After two years of virtual conferences, the Tire Society has returned to an in-person format for the 41st Conference on Science and Technology, to be held September 12th and 13th at the University of Akron. With the return to the University of Akron, where it was originally held, the Tire Society Conference will kick off Tire Week in Akron, officially proclaimed September 12-16 by the Mayor of Akron. Tire Week also includes the International Tire Exhibition and Conference (ITEC), which is the largest tyre manufacturing trade expo and conference in North America. Tire Week will be a can’t-miss opportunity for those who want to achieve a broad grasp of leading-edge Tire Design and Manufacturing technology. 

Please click to the link for the detailed programme: Programme schedule  

Alexis Garcin, Chairman and President, of Michelin North America, will deliver a keynote address at the conference. Tracey Norberg, Senior Vice President & General Counsel of USTMA, will give the plenary lecture titled ‘The Road Ahead – Technology and Policy in the Tyre Industry’ at the conference. Dr Nohoon Ki, Engineering Manager at John Deere, will speak on ‘Round and Green: Engineering for Agriculture’.

The welcoming address will be delivered by Dr Gary L Miller, President of the University of Akron. Under Dr Miller’s leadership, the University of Akron has reaffirmed its reputation as a leading public urban research university, committed to fulfilling its long-standing promises to the people of Akron and Northeast Ohio. 

Wide range of topics

The conference is attended by engineers and scientists from around the world, representing the tyre and vehicle industries, academia and governmental agencies. A wide range of topics on tyre applications, ranging from passenger, high-performance, truck and electric vehicles to off-highway, including aircraft to far off-highway Mars Rover, will be covered in the paper presentations.

There will be a wide array of more than 20 interesting and significant original works by top technologists, presented by the authors themselves.

With this year’s theme, New Horizons in Tyre Evaluation, the papers will cover the characterisation of tyre performance, both physically and with vehicle simulators. Other subjects include numerical predictive methods, data analytics, tyre performance and construction, and rubber compound development.

A panel discussion titled ‘The Future of Tire Testing’, moderated by Heather Bobbitt, Tire Modeling Group Manager, General Motors, will be joined by Christian Bachmann, Senior Manager – Tyre Technology, FKA GmbH; Henning Olsson, Director of Technology, Calspan Corporation; Jonathan Darab, Operations Director, Global Center for Automotive Performance Simulation (GCAPS); Matt Kent, Technical Director of Tire & Wheel Test Lab, Smithers, USA and Sonny Huisman, Manager, Siemens Digital Industries Software.

These experts will discuss the challenges ahead for the tyre industry and provide insights into the next steps in tyre testing. Predictive methods in the emerging ‘digital twin’ era require improved testing methods to understand the physics of tyre mechanical behaviour under circumstances that can cause uncertainty in virtual assessment. Temperature effects, wear behaviour, wet surfaces, soil interaction and snow sinkage are some factors that are not necessarily well understood or integrated when a vehicle-level assessment is concerned.

They will also discuss the testing requirement in developing speciality tyres for racing, agricultural or heavy industrial applications that will remain a challenge for characterisation and parameterisation. Big data, machine learning algorithms and databasing methods and increased leverage of simulation environments are critical enablers for faster turnaround in early vehicle development, which is emerging as an OEM requirement.

Back to roots

This year’s edition will be held at the University of Akron near downtown Akron. In the last 12 years, the conference has only been held downtown once. With the conference’s return in September to its historic home, where it was held for the first 28 years, it is fitting that the Awards Banquet will be kicked off by an address from Mayor Dan Horrigan. 

With the conference’s return downtown to the University of Akron and being aligned in the same week as the International Tire Exhibition and Conference (ITEC) to be held at the John S Knight Center, this ‘Tire Week in Akron’ will provide a nostalgic and informative homecoming, said the organiser.

The conference will be held in a hybrid format.

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Tegeta Green Planet opened the Light Vehicle Diagnostics course at Tegeta Academy with a presentation for attendees aged 17 to 33. Beyond their chosen vocational field, participants learned about automotive waste management and environmental responsibility.

Shalva Akhvlediani, the organisation’s director, outlined its activities and goals while emphasising Extended Producer Responsibility. The session examined how the automotive sector connects to environmental duty and why used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries must be collected and managed properly.

Tyre management and RECSOL featured prominently. Attendees traced a used tyre’s path from collection to recycling and learned how waste becomes a source of new resources. RECSOL, Tegeta’s tyre recycling plant, is a significant infrastructure project in used tyre recycling, processing tyres into materials for various uses and supporting circular economy principles.

