What may change and what may not

It is impossible to predict in advance which changes will stick, and how much and to what extent our lives will change, but it is safe to say that the changes that will persist are those that make our lives safer, healthier, and more efficient.

Mask wearing may be the most visible change that persists, and not just cheap surgical masks or bandanas. In many big, design-conscious cities the mask is already becoming more a fashion statement, a new feature of the personal decoration of city life that permeates these places. Masks may become walking billboards for commercial ads or political statements. Masks, visors and facial protection will be integrated into the uniforms of public workers, delivery people, police, firefighters, and security guards.

All public places – schools, theaters, shopping malls offices and mass transit will be reconfigured for physical distancing. Restaurants, cafes and gymnasiums, those that survive the pandemic, will have fewer patrons, as their tables and equipment will have been designed for physical distancing. Attendees of at large venues, such as sports venues, may continue to be subjected to have their temperatures checked.

The way we worked by going to the “office” has changed and many will continue working from home. This means reduced need for large office buildings. Still, growing urbanisation will continue. In the past, urbanisation has overcome the devastating Black Plagues, cholera and even the recent Spanish Flu which killed as many as 50 million people worldwide between 1918 and 1920. Each and every time, the economic power of cities — their ability to foster innovation and productivity by pulling together the talent of workers — has been more than enough to offset the destructive power of infectious disease. However, the current digital era may achieve similar outcomes without people clustered together in an urban setting.

On an individual consumer level, more shopping will move to online transactions with courier services delivering goods – so, brick-and-mortar shopping venues will see reduced business.

The pandemic has had a swift and severe impact on the globally integrated automotive industry and has placed intense pressure on an industry already coping with a downshift in global demand as well as the cost of shifting towards electrification. So, look for a changed industry with increased merger & acquisition activity.  

So, change is here to stay, and businesses need to pay special attention to signals being sent by consumers’ changing behavior. 

Anyway, when the pandemic and all its related crises finally ebb and we are on the road to recovery in a few months or a couple of years from now, we will have the opportunity to look back and see what has changed!

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Prinx Chengshan showcased comprehensive tyre solutions for diverse North American driving needs at the 2026 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. The company presented products designed to address the continent's varied geography and climate, where drivers seek year-round performance from a single tyre set.

The PRINX HiSEASON 4S HS1 and Fortune CLIMAFLEX 4S FSR402 deliver consistent grip and handling in snow and wet conditions, with low noise and long tread life balancing comfort and cost efficiency. For off-road capability, the PRINX HiCOUNTRY A/T2 and Fortune TORMENTA A/T 2 provide puncture resistance and traction on unpaved roads, resisting cuts from sharp gravel – suited to 4×4 and SUV owners who combine commuting with off-road excursions.

At the show, Prinx Chengshan's sales team engaged in extensive discussions with North American distributors, channel partners and end users about real-world applications of all-season and off-road tyres. The team gathered substantial firsthand market feedback and reached preliminary understandings on future cooperation, laying a foundation for continued North American expansion.

As Chengshan Group marks its factory's 50th anniversary, Prinx Chengshan continues strengthening international brand presence. In 2026, PRINX entered the European commercial vehicle market, partnered with the Garrett Trucksport team at the FIA European Truck Racing Championship and became an official USL partner. The Fortune brand maintains a strong North American presence through USA Pickleball sponsorships. The SEMA appearance highlights product strengths and globalisation progress as the company pursues coordinated development across overseas capacity, distribution, branding, and supply chain.

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TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has announced Nottinghamshire Police as an official partner, joining the network of police forces committed to promoting safer tyres and safer roads. The collaboration aims to raise awareness of the essential role tyres play in road safety, urging road users to conduct regular checks and address problems promptly. TyreSafe maintains that partnerships between road safety organisations and police forces are a valuable means of building awareness and helping prevent avoidable incidents.

The partnership arrives amid ongoing road safety concerns in Nottingham and the surrounding county. Department for Transport road safety data, published through its STATS19 dataset, recorded 780 personal-injury collisions in Nottingham in 2025, involving 900 casualties. Eight were fatal and 164 resulted in serious injuries, with the total exceeding the 761 recorded in 2024. Although collisions can have many contributing factors, tyre condition remains an essential element of vehicle safety that every driver can help manage.

Tyres represent a vehicle's only point of contact with the road, influencing grip, braking, steering and stability. Incorrect tyre pressures, damaged tyres and insufficient tread can compromise performance, particularly in wet weather and during emergency manoeuvres. Nottinghamshire Police serves a diverse area of around 834 square miles, spanning Nottingham's urban centre, major towns, rural communities and extensive road networks. Home to approximately 1.16 million residents and two major universities, the area saw more than six billion vehicle miles travelled across Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County combined in 2025.

