Michelin Gets India’s 5 Star Rating For Passenger Car Tyre Category

Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India partners BITS Pilani for advanced tech research

Michelin has become the first tyre brand in the passenger vehicle segment in India to be accredited with the newly introduced star labelling program by the Government of India. The company said in a statement that Michelin Latitude Sport 3 and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres receiving 5 Star rating is a real endorsement of its commitment to offering the best of global sustainable technology and state-of-the-art products to its Indian customers. Recently, Michelin became the first brand in India to receive 4 Star rating by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for its made in India commercial vehicle tyre Michelin X Multi Energy Z. 

Manish Pandey, Commercial Director B2C for India Region said, “At Michelin, we believe that for mobility to have a future, it will have to be increasingly eco-friendly, efficient, safe and accessible. After receiving the first 4-Star label for our commercial vehicle tyre recently, we are thrilled to be recognised once again with India’s first 5 Star rating for two of our most popular passenger car tyre-lines in India. For our brand, this first 5 Star rating will add greater confidence among our customers, where they will be better placed to select tyres that are fuel-efficient, safe and contribute to decreasing carbon footprint in the country. We are dedicated to offering our Indian customers the most advanced technology best tailored to keep them safe, comfortable, and efficient on Indian roads.” 

The government of India continues to make consistent efforts towards infrastructure development, with the pace of national highway (NH) construction in the country touching a record 37 km per day in 2020-21. To make these roads safer and drives more efficient, comfortable, and confident, the tyre industry has played a crucial role, with consistent efforts towards creating a more innovative contribution to the industry. As part of an ambitious road map by the Ministry of Power and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for a smooth transition towards green mobility, a final notification was published in 2021, proposing that the tyres of cars, buses, and trucks meet requirements of rolling resistance and wet grip as specified in BEE Schedule 30 based on Stage-I of the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS). Under this process, Michelin India is one of the first brands to register for both commercial vehicle as well as passenger car segment and was subsequently awarded India's first 5 Star rating for Michelin Latitude Sport 3 and Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres. 

The new regulations will demand that all tyres sold in India meet crucial performance and safety standards such as rolling resistance and wet grip. When this regulation becomes mandatory, all domestic and foreign manufacturer and importers of truck, bus and passenger car tyres will be required to attribute BEE star label to tyres sold in India. 

Michelin Latitude Sport 3 is the third generation of Latitude on-road SUV tyres from Michelin’s global line-up. 

The tyres are uniquely designed to offer the best in the segment, driving
experience, better performance in terms of fuel consumption and an outstanding grip on all types of terrains. It provides better road grip on wet roads with minimal roll resistance, adding to better fuel efficiency. The tyre's exceptional design offers a high level of comfort and maximum torque transfer while braking or accelerating, thus improving steering precision, the release said. 

Michelin said its Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyre is a high-performance, premium SUV tyre developed to deliver unlimited driving pleasure, excellent longevity, impressive braking performance, and dynamic handling. 

AIS conducts star labelling test on tyres on various aspects, such as testing of rolling resistance coefficient and wet grip index. The rolling resistance coefficient test is done on the rolling ratio to the tyre's load. In contrast, the wet grip Index test is done on parameters of the ratio between performance of the candidate tyre and the performance of the standard reference test tyre. Each test must meet the minimum threshold for each star rating band. 5 Star category has a lower limit of 0 kg/tonne and an upper limit of 8 kg/tonne. 

A 5 Star product, on average, consumes up to 9.5 per cent less fuel when compared to any other lower star-rated tyre, co-relating to lesser greenhouse gas emissions, a significant cause of global warming. On an average, there would be up to 750 kg less Co2 emissions when you switch to a 5-star product vs a lower-star rated tyre. As the fuel prices across the globe remain volatile, consumer can save a significant amount of money by switching to 5-star rated tyres, the release added. (TT)

Sri Trang Agro-Industry Earns 23 CSR-DIW Awards For Sustainable Coexistence

Sri Trang Agro-Industry Earns 23 CSR-DIW Awards For Sustainable Coexistence

Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited has earned a total of 23 CSR-DIW awards, demonstrating its longstanding commitment to operating with ongoing responsibility towards society, local communities and the environment. In 2025, the Department of Industrial Works honoured the company under the CSR DIW to MIND for Sustainability programme, which recognises industrial factories that enhance their social and community responsibility for sustainable coexistence.

