Nokian Tyres has started delivering tyres from its new factory in Oradea, Romania. Winter and all-season tyres are the first to be delivered to clients and consumers in Central Europe via Nokian Tyres distribution centres.

Strategically located close to Central and South European consumers and customers, the factory will focus on passenger car tyres for these markets. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in May 2023 and the first tyre was manufactured in July 2024. The plant uses the most up-to-date technology to manufacture tyres and is the first full-scale, carbon-free tyre factory in the world. All of its energy is produced without the use of fossil fuels. The factory has already received three prestigious awards, namely the 2025 Award for Environmental Achievement of the Year – Industry Contribution at the Tyre Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence, Business Review’s Award for The Most Impactful Investment of the Year 2025 in Romania and the Sustainable Manufacturing Award 2025 in Romania – Industry Tomorrow.

The first passenger car tyre line made at the Romanian facility, the Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2, was just introduced by the firm. By the fall of 2025, customers in Central and South Europe will be able to purchase the all-season tyre line in sizes suitable for contemporary passenger cars, SUVs, and CUVs. In addition to offering outstanding performance and a comfortable driving experience in the summer, the tyre offers outstanding grip on snow and slush. Up to 38 percent of the materials used in Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2 are recycled, renewable, and ISCC PLUS certified. It is the first tyre produced commercially by the firm that has such a large percentage of recycled and renewable materials. The firm plans to provide additional Romanian-made products for drivers throughout Central and South Europe in the upcoming months and years.

Along with plants in Dayton, US, and Nokia, Finland, the Romanian plant is the company's third production facility. To draw in competent workers, the company is actively recruiting in Romania, particularly in Bihor County. The factory currently employs around 300 workers and expects the workforce to be over 500 when the factory is at full capacity.

Paolo Pompei, President and CEO, Nokian Tyres, said, “This week marks the start of the tyre deliveries from our factory in Oradea, Romania. The first truck loaded with Oradea made tyres left from the factory taking the tyres to our distribution centres and later to our customer and consumers in Central and South Europe. The factory, which is the world’s first full-scale zero CO2 emission tyre factory, will strengthen our ability to serve our consumers and customers in Central and South Europe and beyond and support our growth. Reaching this milestone in less than two years from the Groundbreaking of the factory is a significant achievement for us and I am very proud of the Nokian Tyres team who has worked hard to make this possible. I also want to thank all partners and Romanian officials who have helped us along the way.”

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Nynas has earned the prestigious EcoVadis Platinum medal, a distinction that ranks it within the top one percent of all companies evaluated globally for its sustainability efforts. This elite status underscores Nynas' profound and ongoing commitment to responsible operations and transparent advancements in its environmental, ethical, labour, human rights and procurement practices.

This accolade is reinforced by the company's continuous development of sustainable solutions, such as its latest Nynas EVO product line. The recognition from EcoVadis validates Nynas' long-term dedication to its sustainability journey and intensifies its resolve to create responsible value for every stakeholder, customer and society as a whole.

Eric Gosse, President & CEO, Nynas AB, said, “Moving to platinum is exactly the path we want to take. Earning this rating from EcoVadis is a significant milestone for Nynas. It reflects the dedication of teams across our organisation to integrate sustainability into our strategy, operations and value chain. We remain committed to improving our environmental and social impact while upholding the highest ethical standards.”

Marika Rangstedt, Sustainability Manager, Nynas AB, said, “Expanding our portfolio with products like Nynas EVO demonstrates that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand. This platinum rating reinforces our commitment to developing solutions that not only meet the highest quality standards but also reduce environmental impact across both the customer and our value chain.”

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Hankook Tire is significantly elevating its presence in the European electric vehicle market by becoming the Headline Sponsor for ‘Everything Electric FARNBOROUGH 2025’. This event, the United Kingdom's premier electric vehicle exhibition organised by the specialist outlet Fully Charged, will take place on 11th and 12th October at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre. By taking on this leading role, Hankook aims to deepen its engagement with both the UK EV industry and consumers, building on its initial participation in the previous year.

Central to this strategy is the company's dedicated iON brand, which represents the world's first comprehensive tyre line-up engineered specifically for electric vehicles. At its exhibition booth, Hankook will provide visitors with direct access to its advanced EV tyre technologies. The display will feature the full iON portfolio, including high-performance models like the iON evo and iON GT, alongside the versatile all-weather iON FlexClimate. The company will also showcase the GEN3 Evo iON Race tyre, the official racing tyre developed for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, underscoring its high-performance credentials.

