German tyre major Continental has announced that Dr Jochen Etzel, Chief Executive Officer of Continental Tire the Americas, is set to retire of 1 May 2025, after spending over three decades with the company.

He is set to be succeeded by Tansu Işık and will also take on the responsibility as the new Head of Continental’s Business Area Replacement Tires the Americas. He (Işık) will report to Christian Koetz, Executive Board Member of Continental and Head of Continental Tires.

The German major acknowledges Etzel’s contribution to Continental’s tyre business in the Americas, where he took on the responsibility in 2011. He is credited for uniting the various Continental tyre activities in the region and further strengthening their competitive position. Starting his career as a lawyer in Continental’s corporate law department Etzel took over a financial manager position, responsible for developing the company’s tyre business in regions outside of Europe, before leading Continental’s corporate Mergers and Acquisitions team. 

Christian Koetz, said, "Jochen’s impact on Continental’s tyre business has been immeasurable. On behalf of the entire Tires Board, I want to sincerely thank him for his leadership, dedication and outstanding contributions throughout his tenure. We wish him a well-deserved and fulfilling retirement. At the same time, we are excited to welcome Tansu Işık into his new role as Head of our Business Area Replacement Tires the Americas. With his deep tires expertise and strategic insight, he is perfectly equipped to build on our success and lead our tire business in the Americas into the future."

With over 20 years of international experience, Işık has held various positions across Continental’s tyres business, including marketing, supply chain, strategy and key account management.

Starting his career as a Business Development Specialist in Istanbul, Türkiye, Işık moved to Continental Tires’ Headquarters in Hanover, Germany, as Head of Pricing for the region Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). He then took on the role of Direct and then Vice President for Key Account Management (OE) for China and the Asia-Pacific region. At present, Işık serves as the Head of Region South & Channels Fleet and OE Trailer for Continental replacement tyre business in the EMEA region.

KENDA Europe has completed major investments in automation technology and renewable energy at its Croatian steel wheel factory.

The facility employs around 200 workers and produces over 1 million steel wheels annually, has installed a fully automated production line for rolled wheels between 12 and 20 inches in diameter. The new line operates alongside spinning technology, handling smaller batch sizes and custom products.

KENDA has also implemented an automated powder paint line and installed rooftop solar panels as part of a two-year project launched in 2023 titled "Reinventing the Wheel".

The modernisation programme, supported by Innovation Norway and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR), aims to enhance high-volume production capabilities while reducing environmental impact.

The company reports that digital technologies have reduced energy consumption and waste during manufacturing and painting processes. Additional improvements include enhanced lighting, stronger insulation and improved air filtering.

Power for the factory now comes from the rooftop solar installation supplemented by certified renewable energy sources.

Sales Director of KENDA Europe Specialty, Christian de Wit, is enthusiastic about the advancements, stating: “I am very pleased that we can now serve our customers with improved products in greater volumes than ever before. These investments increase our efficiency, quality and flexibility, and this new step in KENDA Europe’s development enables us to meet the growing demand for responsibly and efficiently produced standard and bespoke wheel and tire solutions. We understand our customers’ focus on responsibility and we are proud to be able to deliver products that meet the high standards of European manufacturing”.

Eurogrip Tyres, India’s leading 2- and 3-wheeler tyre brand, has launched its new ‘Enjoy Every Turn’ brand campaign featuring brand ambassador M S Dhoni. The multimedia campaign combines Dhoni’s passion for riding and Eurogrip’s superior tyre technology.

The commercial revolves around the interesting query that all fans have been pondering: What's Next for Dhoni? It offers an engaging story that transports viewers to a picturesque setting where Dhoni is seen taking pleasure in all the twists and turns that life and the roads have in store for him. Beginning on 18 March 2025, the commercial film will be shown on television, internet platforms and social media. Additionally, on-ground activations will complement the campaign.

P Madhavan, EVP, Sales and Marketing, TVS Srichakra Ltd, said, “We are excited about our new brand campaign with MS Dhoni. The ‘Enjoy Every Turn’ film is an offbeat take on the joy of riding, and we believe it fits perfectly with Dhoni’s personality.  As the bike tyre specialist, we remain committed to offering tyres that allow you to take on any of the challenges the road throws at you with confidence, enhancing every ride, making every journey smoother, safer and more exciting for the new-age rider.” 