Among these accolades, five facilities received the CSR DIW Award for maintaining these high standards continuously for a decade, while another 18 facilities received the CSR DIW Continuous Award for consistently implementing responsible practices, collectively celebrating industrial organisations that serve as models for industry growing in harmony with communities under the principle of good industry coexisting sustainably.

These achievements reflect how the Sri Trang Group balances economic, social and environmental priorities, allowing the industrial sector to work alongside communities effectively and advancing Thailand’s rubber industry towards a sustainable green future. The group has steadily carried out community focused and socially responsible initiatives across six key areas, including youth development, arts and local traditions, livelihood and career support, environmental management, workplace health and hygiene as well as disaster relief and assistance for vulnerable groups.

This recognition further underscores Sri Trang Agro Industry’s role as a leading organisation that drives sustainable industrial practices while consistently creating lasting value for society, communities and the environment.

Bridgestone To Showcase Lunar Rover Tyres At 41st Space Symposium

Bridgestone To Showcase Lunar Rover Tyres At 41st Space Symposium

Bridgestone has announced its participation in the 41st Space Symposium, the largest space conference in United States, taking place in Colorado Springs from 13 to 16 April 2026. The company’s exhibit will be hosted within the Japanese Space Industry pavilion organised by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), marking its third consecutive year at the event since 2024. A key focus of Bridgestone’s presence is its ongoing development of lunar rover tyres, a project that embodies the company’s belief that ‘tyres carry life’.

Since 2019, Bridgestone has advanced research on lunar rover tyres and pursued co-creation with international partners to commercialise space mobility technology. In 2024, the company collaborated with Astrobotic Technology, followed by a basic agreement with ispace in 2025. These efforts aim to generate new value in the rapidly evolving space mobility sector.

At the symposium, Bridgestone will demonstrate tyres for small and medium lunar rovers, first unveiled in 2025, by mounting them on a mobility vehicle. Attendees can see and touch the tyres, experiencing their high traversability on simulated lunar challenges like fine sand and rocky ground. Through this showcase, Bridgestone seeks to expand its space business network and foster co-creation opportunities, ultimately supporting safe lunar mobility and humanity’s exploration goals.

The lunar rover tyre project applies Bridgestone’s AirFree technology, an exploratory business under its 2024–2026 Mid Term Business Plan. By refining this technology in the extreme lunar environment, the company aims to eventually bring those innovations back to Earth, enhancing conventional tyres and contributing to broader social value.

Yokohama To Showcase Aircraft Lavatory Solutions At Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026

Yokohama To Showcase Aircraft Lavatory Solutions At Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. is set to appear at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026 in Hamburg, Germany, collaborating with its American sales arm, Yokohama Aerospace America, Inc. This premier trade fair, running from 14 April over three days at Hamburg Messe, will host over 450 exhibitors from around the globe, all showcasing cutting edge cabin products, materials and technological innovations.

Visitors to the Yokohama booth will encounter a full range of aircraft lavatory solutions, including a prototype unit designed for wheelchair access and retrofit kits intended for existing restrooms. Those kits bring touchless operation to flush switches and faucets, thereby boosting accessibility. By targeting plane makers, airlines and maintenance firms, the company hopes to strengthen sales of its interior offerings.

Yokohama Rubber ranks among Japan's foremost aerospace suppliers. Since the 1980s, it has produced and sold numerous commercial jet components like lightweight composite lavatory modules, potable water tanks, onboard stairways, thermal insulation and honeycomb panels. Having delivered roughly 17,000 lavatory modules for Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft, the firm continues to supply replacement parts for those units and also crafts custom-made components for airline retrofit projects.

Petlas Expands OTR Range With PtxMD51 For Underground Mining

Petlas Expands OTR Range With PtxMD51 For Underground Mining

Petlas Tire Corporation has introduced the PtxMD51, an L-5 type tyre specifically engineered for underground mining loaders and trucks operating under severe service conditions. This new addition expands the company’s off-the-road product range to address the most demanding mining environments.

Built with an extra deep tread and an all-steel radial construction, this tyre excels where wear, impact and cut risks are consistently high. Its specially developed tread compound offers strong resistance to cuts and chips, while the reinforced structure, combining steel belts with a radial steel carcass, delivers high impact resistance under heavy loads and harsh operating conditions. A solid centre structure further boosts durability and resistance.

To maintain stability and traction, shoulder grooves are incorporated into the design, ensuring reliable performance in underground operations. With the PtxMD51, Petlas continues to strengthen its portfolio for high-risk, heavy-duty applications where durability, safety and cost efficiency remain essential priorities.