Valebridge Media Services (VMS) has announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2023 edition of the Recircle Awards, the event organised to promote and recognise sustainable innovation, production processes, management and services in the tyre retreading and recycling sector.

The shortlist, chosen from a preliminary list of candidates nominated by the public, has once again been compiled by the Recircle Awards Nominations Committee, made up of 14 experts, including respected tyre industry journalists, industry association heads and independent consultants from around the world.

The shortlisted nominees for the 15 award categories open to public vote are as follows:

Best Tread Rubber Supplier

- Dobermann

- Marangoni

- Pre-Q Galgo

- Silvercap

- Vipal Rubber

Best Retreading Equipment Supplier

- Central Marketing

- Italmatic

- Matteuzzi

- TRM

- Vipal Machinery

Best Tyre Recycling Industry Supplier

- Eco Green Equipment

- Eldan Recycling

- Fornnax

- Rubberjet Valley

- Tallants Navarro

Best Tyre Derived Recycled Product

- Ceyes: City Green Panels

- Michelin: Tyres containing rCB

- Rubtec SpA: Rubtec Rubber Bumpers

- Shredded Tire: Miami Echo Construction Blocks

- XTyre Global: Evaporation Inhibitor Floating Panel

Employee of the Year

- Ankita Saikia (Tyromer)

- Bernardita Diaz (SustrendLab)

- Camilla Raffaelli (VM Rubber)

- Fabricio Nedeff (Vipal)

- Ron Elliott (Pre-Q Galgo)

Best Passenger Retreader

- Black Star

- Fedima

- Insa Turbo

- Malatesta Pneumatici

- Radburg

Best OTR Retreader

- Community Tire

- FM Pneus

- Marangoni SpA

- Reifen Wagner

- Renova Peru

Best Truck & Bus Retreader

- Continental

- Insa Turbo

- Marangoni SpA

- Unigoma

- Vaculug

Mechanical Tyre Recycling Award

- Duramos SAS

- E-Cova

- Genan

- Murfitts

- Rembre Tyres

Tyre Devulcanization Award

- DRI Rubber

- EFG Polymers

- GRP Ltd

- Rubber Matters

- Tyromer Inc.

Tyre Pyrolysis Award

- Contec SA

- Ecolomondo Corp

- Kal Tire Chile

- Pyrum Innovations

- Scandinavian Enviro Systems

Best Retreading Accessory and Consumables Supplier

- Italmatic

- Marangoni

- Tech Europe

- Vipal Rubber

- VM Rubber

Best EPR Scheme     

- Circol ELT

- SDAB

- Seginus

- Signus Ecovalor

- Valorpneu

Best Tyre Recycling Research Project

- Blackcycle: The Blackcycle Project

- GEC Compounds: Research into the creation of Genesis Evolution Compounds

- María Esther Fernandez: The Application of Textile Waste from End-of-Use Tyres in the Production of Fibre Cement

- Patricio Muñoz / SustrendLab: The Recovery and Re-use of tyre sawdust in the manufacture of solid tyres for forklifts

- SustrendLab: Research into the extraction of T-Phite from tyres

Best Company Director

- Alexey Gryshchenko (Yashina)

- Hernan Diez Vargas (ANRE)

- Jorge Crespo (Vaculug)

- Matthias Leppert (Marangoni)

- Thomas Sorensson (Scandinavian Enviro Systems)

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In line with previous editions of the Recircle Awards, the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Recycling Sector will be decided by the Recircle Awards Nominations Committee and announced during the ceremony in Bologna in November. 

David Wilson, the Chairman of the Recircle Awards Nominations Committee and Publisher of Retreading Business y Tyre & Rubber Recycling, wanted to highlight the notable increase in nominations with the 2022 edition, “Since we launch the Recircle Awards, we have delighted with the reception it has received year after year. But this edition has once again, exceeded our expectations. We have received more than 1,100 individual nominations, which is 250 more than last year,” commented Wilson. “It is very satisfying to see the Recircle Awards continuing to establish itself further at an international level in each edition. We will continue to be committed to recognising the efforts of people, institutions and companies who promote the values of the circular economy in our sector. We wish good luck to all the nominees in the final vote,” concluded the Chairman of the Recircle Awards Nominations Committee.

Valebridge Media Services also announced that the voting window is now open for the 2023 edition of the Recircle Awards. The public can now vote for their candidates after registering themselves on the website of the 2023 Recircle Awards: https://recircleawards.com/categories-2023/. The voting system allows for only one vote per person per category. Registered voters from the 2022 edition are encouraged to use their credentials from the previous year to log in and vote. 

