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)

As part of a strategic effort to increase its presence in the region's premium original equipment (OE) market, Kumho Tire has confirmed its plans to establish its first tyre production facility in Europe by 2027.

The company has shortlisted Poland, Serbia and Portugal as possible locations for the plant, which is projected to need an investment of more than KRW1 trillion (USD 705 million). The decision is closely linked to Kumho’s ambition to strengthen its partnerships with European automakers and was revealed by Kumho Tire CEO during the South Korean premiere of Kumho's new Ecsta Sport tyre line.

Kumho has recently secured OE supply contracts with major brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group. At the moment, Kumho runs eight tyre production plants in China, Vietnam, South Korea and the US. Its capacity to compete in the premium OE market, however, has come to be perceived as being constrained by the absence of a European production base. Through the benefits of local production, the new facility will improve response to European client requests, save freight costs and shorten delivery times, all of which will strengthen the company's partnerships.

Sentury Tire USA has opened pre-enrolment for its two associate dealer programmes (ADPs), the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program and the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program, underscoring the company’s commitment to rewarding dedication and partnership to the Landsail and Delinte brands.

The ADPs, which are customised for each brand and intended to encourage dealers, will formally start on 1 June 2025. Both programmes give dealers access to special benefits, incentives and strong tools to help them expand their businesses. This involves dependable customer service, effective marketing and worthwhile financial incentives to promote dealers' success at every stage.

Beginning in Q3, dealers may earn up to USD three per tyre through the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program. Dealers can receive retroactive benefits for purchases completed in Q2 if they register before 1 June. The awards are available for all Delinte PTR, LTR and the new DV3 LMD AS last-mile delivery tyres. For all Landsail PTR and LTR tyres, independent dealers that sign up for the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program can also earn up to USD three per tyre. For customers who sign up by June 1, the new LMD 100 AS last-mile delivery is also eligible for the benefits and will get the same early bird incentive for Q2 2025.

No initial order is necessary. Dealers only need to register to begin making money. According to the monthly programme rewards structure, 48 tyre purchases each month are eligible for a reward of USD one per tyre, 120 tyres are eligible for a reward of USD two per tyre and 240 or more tyres are eligible for a reward of USD three per tyre.

ENSO, a London-based tyre manufacturer engaged in the production of sustainable tyres specially designed for electric vehicles (EVs), has launched its new ENSO Premium range of EV-specific ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres aimed at drivers of high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Specifically designed for electric passenger vehicles, the ENSO Premium range comes with A/A EU-label ratings for both energy efficiency and wet grip. The tyres are designed to provide safety, increased range and a reduced total cost of ownership. Conventional tyre designs frequently fall short of the special performance needs of electric vehicles, which include greater vehicle weight, regenerative braking and higher torque loads. By lowering tyre wear and rolling resistance, ENSO Premium takes care of these issues.

The company is an authorised provider of replacement tyres for LEVC's electric taxis and has partnered with Uber to install its tyres in high-mileage metropolitan areas. The company now plans to grow throughout Europe and North America, and with ENSO Premium, it is now offering its services to individual EV owners throughout the United Kingdom. According to ENSO, the range offers advantages including longer tyre life and fewer replacements, lower energy usage, fewer charging stops and lower CO₂ emissions and tyre particle pollution.

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO and Co-Founder, ENSO, said, “We’re plugging a long-standing gap in the tyre market by offering EV drivers a purpose-built, affordable, premium EV tyre alternative that matches the innovation of their EV.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has announced a general price hike in North America for its SBS, SIS and HSBC product lines with effect from 1 May 2025.

Following a careful analysis of the effects of recently implemented tariffs, related cost increases and a conclusion that the company cannot independently absorb these repercussions, Kraton is adopting these pricing hikes, according to a company statement. The company further said that it will keep an eye on the scene and reassess these measures promptly in the event that conditions and US import tariffs alter.