A global tyre manufacturer NEXEN TIRE is revolutionising tyre development by integrating advanced technologies such as eXplainable AI (XAI) and 3D printing.
NEXEN TIRE has traditionally followed a multi-step process for tyre development, involving designing structures and patterns, creating molds, manufacturing prototypes, and testing them on vehicles. The company has streamlined this process by incorporating XAI and 3D printing and enhanced product precision.
XAI, an artificial intelligence technology, helps analyse and understand the causes and processes behind machine learning algorithms. NEXEN TIRE uses XAI to analyse various information related to tyre design, such as basic designs, key design variables, performance contributions, and design directions. This maximises design efficiency and helps propose optimal structures and designs that meet tyre developers’ requirements.
NEXEN TIRE leverages XAI-driven designs to create Virtual Tire Models, assessing product performance in virtual environments. This increases accuracy and speed in tyre development. The company’s recent decision to adopt a driving simulator will elevate virtual development further.
Once a model passes the virtual development stage, a physical prototype is produced for final evaluation, which requires mould production. NEXEN TIRE utilises 3D printing technology to make molds, enabling the simultaneous creation of prototypes in various designs and specifications. As these prototypes have already undergone verification in the virtual development process, the chances of final product approval are significantly increased.
Traditionally, mould production alone took two to three months, but with 3D printing, this period can be cut by at least 70%. Additionally, production costs can be reduced by at least 50%, ensuring cost efficiency from the early stages of development.
The 3D printing-based mould manufacturing technology allows for innovative tyre designs that include diverse and complex patterns and sipes. This is crucial for supporting high-performance vehicles and providing consumers with enhanced performance and safety. NEXEN TIRE has applied for an international patent for its 3D printing technology.
By innovating its development process, NEXEN TIRE enhances product competitiveness while reducing time and costs. The company also contributes to sustainable management by reducing waste and costs associated with discarded prototypes.
“The ultimate goal of our technological innovations is to enhance customer satisfaction.” A NEXEN TIRE representative stated, “Transforming the tyre development process not only secures market competitiveness but also contributes to environmental protection during the development process, shaping the future of tyre manufacturing and driving revolutionary change.”
Sri Trang Group Clinches Dual Honours At SET Awards 2026
- By TT News
- October 31, 2026
Sri Trang Group secured dual honours at the SET Awards 2026, hosted by the Stock Exchange of Thailand, reinforcing its sustainability credentials. Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited (STA) took home the Highly Commended Supply Chain Management Award. Its affiliate, Sri Trang Gloves (Thailand) Public Company Limited (STGT), earned a Sustainability Recognition within the Sustainability Excellence category. Together, the accolades signal the Group's push to elevate business standards and generate lasting value across its entire value chain.
The awards were presented on 29 October 2026 at the Stock Exchange of Thailand building. STA Executive Director Vitchaphol Sincharoenkul collected the supply chain honour from Professor Kitipong Urapeepatanapong, Chairperson of the Stock Exchange of Thailand. STGT Chairman of the Executive Committee Vitanath Sincharoenkul accepted the sustainability certificate from Dr. Chaiyawat Wibulswasdi, Chairman of the SET Panel of Experts.
STA's award recognises supply chain management that is efficient, transparent and traceable at every stage, from raw material sourcing and production through transportation to final customer delivery. The company also collaborates with farmers and business partners via the Sri Trang Friends platform, sharpening operational efficiency and bolstering local economies while meeting international environmental and responsible sourcing requirements. STGT operates under the Clean World Clean Gloves concept, weaving sustainability through its value chain by manufacturing to established quality standards, using resources wisely, safeguarding employee health and safety, respecting human rights and maintaining transparent risk management and governance, thereby building confidence among customers, partners, investors and staff.
The Group continues to embed environmental, social and governance principles in its strategies, deepening collaboration with value chain stakeholders to produce measurable sustainability results. Recognition at the SET Awards 2026 affirms this direction, spurs greater competitiveness and strengthens Sri Trang Group's role in steering the natural rubber and rubber gloves industries toward stable and sustainable growth.
Toyo Tire To Sponsor EXPO 2027 Belgrade And Support Japan Pavilion
- By TT News
- October 31, 2026
Toyo Tire Corporation has announced its sponsorship of EXPO 2027 Belgrade, scheduled for 15 May to 15 August 2027 in Serbia's capital. The company will also support the Japan Pavilion at the exposition, which will be the first event of its scale ever held in the Western Balkans.
With more than 140 international participants from countries and regions worldwide, the exposition is expected to foster international exchange and showcase initiatives for future generations. As a Gold Partner, Toyo Tire will provide 41 electric carts for on-site transport, including 4- and 14-seater models, wheelchair-accessible vehicles and emergency vehicles.
