The Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna concept tyre, a collaborative effort with UPM, secured top honours at the 2025 New Wood competition. This prestigious award recognises groundbreaking wood-based bioeconomy solutions that tackle global challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals. The jury assessed entries on their societal importance, market potential and innovative use of wood, ultimately selecting a winner seen as a benchmark for the industry.

The concept tyre earned praise for making a concrete advance towards sustainable transport and materials production. It serves as a powerful example of how ecological considerations can be integrated with high performance, offering a blueprint for other companies. Its core innovation involves a significant material substitution in the tyre's sidewall, where conventional fossil-based fillers have been replaced with UPM BioMotion, a renewable filler derived from lignin.

As fillers determine much of a tyre's durability and performance and account for roughly a third of its mass, this shift is particularly impactful. Lignin is a natural compound abundant in wood and is generated as a by-product of pulp manufacturing. The successful application of this bio-based material in a demanding component like a tyre sidewall signals a pivotal shift for the entire industry, marking a substantial leap in the journey toward a future built on renewable resources.

Pauli Aalto-Setälä, a jury member of the New Wood 2025 competition, said, “Sometimes the most powerful innovations don’t alter the product itself, but the materials behind it – transforming it into something truly sustainable.”

Martta Fredrikson, Chair of the New Wood competition jury, said, "This year, the utilisation of industrial side streams was particularly highlighted in the New Wood competition. The lignin-based tyre material that won the competition and the second-placed wood fibre insulation are excellent examples of this.”

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Kumho Tire Co., Ltd. said it signed a partnership agreement late last year with UK-based driving simulator specialist Ansible Motion to develop next-generation digital tyres.

The agreement was confirmed on 5 January. The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Young-jin, executive vice-president and head of research and development at Kumho Tire, and Dan Clark, chief executive of Ansible Motion, along with other representatives from both companies.

The partnership is being pursued under the slogan “Kumho Tire with Ansible Motion: Driving the Future with Digital Tires”. The two companies agreed to collaborate on enhancing tyre performance validation systems using advanced digital simulation technology, with a focus on improving competitiveness in tyres for electric vehicles and high-performance cars.

Ansible Motion provides driving simulator technology designed to replicate real-world road conditions with high precision. Its systems allow vehicle dynamics, driving safety and ride comfort to be assessed in a virtual environment.

Kumho Tire said it expects the introduction of Ansible Motion’s latest driving simulator into its research and development processes to reduce the time and cost associated with vehicle testing and prototype production. The company also aims to enable more accurate and efficient performance verification from the early stages of development and to strengthen its digital-based R&D capabilities in response to changes in the mobility sector.

Kim said: “Cooperation with Ansible Motion will serve as an opportunity for Kumho Tire to take a significant step forward in transforming its research and development paradigm towards a digital focus. By actively utilising advanced simulation technology, we will introduce high-performance, high value-added products optimised for the future mobility environment and continue to strengthen our competitiveness in global markets.”

Clark said: “Our collaboration with Kumho Tire will be an important example of how driving simulation technology can accelerate innovation in the tyre industry. We look forward to contributing to the advancement of the global mobility industry through the technical synergy between our two companies.”

The partnership forms part of Kumho Tire’s wider digital transformation and sustainable technology strategy. The company plans to apply advanced driving simulation tools across its R&D processes to improve development efficiency and precision, with the aim of accelerating digital tyre development for electric and high-performance vehicles.

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Bridgestone Aircraft Tire Europe, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, has received a Gold rating from EcoVadis, the sustainability assessment platform, placing the company among the top five per cent of the 130,000 companies evaluated worldwide across 220 industry sectors.

The result marks a sharp improvement from recent years. The company achieved a Bronze rating two years ago and ranked in the top 15 per cent last year.

“After receiving Bronze just two years ago, this EcoVadis Gold Medal recognises the rapid progress we’ve made on our sustainability journey,” said Jean-Philippe Minet, managing director of Bridgestone Aircraft Tire Europe. “Last year, we were in the top 15 per cent and advancing to the top five per cent this year reflects the collective effort and commitment of the BAE team. This achievement showcases our progress in building a more sustainable commercial aviation sector.”

The 2025 Gold rating follows a year in which the company completed a full carbon footprint assessment covering Scopes 1, 2 and 3, carried out an energy audit and developed a decarbonisation roadmap.

It also reported zero lost-time accidents for a fourth consecutive year and implemented projects aligned with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, including partnerships supporting sports, charitable activities, cancer-focused organisations and initiatives for underprivileged children.

EcoVadis assesses how organisations integrate sustainability into business and management systems across four pillars: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

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Nokian Tyres has earned a leadership-tier A- score from CDP for its climate change mitigation efforts for the sixth consecutive year. CDP, a global environmental disclosure non-profit, assesses thousands of companies on their transparency, risk management and tangible actions towards decarbonisation.

An A- rating places Nokian Tyres among the highest performers, reflecting robust ambition, target-setting and operational execution. A prime example of this commitment is the company’s pioneering tyre factory in Romania, which operates as the world’s first full-scale zero-CO₂-emissions production facility. It runs entirely on renewable energy, including wind, hydro, biomass and solar power, and even generates manufacturing steam without fossil fuels.

Supporting these operational milestones, Nokian Tyres has set a long-term goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Furthermore, the company’s near-term emission reduction targets have received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative for aligning with the 1.5°C warming limit, underscoring a strategy grounded in contemporary climate science.

Teppo Huovila, Vice President – Quality and Sustainability, Nokian Tyres, said, “Achieving a leadership-level score for the sixth year in a row shows that climate action is deeply embedded in how Nokian Tyres develops its operations and products. We want to deliver solutions that make a real difference, both for the environment and for the drivers who choose our tyres. Our actions for reducing emissions and improving sustainability translate into safer, more efficient and environmentally responsible mobility.”

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Hoosier Racing Tire has appointed a new authorised distributor, Hoosier Tire Western Pennsylvania, to support competitors throughout Western Pennsylvania and Northeastern Ohio. It will cover diverse racing disciplines from asphalt ovals to rally.

The operation is owned and managed by Ryan Hall, whose family business, Big Daddy’s Speed Center, brings over twenty years of racing parts expertise to the role. Meanwhile, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic continues to provide service to customers across Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.

Paul Menting, Vice President – Sales, Hoosier Racing Tire, said, “We’re pleased to welcome Ryan Hall and the Hoosier Tire Western Pennsylvania team as the newest members of our distributor network. Ryan’s long history in the sport, his commitment to local racers, and the reputation Big Daddy’s Speed Center has earned over many years makes this a natural fit for Hoosier.”

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