Voting in the 2023 Recircle Awards is open until 23:59 GMT on Friday, September the 8th, 2023, with the 2023 Recircle Awards being announced on Thursday the 16th of November 2023 in an awards ceremony which is due to take part within the framework of Futurmotive – Expo and Talks organised by the trade fair Autopromotec in Bologna, Italy.

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Comerio Ercole has achieved a significant international milestone by securing the ‘Italian Company of the Year – Manufacturing’ title at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2026. This honour, conferred by a globally respected M&A magazine, recognises exceptional commercial performance and innovation on the world stage. The award is particularly meaningful as it results from a rigorous peer-driven nomination and voting process, establishing it as a credible benchmark for excellence. For Comerio Ercole, this accolade validates over 140 years of dedication to industrial reliability, quality and technological advancement in specialised calendering and mixing solutions, blending traditional engineering with modern innovation.

Concurrent with this recognition, the company is aggressively pursuing a strategy of global engagement and visibility in 2026. A key component of this strategy involves participation in major international trade shows, including several first-time appearances, to connect with new audiences and strengthen existing partnerships. This direct market engagement supports the company's international expansion and allows it to showcase its expertise while understanding regional industry demands. The upcoming Tire Technology Expo 2026 in Hannover, Germany, from 3–5 March, stands as a prime example. At this leading industry gathering, Comerio Ercole will occupy Stand 8006 in Hall 21 to present its latest advancements in rubber calendering, automated production systems and sustainable manufacturing solutions tailored for the tyre and rubber sectors.

Integral to these presentations will be the company's evolving focus on digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Attendees will be introduced to a suite of AI-based tools, including MINERV-AI, which is designed to digitally capture, structure and automate critical industrial procedures related to work, maintenance, quality and safety. This technology aims to preserve valuable operational know-how and enhance overall efficiency. The inclusion of such smart tools underscores Comerio Ercole’s commitment to merging its deep engineering heritage with cutting-edge digital solutions, offering clients future-oriented capabilities that boost productivity and process reliability.

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Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company reported a marked improvement in fourth-quarter profitability, as restructuring benefits and favourable pricing offset weaker demand and persistent cost pressures across global tyre markets.

The US-based group said fourth-quarter net sales were USD 4.9 billion, slightly lower than a year earlier, while tyre unit volumes fell to 42.3  million. Net income rose to USD 105 million, or USD 0.36 a share, compared with USD 73 million, or USD 0.25 a share, in the same period last year. Adjusted net income was USD 113 million, marginally ahead of the prior year, with adjusted earnings per share of USD 0.39.

The company said the quarter delivered its highest segment operating income and margin in more than seven years, reflecting progress under its Goodyear Forward transformation programme.

“We delivered another strong quarter, driven by execution of our Goodyear Forward plan,” said Mark Stewart, Chief Executive and President. “While we continue to face challenging industry conditions in the first quarter, we are operating with greater focus and discipline on the elements within our control.”

Total segment operating income in the quarter rose to USD 416 million, from USD 382 million a year earlier. On an organic basis, excluding the impact of divestitures, segment operating income increased 18 percent, supported by restructuring benefits of USD 192 million and favourable price and mix compared with raw material costs. These gains were partly offset by inflation, tariffs and other cost pressures, as well as lower volumes.

Goodyear Forward has now generated USD 1.25 billion of cumulative segment operating income benefits since its launch, exceeding the programme’s original commitment by about USD 150 million. By the end of 2025, the company had reached a USD 1.5 billion run-rate over the two-year programme.

During 2025, Goodyear also generated USD 2.3 billion from divestitures and other asset sales, including the disposal of its chemical and off-the-road tyre businesses and the Dunlop brand. The company said the proceeds were used primarily to reduce debt, exceeding its asset sale target by about USD 300 million.

For the full year, Goodyear reported net sales of USD 18.3 billion, with tyre unit volumes of 158.7m. The company recorded a net loss of USD 1.7 billion, or USD 5.99 a share, compared with net income of USD 46m a year earlier. The loss reflected several significant non-cash items, including a USD 1.5 billion deferred tax asset valuation allowance and a USD 674 million goodwill impairment charge. Adjusted net income for the year was USD 136 million, down from USD 278 million in 2024, with adjusted earnings per share of USD 0.47.

Segment operating income for the year totalled USD 1.1 billion, down from USD 1.3 billion a year earlier. Excluding divested businesses, segment operating income declined by USD 170m, reflecting lower volumes amid continued weakness in the commercial tyre market and tariff-related pressures. These effects were partly offset by restructuring benefits of USD 772 million and modest gains from price and mix.

Regional performance remained mixed. In the Americas, fourth-quarter net sales slipped slightly as volumes declined, reflecting high channel inventories of imported tyres and weaker original equipment production. Europe, the Middle East and Africa recorded higher sales, supported by pricing and currency effects, with original equipment volumes rising sharply. Asia-Pacific results declined, largely due to the sale of the off-the-road tyre business, although underlying margins improved once divestment effects were excluded.