Through joint efforts, TyreSafe and Nottinghamshire Police aim to reinforce the importance of regular tyre checks as part of a wider commitment to responsible driving and reducing road casualties. The addition of Nottinghamshire Police strengthens this shared commitment, supporting TyreSafe's work with partners across the country to make tyre safety a priority for every road user.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “We’re delighted to welcome Nottinghamshire Police as an official TyreSafe partner. Police forces play a vital role in keeping our roads safe, and their support helps us reach more drivers with a message that can make a real difference. Tyre safety is sometimes overlooked, yet it is fundamental to how a vehicle performs on the road. Drivers may take care to observe speed limits and remain alert to hazards, but they also need to ensure their vehicles are safe and their tyres are in the right condition for the journey. By working with Nottinghamshire Police and our wider network of police partners, we want to make tyre checks a simple, everyday habit. Checking air pressure, condition and tread depth can help drivers identify problems before they become more serious and contribute to safer journeys for everyone.”

Chief Inspector James Walker, Operational Support department at Nottinghamshire Police, said, “Road safety is a shared responsibility, and ensuring vehicles are safe and roadworthy is an important part of protecting everyone who uses our roads. Tyres are the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road, yet their condition and pressure can easily be overlooked. We’re pleased to be partnering with TyreSafe to help raise awareness of the importance of tyre safety and encourage drivers to make regular checks part of their routine. Taking a few moments to check tyre pressure, tread depth and overall condition can help identify potential problems before they put drivers, passengers and other road users at risk. By working together, we can help spread this important message and support safer journeys across Nottinghamshire.”

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Trelleborg Tires unveiled two new agricultural tyre solutions at the ongoing EIMA International 2026 in Bologna, Italy, expanding its premium portfolio with products engineered for demanding field applications. The CR3000 and PneuTrac Aqua were presented during a dedicated conference at Hall 14, Stand B2, combining advanced engineering and application-specific technologies developed over decades of expertise.

The CR3000 addresses the harvesting segment, designed for high-power combines operating in challenging conditions. Its Off-Stubble Technology pairs an optimised structure with a dedicated compound to resist crop residue damage, while an interlug design improves self-cleaning and maintains traction across varying soils. Integrated VF-CFO technology reduces soil compaction and supports higher cyclic loads, together extending tyre life and sustaining productivity when harvest hours are critical.

For centre pivot irrigation systems, the PneuTrac Aqua targets continuous operation in wet fields where traction, stability and uninterrupted performance are essential. The tyre combines an airless PneuTrac carcass, an Omega-shaped sidewall using CupWheel technology by Galileo Wheel Ltd. and a ProgressiveTraction tread design. Its puncture-proof construction eliminates maintenance and replacement, while the wide, uniform footprint minimises soil compaction and supports consistent ground contact in water-saturated soils.

Both solutions reflect Trelleborg's focus on helping agricultural professionals maximise productivity throughout the season. The CR3000 delivers stubble protection, high load capacity and extended tyre life, while the PneuTrac Aqua ensures maintenance-free irrigation performance. Together, the launches reinforce the company's commitment to long-lasting value and high performance in the field.

Luca Sabelli, Global Marketing Director, Trelleborg Tires, said, “Innovation is most valuable when it responds to real agricultural needs. CR3000 and PneuTrac Aqua are developed for two highly specialised applications, bringing together advanced engineering and decades of expertise for unmatched productivity. At EIMA 2026, we are proud to showcase these latest innovations and demonstrate how Trelleborg Tires continues to drive the future of agricultural productivity through premium tyre technology.”

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Kuraray America, Inc. has announced that Project Kuralytix has secured a finalist position in the 2026 IChemE Global Awards, a competition run by the Institution of Chemical Engineers. The entry, officially titled ‘Project Kuralytix: Unifying Five Legacy Systems for Predictive Reliability at Kuraray America’, sits among six shortlisted candidates in the Digitalization, AI and Automation Award category, which celebrates creative deployment of digital tools across chemical engineering.

The La Porte, Texas, facility serves as the backdrop for this initiative, which takes on a persistent industry hurdle: making sense of enormous volumes of operational and reliability data so that decisions can be reached swiftly and with greater confidence. Through a partnership with Pinnacle and its Newton platform, five formerly siloed systems were merged into one cohesive reliability platform. The blending of machine learning with quantitative reliability optimisation empowers teams to forecast equipment breakdowns, weigh their potential operational fallout, sequence maintenance tasks and channel resources towards maximum benefit.

Demonstrated results underscore how analytics can reshape manufacturing reliability management. The effort revealed avenues for trimming process-related reliability losses and assisted in sidestepping production interruptions by flagging equipment decay earlier. Reliability calculations that once consumed days now finish in minutes, while maintenance strategy shifts from reactive, time-based choices toward proactive, data-driven reliability management. Taken together, these improvements reinforce asset reliability, bolster process safety and yield quantifiable operational value.

Kuraray America conveyed pride in earning international acknowledgment alongside fellow organisations propelling chemical engineering innovation. The distinction reflects the teamwork, technical proficiency, and commitment of the La Porte team and its Pinnacle collaborators, whose efforts brought Project Kuralytix to fruition. The company voiced gratitude to all contributors to the project's development and rollout, citing Charles Neal, Daniel Velasquez, Jennifer Lawrence and Kevin Birkby.

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