Michelin North America has announced the commercial expansion of its Michelin X Line Grip D commercial truck drive tyre lineup. Building on its 2025 market debut, the new range aims to meet fleet demand across long-haul and regional applications by introducing expanded new-tyre sizing alongside a matching pre-mould retread solution.

The backbone of the X Line Grip D ecosystem is the proprietary Michelin DURACORE casing, engineered specifically to withstand punishing commercial life cycles and maximise casing retreadability. It comes with up to 1.6 million kilometres casing life or up to 4 retread cycles.

By extending the structural life of the initial casing across multiple retread generations, the design aims to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) for commercial transport operations and minimise fleet tyre expenditures.

The new Michelin X Line Grip D pre-mould retread is manufactured using the exact compound chemistry and directional tread geometry found in the original, new tyre. This design replication ensures that secondary and tertiary life-cycle deployments maintain identical traction parameters and wear performance as the original tyre asset.

The tyre family features an advanced, directional chevron tread pattern paired with specialised rubber compounding to optimise heavy-duty rolling metrics. It is claimed to offer around 20 percent increase in total mileage when compared directly against the previous industry-standard Michelin XDN2 tyre. Engineered to register the lowest rolling resistance metrics when tested against leading tier-one competitor drive tyres. Lastly, it provides enhanced wet starting traction over major competitor products, maintaining its gripping performance whether the tread block is brand new or deeply worn down.

The expanded Michelin X Line Grip D tyre dimensions and the matching pre-mould retread lines are immediately available for order through authorised Michelin Commercial Service Centres and dealer networks across North America.

Yahn Heurlin, Vice-President – B2B Marketing, Michelin North America, Inc, said, “The expansion of the Michelin X Line Grip D lineup reflects our commitment to delivering unmatched performance across every mile of the tyre’s life. Fleets have validated the performance of the Michelin X Line Grip D tyre in real-world conditions, and now we are expanding that same trusted performance through an additional size offering and a retread solution engineered to deliver the same performance as the new tyre.”

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Kuraray America, Inc. marked National STEM Day on 8 November by spotlighting a community educational event that brought together 15 of its volunteers and students from the Houston Japanese Supplementary School at San Jacinto College for a day of hands-on exploration and discovery.

Participants engaged in activities illustrating how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) converge in chemical manufacturing. Experiments with superabsorbent polymer beads explored chemistry and material properties, while a tour of the college’s facilities introduced industrial equipment. Students also learned about water filtration and distillation processes and how mathematical concepts underpin scientific and engineering applications.

One student showed particular interest in the distillation tower, linking the experience to the Kuraray Group’s contributions to everyday life and its mission of achieving for people and the planet what no one else can. The event also benefited KAI volunteers, who shared technical knowledge, exchanged perspectives and learned alongside potential future scientists and engineers.

Kuraray America thanked Reiko Fuwa and Tomohiro Tani for coordinating the visit, Hans Vandommele for sharing his expertise and all 15 KAI volunteers. The company also expressed appreciation to San Jacinto College for facility access and to the Houston Japanese Supplementary School students for their curiosity, enthusiasm and thoughtful questions.

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Liberty Tire Recycling attended the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, held from 3–6 November at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The automotive aftermarket event, one of the industry's largest, drew over 160,000 attendees from the automotive, tyre and transportation sectors to review new products, technologies and business opportunities.

The Lakin Tire brand, a consistent SEMA exhibitor, once again used the show to reinforce industry relationships and present Liberty's tyre collection, recycling and sustainable resource management capabilities. Personnel from Grade/Used Tires, Commercial Truck Tires, Metals, Recycling and Collection, together with corporate and regional leadership, met customers, suppliers and industry professionals from around the world.

The booth received existing and prospective customers from numerous tyre and automotive segments during the week. Costco Wholesale Corporate Office, United Tires and UTU Wholesale were among the organisations that stopped by to examine Liberty Tire's products, services and nationwide reach. The company viewed the event as an effective forum for monitoring emerging market trends and demonstrating its position in recycling and sustainability, alongside its focus on innovation, workforce development and circular economy principles.

A memorable moment came when a high school shop teacher and students, attending through a special educator programme, toured the booth to learn about tyre recycling and industry operations. Liberty team members provided industry insights, outlined career pathways and acknowledged educators' contribution to developing future skilled trades professionals, supplying tyre inflation gauges for classroom use.

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Laufenn, Hankook's associate brand, earned a ‘Good’ ratingwith an overall score of 2.2 for its G Fit 4S in the Auto Bild Allrad all-season SUV tyre test published on 8 October 2026 (issue 41). The tyre competed credibly against 11 rivals from established premium marques, finishing competitively in a 12-strong field.

Wet handling proved a particular strength, with the G Fit 4S collecting the second-highest rating shared with other models. Aquaplaning resistance also impressed, as the tyre held its line until stability began to fade at roughly 100 kmph (62 mph). In snow, it recorded the third-shortest braking distance, matching two other contenders.

Testing spanned snow, wet and dry disciplines, each weighted equally in the final ranking, with a third-generation MINI Countryman serving as the test vehicle. Snow assessments were carried out in New Zealand, while European venues hosted the wet and dry evaluations. The jury's conclusion underscored Laufenn's value-focused positioning, finding the G Fit 4S a solid option for cost-conscious buyers.

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Tyres Europe has underscored that tyres qualify as fully recyclable under ISO 22628:2002 and UN Regulation No. 133, describing the established methodology as a robust foundation for assessing tyre recyclability. The organisation recently set out its position on the matter.

The distinction between recyclability and actual recycling rates is central to the group's argument. Recyclability refers to the technical potential of a product and its materials to be recycled, while the real rate hinges on treatment capacity and demand for secondary raw materials. Regulatory frameworks should therefore separate the two concepts clearly and align with an internationally recognised standard.

Tyres consist of rubber compounds, chemical additives and reinforcing textile and steel cords, and at end of life they are separated into rubber, textile and steel fractions, all of which existing mechanical or chemical routes can recycle. Mechanical processing yields rubber granules and powders usable as secondary raw materials across many applications, recovered textiles can be further processed and valorised, and cleaned recovered steel can re-enter metal recycling and steelmaking.

Tyres Europe pledged continued cooperation with policymakers and value-chain partners to strengthen circularity and maximise recovery of valuable tyre materials in Europe, with the full paper available on its website.

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