The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) introduced its new Secretary General, Professor Joseph Adelegan, today. Professor Adelegan officially took up the post of Secretary General on 1 December, 2022.

IRSG claims that Professor Adelegan is a C-Suite Executive and an international development expert. He is also a professor of Practice of Environmental Science and Engineering, and a practitioner-scholar in management, with over three decades of professional trajectory across 20 African countries, Europe and the United States. According to IRSG, his work experience spans several organisations, including the United Nations, development finance institutions, international organisations, government, non-governmental organisations, education, innovation and research institutions, among others.

He has extensive experience in the sustainable investment, disruptive innovation and circular economy of the elastomer products. IRSG states that he has held senior roles at the United Nations as the team lead for the Global Circular Economy Program of the United Nations Technology Innovation Lab at the first European Lab in Finland, and as a Senior Advisor at the United Nations Office of Project Services in Denmark.

Professor Adelegan was the Division Chief at the Office of the Vice President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, an international development financial institution established by ECOWAS Treaty and covering 15 ECOWAS countries. As per IRSG, he was a representative of Africa and the Middle East at the Climate Investment Trust Fund at the World Bank, Washington DC, United States. His portfolio has included programs and projects funded by the European Union, World Bank, Green Climate Fund, Climate Investment Fund, African Development Bank, ECOWAS, African Union, NEPAD Agency, Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), Australian Aid, several United Nations agencies and funds among others.

IRSG claims that Professor Adelegan has held several board appointments, created strategic partnerships and mobilised resources from development agencies, development finance institutions and several donor agencies. He was a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council, Geneva, Switzerland and Non-Executive Director of the European Sustainable Development Organization, among others. 

Plus, according to IRSG, he was a professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Universities in Africa, Europe and North America. He was a Professor of the Practice of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Venda, South Africa. IRSG states that he is also a visiting professor of Water and Energy Engineering at the Pan African University, Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (including Climate Change), Tlemcen, Algeria, established by the African Union. He was a visiting professor of Environmental Management at the Commonwealth University, London, United Kingdom as well. As per IRSG, he is a professor of Environmental Leadership at the Missional University, North Augusta, South Carolina, United States.

Furthermore, Professor Adelegan is a recipient of several global awards. These include the 2006 Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland; recognition in 2007 as an Inventor Social Entrepreneur and Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow by the Ashoka Innovators for the Public and the Lemelson Foundation based in the United States; 2009 Technology Pioneer of the World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland; 2009 Technology Award Laureate and Prize Recipient of the Technology Museum of Innovation, San Jose, California, United States; 2010 Member of the Crans Montana Forum of New Leaders of Tomorrow, Geneva, Switzerland and 2010 Member of the Clinton Global Initiative, New York, United States, among others.

IRSG claims that he is in high demand as a regular speaker at international conferences in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, North America and Australia. He has made appearance in CNN as 2008 Principal Voices on the ‘Economics of Energy’ by CNN in association with Shell, Times and Fortune Magazine. According to IRSG, he has travelled to over 120 countries in this regard. Besides, he has written over 30 publications on several topical issues.

As for his qualifications, IRSG states that Professor Adelegan earned two Doctorate Degrees. He earned a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States. He also gained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Nigerian Premier University of Ibadan, as per IRSG. He is an alumnus of a number of executive programs, including the United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan; the University of California, Berkeley, United States; Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States; John F Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard Business School, Harvard University, United States, among others.

IRSG claims that Professor Adelegan is a seasoned and rounded professional with broad experience and extensive global networks. He will be building strategic partnerships and provide intellectual leadership to position IRSG as the knowledge hub and repository centre for the world rubber industry.

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.