Beyond the product showcase, the sponsorship includes creating interactive and relaxing experiences for attendees. A key attraction will be the ‘Formula E Gaming Zone’, where visitors can participate in a digital challenge to differentiate between iON and Formula E tyres on large LED screens. Furthermore, Hankook will sponsor café and lounge spaces, such as the ‘Electric Café’, designed to offer a welcoming atmosphere while subtly integrating iON branding to foster a stronger connection with the brand.

This headline sponsorship is a continuation of Hankook's strategic efforts to cement its status as a leader in the EV tyre market. The company has consistently demonstrated its technological prowess, earning top rankings in independent tyre tests conducted by WhatTyre, Auto Bild and TÜV SÜD. Looking ahead, Hankook Tire plans to continue this momentum by actively promoting its iON technology at major EV events across Europe, reinforcing its unified global brand and deepening its relationship with local customers.

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Japan’s Toyo Tire Corporation said it would establish a new research and development centre at its Serbian factory by January 2027, whilst shutting its German facility by the end of 2026, as part of efforts to streamline its European operations.

The new R&D laboratories, to be built on the premises of Toyo Tire’s Serbia factory in the municipality of Indjija, will span approximately 4,600 square metres and serve as the company’s European hub for tyre development and materials research.

The move marks a strategic consolidation for the Itami City-based manufacturer, which currently operates R&D centres in Japan, the United States and Germany. The Serbian facility will complete what the company describes as a “global trilateral framework” for research collaboration across three continents.

Toyo Tire President and Chief Executive Takashi Shimizu said the company would focus on developing “new rubber compounds and materials, as well as advancing mixing technology” at the Serbian centre to enhance both productivity and tyre performance.

The facility will concentrate on processing technology, which the company has identified as crucial for meeting increasingly complex and contradictory performance requirements in modern tyre manufacturing. These include lower rolling resistance, higher wet and snow performance, reduced weight, and improved wear resistance.

The Serbian site offers a particular advantage with its on-site proving ground, enabling immediate vehicle testing that is expected to shorten development cycles, the company said.

Toyo Tire, which opened its North American R&D centre in January 2019 and the German facility in November that year, has identified three areas of differentiation: advanced design, customer-oriented product development, and next-generation technology aligned with future societal needs.

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Celebrating a significant 25-year legacy, Apollo Tyres has launched the Swasth Saarthi app and unveiled a pivotal white paper titled ‘Truckers – the Backbone of Our Supply Chain’. These initiatives mark the latest evolution in the company's enduring healthcare programme, which was established in 2000 to serve the trucking community. The milestone event was attended by senior Apollo Tyres leadership, including Rajeev Kumar Sinha, Chief Manufacturing Officer, and Rajesh Dahiya, Vice President, Commercial (India, SAARC, Southeast Asia) of Apollo Tyres Ltd, alongside Kultaran Singh Atwal, Former President, All India Motor Transport Congress.

The newly released white paper provides a profound look into the lives of truck drivers, detailing their unique challenges and the risks inherent in their profession. It identifies a critical demand for mobile healthcare, with 74 percent of drivers surveyed expecting access to medical support while on the road. This need is matched by an opportunity, as the same percentage of drivers use smartphones, creating a perfect avenue for digital health interventions.

The Swasth Saarthi app is Apollo Tyres' direct response to this demand. Designed for a life in transit, the application provides truck drivers with immediate medical support through features like video consultations with doctors and a tool to locate the nearest Apollo Tyres Healthcare Centre. The company projects that the app will serve around 10,000 drivers in its initial phase, extending healthcare beyond its physical network.

Rajeev Kumar Sinha emphasised the company's ‘One Family’ values, highlighting a commitment to tailored care that has grown from the pioneering Healthy Highway Project into a comprehensive health ecosystem. What began with a focus on HIV awareness has expanded over a quarter-century to include mobile medical units, vision care and management of tuberculosis and other diseases. To date, the Apollo Tyres Foundation has reached over 11 million beneficiaries through more than 1,000 health camps and 34 healthcare centres across 21 states, solidifying its role as a vital partner to the nation's supply chain workforce.

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