Dhoni said, “As a passionate rider, shooting for this campaign along with Eurogrip was a pleasure for me. The ad film insight and script resonated with me as I have always ‘enjoyed every turn’ life has thrown at me. As an aside, I also got to try Eurogrip’s high performance super bike tyres and it was a fun experience for me to do what I love doing for this film – riding.”

Adarsh Atal, Chief Creative Officer, Tilt Brand Solutions, said, “Every biker will tell you that it’s the twists and turns of a road that make their ride interesting. A straight road is never fun. This formed the base insight of our idea. That whether it is on the road, or in life, it is not knowing what’s around the corner that makes things exciting. With Dhoni at that juncture in his life where the whole world is wondering what’s next for him, the idea really came alive.”

Apollo Tyres Ltd, through its Vredestein premium tyre brand, successfully organised its latest ‘Soccer School’ day in Volendam, the Netherlands, in collaboration with Manchester United. This marks the ninth Soccer School event organised by Apollo Tyres in partnership with Manchester United, following successful sessions across Europe, including Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands.

The event, which took place on 15 March at Kras Stadium, the home of FC Volendam, the leaders of the Eerste Divisie, gave 25 kids access to a private training session with Manchester United trainers. With an emphasis on providing opportunity to kids who face financial or physical obstacles, the Manchester United Soccer School project promotes grassroots football in nations all over the world.

The Soccer School, which was organized in collaboration with a number of neighbourhood charities, such as WonderBoyz, which offers assistance to kids with physical and mental disabilities, and Geven en Nemen, which arranges donations and the redistribution of goods to those in need, attracted participants (aged 7 to 18) from a wide range of backgrounds who had little access to sports facilities. High-quality football instruction was provided during the four-hour session to promote workout dedication, increase self-confidence and promote personal growth. In keeping with the club's dedication to young development, FC Volendam's amateur youth squad, RKAV Volendam, also took part in the event.

Manchester United legend Denis Irwin led the training session with a team of experienced club coaches from Manchester United. Along with the training session, participants received full Manchester United uniforms, medals, certificates and on-site lunches, as well as chances to take pictures and get autographs from Irwin. The kids and their family were invited to FC Volendam's home game versus Cambuur after the Soccer School session.

Irwin said, “Football has the power to inspire and bring people together, and it’s been incredible to see the enthusiasm and talent of these young players today. Through initiatives like this, we’re not only sharing the love of the game but also giving every child the chance to develop their skills and confidence in a supportive environment.”

Paul Eidhof, Head of Cluster North West at Apollo Tyres, said, “Apollo Tyres is committed to making a lasting impact in local communities, and partnering with Manchester United and FC Volendam allows us to provide meaningful opportunities for children who may not otherwise have access to professional coaching. Community engagement is a core pillar of our global strategy, and we look forward to hosting more Soccer Schools in the future to continue making a positive difference.”

Michelin, the CNRS, Grenoble Alpes University (UGA), Savoie Mont Blanc University (USMB) and Grenoble INP – UGA have entered into a new research collaboration to develop a low-carbon and sustainable hydrogen production technology using water by creating next-generation materials made of elements abundant in the earth's crust.

The four-year programme, which was launched on 14 March, is the third time that Michelin and CNRS have combined their expertise in green hydrogen generation technologies through LabCom. Green hydrogen may now be produced using water in a number of ways. The first method is AWE alkaline water electrolysis, which involves passing electricity through a potassium hydroxide and water solution. Despite being widely utilised in industry, this technology is slow in producing ultra-pure hydrogen and is challenging to combine with renewable energy sources. Although it depends on rare and noble metal catalysts, a more recent kind of water electrolyser called PEMWE employs a polymer membrane that is impermeable to gas (oxygen and hydrogen) and produces ultra-pure gas with a greater yield.

Under the direction of CNRS researcher Frédéric Maillard, the new research collaboration aims to create water electrolysis technology that combines the best of both worlds with assistance from the Michelin R&D Centre in Clermont-Ferrand. The goal is to get high hydrogen production speeds by utilising both the benefits of PEMWE, which uses a polymer membrane, and AWE technology, which uses non-noble metals. The new technique, known as the ‘anion-exchange membrane water electrolyser’ (AEMWE), calls for the creation of nano-catalysts made of more optimised anion exchange polymer membranes and metals that are abundant in the earth's crust, such as nickel.