Looking ahead, management said industry conditions were expected to remain difficult in the near term, particularly in the commercial segment. The company said it would continue to focus on cost control, pricing discipline and execution of its transformation plan to navigate the current environment.

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NEXEN TIRE has reported record annual revenue for 2025, supported by higher output from its expanded European plant and stronger regional distribution.

The South Korean tyre maker said preliminary revenue rose to around USD 2.2 billion , with operating profit of USD 117 million. The company first surpassed USD 1.4 billion in annual sales in 2019 and has now exceeded USD 2 billion for the first time, despite a volatile global trading environment.

Sales growth was driven largely by the second phase of the European plant expansion, which increased capacity and supported volumes amid trade uncertainty, including the impact of US tariffs. The company said it pursued both volume and quality growth by strengthening competitiveness across its core businesses.

In original equipment, Nexen Tire continued to expand supplies to more than 30 global carmakers, offering products for electric vehicles and internal combustion engine models. Replacement tyre sales grew steadily, supported by region-specific product strategies.

US tariffs had a limited effect on profitability, the company said. While policy uncertainty weighed on demand, Nexen mitigated the impact by diversifying distribution channels and increasing sales of larger-inch tyres to improve its product mix. Cost efficiency measures, alongside stabilising raw material prices and freight rates, also supported margins.

Alongside its earnings update, the company outlined its strategic priorities. During 2025 it launched its EV ROOT range, designed for use across both electric and conventional vehicles, and expanded original equipment partnerships, including with premium brands. It also established new overseas sales bases to strengthen regional distribution.

Product quality and management practices received external recognition. In the fourth quarter, the company’s N’FERA Sport tyre was runner-up in the tyre category at the New Product Awards at the SEMA Show in the US. Nexen Tire was also named an excellent company for quality competitiveness for the fifth consecutive year at the Korea National Quality Awards and received the Presidential Award at the Labour-Management Culture Awards.

For 2026, the company said it would respond proactively to shifting global trade policies while focusing on strengthening sales capabilities and achieving quality-led growth. Plans include sales-focused marketing to raise brand visibility, closer customer cooperation and further development of replacement tyre sales, building on the reputation of its original equipment products.

Nexen Tire said it would continue to refine its product and distribution mix, accelerate innovation using artificial intelligence and virtual technologies, and expand downstream distribution in key markets.

“Despite growing uncertainty in the global trade environment, we achieved a meaningful milestone by surpassing KRW 3 trillion in annual sales for the first time,” said John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, Chief Executive of the company. “We will continue to pursue both volume and quality growth by strengthening our product and distribution competitiveness in global markets.”

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ZEON Corporation reported higher operating income in its synthetic rubber business in the third quarter, as stronger overseas shipments and a weaker yen offset lower selling prices linked to falling raw material costs.

The elastomer business, which includes synthetic rubbers, recorded quarterly net sales of about USD 357 million, down 4 per cent year on year but up 2 per cent from the previous quarter. Operating income rose 29 per cent quarter on quarter to around USD 19 million, leaving margins broadly stable at about 5 percent.

The company said selling prices declined in line with lower raw material costs, particularly butadiene. Asian butadiene prices averaged USD 875 per tonne in the quarter, down sharply fro USD 1,306 a year earlier, easing cost pressures but weighing on revenues.

Shipment volumes of synthetic rubbers increased both year on year and quarter on quarter, supported by overseas demand, even as market conditions in China remained subdued. Zeon said general-purpose rubber shipments were driven mainly by overseas markets, while specialty rubber volumes were broadly steady in Japan and abroad.

Within the elastomer segment, latexes continued to face a prolonged supply-demand imbalance in medical and hygienic applications, leading to weaker sales. Operating income in the sub-segment nevertheless improved as selling, general and administrative expenses declined. Chemicals sales were lower year on year, reflecting weaker demand for adhesive tapes and labels, although quarterly results benefited from currency effects and lower raw material prices.

For the nine months to December, operating income in the elastomer business increased to about USD 61 million, up from around USD 58  million a year earlier, despite cumulative net sales falling to approximately USD 1.08 billon. Zeon attributed the improvement to cost reductions, lower ocean freight costs and favourable exchange rates, partially offset by lower selling prices and reduced shipment volumes.

Looking ahead, the company said shipments of synthetic rubbers are expected to decline seasonally in the final quarter, which could pressure unit margins as production volumes fall. Zeon has assumed an Asian butadiene price of $950 per tonne for the fourth quarter and said currency movements would remain a key factor in earnings performance.

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