The carts will feature a wrap design blending Toyo Tire's signature corporate blue with the event's concept colours, enlivening the venue and creating a festive sense of unity. The company will also host TOYO TIRE WEEK at the Japan Pavilion, presenting an exhibit reflecting its interpretation of the Pavilion's theme, ‘Play and Connect, Together Playful Spirit of Japan’.
Toyo Tire established its first European tyre production base in Indjija, near Belgrade, in 2022, added a sales subsidiary there in 2025 and plans a new European R&D Centre at the Serbia Plant site in 2027. Positioning Serbia as a key strategic base for European expansion, the company aims to contribute to Serbia's development, promote exchanges between Serbia and Japan and other countries and help make the event a resounding success.
Bridgestone Opens New Bandag Training Center in Akron
- By TT News
- October 31, 2026
Bridgestone Americas has unveiled a new Bandag Training Center on its Akron campus, backed by a USD 3 million investment. The facility is designed to instruct commercial tyre dealer and fleet personnel on the performance, sustainability and financial advantages of retreaded tyres, with plans to welcome hundreds of industry professionals annually through seminars and customised classes of varying sizes.
Occupying nearly 15,000 square feet within the company's tyre test lab, the centre sits adjacent to the Bridgestone Americas Advanced Tire Production Center. It houses a full retread operation featuring production-scale manufacturing equipment and stations covering all 10 retreading steps, complemented by a classroom and a Bandag history walk. The Akron site becomes the second designated Bandag Training Center in the Bridgestone network, alongside the existing Bandag Learning Center in Muscatine, Iowa.
Bandag's retread training is highly regarded by both fleets and dealers, and the paired locations bolster Bridgestone's capacity to satisfy rising demand by broadening access to training and technical resources. The two facilities will serve as foundational assets for teammates and customers, promoting education, innovation and industry expertise throughout the retreading segment. When classes are not in session, the Akron centre will support tyre-retreading innovation, with teams in Muscatine, Akron and Nashville testing new products and rolling out new manufacturing equipment and processes.
Bandag has delivered tyre-retreading solutions since 1957, championing sustainable mobility practices. The company runs three pre-cured tread rubber manufacturing facilities, a retread equipment manufacturing plant and a mould manufacturing plant across the United States to serve all of North America. Over its 65-year history, Bandag has kept more than 300 million tyres out of landfills by extending their service lives through retreading.
Brian Douglas, Vice President, Retread North America, said, "Bandag retreads have been a staple solution in the commercial tyre industry for more than half a century. With the addition of this second training centre, Bridgestone aims to strengthen its support for dealers and fleets, matching the value they get from retreads on the road."
ICRA Forecasts Moderate FY2027 Growth For PV Industry After Robust September Offtake
- By TT News
- October 30, 2026
ICRA's October 2026 monthly report on the Indian automobile industry's passenger vehicle segment shows that September 2026 brought strong year-on-year gains in wholesale and retail volumes, aided by improved replacement demand following GST rate cuts. The rating agency forecasts industry volumes to grow 4–6 percent in FY2027. The moderation in growth stems from the elevated base in the second half of FY2026, normalisation of pent-up demand, higher vehicle costs and a weak monsoon.
Original equipment manufacturers kept production steady to serve robust domestic demand, lifting wholesale volumes 22 percent year-on-year to 460,000 units in September 2026. Retail sales climbed 43 percent, helped by newly launched models, larger OEM discounts and revised GST rates. During the first half of FY2027, wholesale dispatches and retail registrations rose around 28 percent and 29 percent year-on-year, respectively, against a modest base in the same period of FY2026 that was partly affected by geopolitical tensions in northern India.
Pre-festive stocking pushed inventory to 43–45 days at the end of September 2026, well below the 60-day level a year earlier. Utility vehicles made up about 68 percent of passenger vehicle volumes in the first half of FY2027. While utility vehicles continue to drive demand, the mini, compact and super-compact segments have shown a slight recovery after GST rate cuts, and passenger car demand is also expected to increase. Export volumes grew 25.8 percent sequentially in September 2026 as OEMs focused on production amid strong domestic demand. Maruti Suzuki India Limited led the market, followed by Hyundai Motor India Limited.
ICRA anticipates wholesale volume growth of 4–6 percent in FY2027, including a 28 percent rise in the first half, amid expected price increases due to rising input costs and normalisation of pent-up demand. A below-average monsoon could weaken rural sentiment, and recent price hikes by OEMs such as Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India could weigh on growth. Electric vehicle penetration increased to around 7.5 percent in the first half of FY2027 from 4.2 percent in FY2026, driven partly by a growing preference for EVs amid elevated fuel prices.
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