A core aim is a system where waste is not an endpoint but the starting point for new resources, which requires infrastructure alongside greater public awareness and information on proper disposal. For participants, the meeting linked professional education with environmental awareness, stressing that future automotive professionals should understand this responsibility early.

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Tyres Europe, alongside ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) and CLEPA (the European Association of Automotive Suppliers), has dispatched a joint communication to EU decision-makers concerning the possible broadening of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover downstream goods. The move comes as trilogue discussions approach.

Tyre producers form part of an automotive value chain already bearing carbon-related expenses for steel and aluminium manufactured within Europe. The proposed expansion would draw additional products into the mechanism’s remit before the existing framework has demonstrated its effectiveness. Resulting costs and administrative requirements would land on downstream manufacturers, tyre makers included, with signatories cautioning that a conceptually sound regulatory effort could become an operational and financial strain.

Endorsing the mechanism’s aims, the signatories nonetheless urge a proportionate scope that shields the entire value chain from carbon leakage while preventing that risk from being pushed further downstream. They advocate extending the mechanism only where a material carbon-leakage danger is evidenced, and request that policymakers ease compliance demands, including via more fitting default values mirroring real production routes.

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NEXEN TIRE has extended its partnership with Zalgiris, reinforcing its commitment to basketball in Europe, particularly across the Baltic region. The renewal builds on a relationship that began in 2024 and reflects the company’s broader strategy of linking its brand to performance, innovation and mobility.

The tyre maker has pursued sports partnerships as a way to connect with fans, sharing in the passion and excitement of supporting favourite teams during major matches and memorable moments. It also values the teamwork, dedication and collective achievement that define team sports, using such ties to build authentic connections and deepen engagement in key European markets. Its collaboration with clubs including Zalgiris and FC Bayern München forms part of this approach.

Under the extended agreement, NEXEN TIRE will gain greater visibility among sports fans in the region. The partnership offers branding opportunities at Zalgirio Arena, such as synchronised on-screen advertising and promotion on LED stands near the court, in a position visible on television during EuroLeague and LKL home games.

The arrangement also includes a hospitality programme allowing NEXEN TIRE to welcome guests and business partners at Zalgiris home fixtures. Through the strengthened alliance, the company aims to share its passion with more fans while raising brand awareness across the region.

Ricky Lee, Managing Director, NEXEN TIRE Poland, said, “Our cooperation with Zalgiris has developed positively since 2024, and we are pleased to extend and strengthen this partnership. Basketball has a particularly strong following in the Baltic region, making Zalgiris an important partner as we continue to grow our presence and engage with fans. We look forward to supporting the team throughout the season and doing our best to create positive experiences for both the players and their passionate fans.”

Paulius Jankunas, President, Zalgiris, said, “We are delighted to continue our cooperation with NEXEN TIRE and build on the partnership we started two years ago. NEXEN TIRE brings extensive experience in sports marketing, and we are proud to work together on creating meaningful projects and experiences for our fans. We look forward to another successful period of cooperation and to welcoming NEXEN TIRE’s guests and partners to our games and events.”

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres through wholesale and franchise operations, has widened its tyre portfolio through the addition of four new lines under the Multi-Mile Tyres banner. Serving as a value step-up brand, Multi-Mile gives dealers a strong mix of broader product coverage and improved consumer advantages crafted to drive better retail margins, helping retailers offer greater value while lifting profitability. With this expansion, the portfolio now reaches over 85 percent of the vehicle market, offering dealers more ways to satisfy customer demand.

Among the additions are tyres built for rugged and mud terrain use, boasting self-cleaning treads that push out mud and stones alongside dependable traction both on and off the road. Also joining the range are commercial and C-metric speciality tyres tailored to heavy-duty regional and long-haul trucks, together with all-weather tyres that hold the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake severe snow rating and are made for high mileage and consistent year-round use.

A prominent name in the replacement tyre segment, Multi-Mile carries cutting-edge touring, high-performance and broad-line tyres suited to passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs. Meanwhile, the upgraded Mile After Mile Protection Plan warranty now delivers broader coverage, adding three-year roadside assistance, a three-year road hazard protection plan and a 60-day ride guarantee on top of its extensive treadwear warranties.

Rachel Tibor, Chief Marketing Officer, TBC Wholesale, said, “For more than 70 years, Multi-Mile products have offered cost-efficient, reliable and durable tyre options that enhance safety and performance. With this expanded portfolio, Multi-Mile strengthens its position as a value step-up brand, giving dealers more opportunities to meet evolving consumer needs while offering a product mix designed to support stronger retail margins. We’re continuing our longstanding tradition of supplying the right products at the right time for every type of vehicle and application.”

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