencies around the world through published Proceedings following periodic scientific symposia which McGraw organized. He began his transition into retirement in 2015 and was advisor to the IISRP Executive Committee. His publications include numerous proceedings of the IISRP’s annual general meetings and scientific proceedings of IISRP Symposia. Jim was recognized for the “Best Paper of the Year Award” by the Southern Rubber Group of the ACS Rubber Division. He was a keynote speaker at many industry international conferences during his career, all in furthering IISRP's members businesses. One of his greatest joys was traveling the world with his wife Pat, he also loved working on his family’s farm in Corydon, cooking, wood working, collecting HO scale trains, and restoring his 1966 Super Sport Chevelle. Jim is survived by his wife of 42 years, Patricia; mother, Alma; brothers, Mike, Roger, Tom; sister, Jeanie; numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father, James “Jack” McGraw.

Bridgestone will supply tailored-made tyres for Lamborghini’s Huracán STO, which will be launched in 2021.

Bridgestone ensured the high-performance tyre can maximise the Huracán STO’s traction, handling, control, and extreme overall performance.

Key to the tyre’s success in maximising the super sports car’s performance is the combination of pattern and cavity design. The Potenza tyres apply an asymmetric tread design for enhanced steering response and cornering stability, and an internal crown structure that distributes footprint pressure evenly when cornering.

As well as the road-focused, custom-developed Potenza fitment, Bridgestone will also be providing a track-oriented, road-homologated version of the tyre that applies “race” technologies to maximise the vehicle’s track performance, especially in dry conditions.

Steven De Bock, VP Consumer Replacement and OE at Bridgestone EMIA, said, “It’s been a pleasure for our team to work so closely with Lamborghini for the first time, and on such an exciting project. The Huracán STO is an incredible piece of engineering that deserves a custom tyre that can fulfill its full potential. I can proudly say that Bridgestone has delivered such a high-performance tyre. It has been fantastic for the team to have worked on a project that is at the forefront of technology in so many ways.”

Hankook, one of the major global tyre brands, has started testing and development operations at its new ultra modern facility in Spain.

The testing facility has been set up on the premises of the Applus+ IDIADA Group and can also cater to European premium car manufacturers that have their own demanding tyre tests. The facility is completely automated and will host a 20-member team from the Spanish testing centre, which is affiliated to the Hankook Europe Technical Centre.

Klaus Krause, Head of European Research and Development Centre, said, "With the further expansion of our testing capacities in Spain, we are reaching the next level together with our local partner Applus+ IDIADA."

He also added, "We are confident that the newly installed testing facilities in particular will significantly improve our efforts to provide the best tyre testing conditions and services to our employees and customers. In addition, we will also be able to conduct significantly more tests on site." (TT)

ASCENSO introduced a construction tyre - BLB 730- which is used for boom lift vehicles used in construction and other industries. It comes with several features that cater to the unique needs of aerial lifting equipment.

The BLB 730 tyre is available in different sizes to fit various boom lift vehicles. This range of sizes provides versatility and compatibility with different types of aerial lift work platforms.

“ASCENSO's BLB 730 tyre is a significant advancement in specialised equipment for the construction industry. It focuses on load capacity, stability, traction, and durability to improve the performance and safety of boom lift vehicles. Whether working at heights or manoeuvring on tough terrains, this tyre offers reliability and durability for efficient operations,” said the company in a statement.

The BLB 730 tyre is built to handle heavy loads and stabilise boom lift vehicles. It has solid lugs and a more extended shoulder design, which ensures good traction and prevents slipping during operation. This is important for safely carrying heavy weights at high elevations. ASCENSO has used a special rubber compound in making the BLB 730 tyre, making it durable and long-lasting, resulting in less downtime and more productivity on construction sites.

To make the tyre even better, the company has optimised its inner volume to reduce tyre fill consumption, reducing the risk of tyre punctures, minimising the need for maintenance, and keep the vehicles running smoothly.

Falken Tyre Europe is an official IHF Men's World Championship 2023 partner for the upcoming tournament, the company has announced. The tournament is taking place at nine venues in Sweden and Poland from 11-29 January, 2023. Falken Tyre claims that the partnership was organised by the sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE. SPORTFIVE is responsible for exclusive marketing and media rights for all IHF World Championships until 2031.

Falken Tyre claims that this is its second agreement with the International Handball Federation. In addition to title and logo rights (Official IHF Men's World Championship 2023 Partner), the company has also secured advertising rights, including the Falken logo in each goal and centre circle of the courts, as well as the presence of Falken branding in the official tournament social media communications and print materials. According to Falken Tyre, this is complemented by 30-second video ads that will be shown on the big screens in the nine sports halls before the start of each match and at half-time.

Sharing his views, Robert Müller von Vultejus, Chief Growth Officer at SPORTFIVE, said, “With Falken, the IHF World Handball Championships have secured a great partner who is positioned with far-reaching influence in the relevant core markets. We are delighted to have been able to bring two global partners together for one of the most exciting sporting events of next year.”

Markus Bögner, COO and President of Falken Tyre Europe GmbH, explained, “Handball isn’t just of great importance in Europe, but all over the world, which has led us to partake in this top-level tournament once again. The fact that the international tournament is taking place in countries that are among our core markets is another great reason for our involvement. We can also look back on a long partnership with our colleagues at SPORTFIVE, who always offers us excellent opportunities that are an excellent fit for the Falken brand, which stands for enthusiasm, performance and achievement.”