The Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence for this year have been presented at the Tire Technology Expo in Deutsche Messe. 

The awards, which were coordinated by Tire Technology International magazine, were split into seven dedicated categories and officiated by a panel of international journalists and industry experts, a press release said.  

Bekaert’s BeCoFree – a next-generation tyre cord coating that will enable tyre manufacturers to produce high performance tyres without the need to use any cobalt (or elements of similar concerns) bagged the Tire Manufacturing Innovation of the Year Award. 

With sustainability an ever-increasing focus for tyre makers and suppliers, the Environmental Achievement of the Year Award was a fiercely contested category. Recent years have seen the trophy awarded to those leading the way in environmentally conscious development, and the 2022 jury opted to recognise a collaboration between Bridgestone, Arlanxeo and Solvay, the release pointed out.  

TechSyn is a co-developed tyre technology platform which combines chemically optimised synthetic rubber with tailormade silica, interacting at a molecular level, to deliver improved performance with fewer trade-offs. 

SRI won the Tire Technology of the Year Award for its HSBR – Hydrogenated Styrene-Butadiene Rubber. Judges were impressed by the advanced research on display, using synchrotron as well as supercomputing facilities, the release said. In particular, molecular dynamics simulation revealed that chemical reactions coupled with mechanical deformation exacerbates wear performance throughout mechanochemical reactions. 

The Tire Industry Supplier of the Year Award was presented to Mesnac, one of the tyre industry’s most recognisable and widely regarded suppliers. Judges pointed out a number of reasons in their comments, including the company’s willingness to invest in facilities and innovation, adapting its product offering to meet the needs of the modern tyre industry. 

The Tire Manufacturer of the Year Award sees the world’s biggest tyre makers going head-to-head for the top spot. This category was, as always, a hotly contested one, with all shortlisted finalists having their admirers on the jury panel. When the scores were tallied, it was Continental who claimed first place, marking the third time the tyre maker has won this award. 

Bernd Korte, Vice President, Platform Development & Industrialization, Continental, said, “We are very honoured to receive this year’s Tire Manufacturer of the Year Award. It motivates our entire company to continue on the path we have chosen, to continuously invest in the development of our tyres and to make a significant contribution to a safe, cost-effective and environmentally friendly mobility.” 

The Young Scientist Award for 2022 was given to Marco Furlan, a PhD student at Loughborough University. The award’s jury – which is separate to the five central categories – selected Furlan and his work, “Real-time friction estimation using neural networks”. 

Head juror Jan Prins said, “Marco's presentation was rated the best overall due to the interesting content, presenting a very practical approach to a complex problem, with a smooth delivery of a high-quality, well-structured PowerPoint presentation, including extensive use of helpful animations.” 

As well as recognising the impressive achievements of manufacturers and suppliers, the awards are an opportunity to highlight the achievements of remarkable individuals within the industry. One such individual is Bo Persson, winner of the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award. In perhaps the most telling endorsement of Persson’s contribution to the tyre industry over his decades-long career, he was independently suggested by several of his peers, each keen for him to receive the recognition his contemporaries feel he deserves. 

Persson is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of friction, tribology, adhesion and contact mechanics of rubbers and rubber-like soft matter, and one of the most widely cited experts in the tyre industry. After receiving his PhD in 1980, Persson went to work at FZ Jülich. In 1983-84, he spent 1.5 years as a postdoc at the IBM research lab in Yorktown Heights in upstate New York. In 1987, he spent another year as visiting scientist at the IBM research lab in Zurich. He has his own consulting company, MultiscaleConsulting, and works mainly with tyre companies and medical companies. In tribology, Persson regards his most important paper as his 2000 work on contact mechanics for viscoelastic solids with random roughness. 

Persson said, “I wrote this paper a few weeks after I started consulting with Pirelli about rubber friction. This work turned out to be very fundamental and I have spent 20 years working out different applications of this theory. That insight has kept me occupied for 20 years!” 

The 2022 awards have seen some remarkable examples of innovation and collaboration, made all the more impressive given the challenges of the last few years. 

Matt Ross, Editor-in-chief of Tire Technology International and chairman of the awards, said, “Like other industries across the world, the tyre business has faced some extra challenges over the last two years. So, it’s all the more important to recognize these examples of world-leading innovation and industry-defining contributions to tire development. Obviously, the winners of these awards have all won over the judges, but it’s also important to point out just how impressed the panel was with the caliber of entry from all the shortlisted entrants – there were no easy decisions this year, and the winners deserve many congratulations.” (TT)

The Victra Sport 6 and HP6 tyres from Maxxis have won the Red Dot Product Design Award for 2025 in the Vehicle Accessories category.

The Maxxis Premitra HP6 features improved rolling resistance, effective braking, a smooth ride, improved mileage for longer travel and accurate handling in wet situations. Designed for sport and luxury automobiles, the Maxxis Victra Sport 6 is an ultra-high-performance tyre that works well with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. It offers outstanding handling and performs quite well at sporty, faster driving. Both the tyres are available in Europe.

Red Dot Award winners are selected by a panel of 40 worldwide professionals who test, analyse and assess each entry in one of the biggest design contests in the world. The categories for awards include Design Concept, Brand Communication and Product Design. Winners will receive the Red Dot trophies during a banquet in Essen, Germany, on 8 July.

Continental's SportContact 7 tyre has emerged the test winner in this year's Auto Bild sportscar summer tyre test (issue 6/25) with an overall grade of 1.2 (exemplary).

Seven tyre models in the sizes VA 245/35 R 20 and HA 295/30 R 20 from European, Asian and American manufacturers were tested by the editors. The Lotus Emira served as the test car. The SportContact 7 scored top marks in wet handling, cornering, braking and aquaplaning. It had a 43.7-metre braking distance from 100 kmph on wet asphalt, which put it four metres ahead of the second-place tyre and eleven meters ahead of the last-place tyre. It clinched an intermediate score of 1- for the wet tests, which puts it far ahead of its rivals in the test field. After 31.2 metres at 100 kmph in the dry testing, the tyre came to a complete stop. Overall, the tyre received an intermediate 1- throughout the five dry categories.

The SportContact 7 is specifically made for high-performance sports cars that may be powered by electricity or conventional power. Several automakers have authorised it, and it comes in sizes ranging from 18 to 24 inches. Continental concentrated on achieving excellence in every performance criterion throughout development in order to maximise driving enjoyment and safety.

Andreas Schlenke, tyre expert at Continental, said, "The SportContact 7 took first place in the AUTO BILD sportscar test in both wet and dry conditions. This once again proves its leading position in the sports and UHP tyre segment.”

The final verdict from the tyre testers read: "Conti's sport tyre sets the standard for braking on dry and wet roads and offers a big plus in driving safety. Stable, well-balanced handling on dry roads.”

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has welcomed the bipartisan passage of H.J.Res. 61, a resolution that improves environmental stewardship and lessens financial constraints on tyre manufacturing plants.

The resolution, co-sponsored by more than 20 representatives from 14 states and introduced by Representative Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), repeals the EPA's 29 November 2024 updated rule on Rubber Tire Manufacturing National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). With nine co-sponsors, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) spearheaded the campaign in the Senate with S.J.Res. 24. Before the House vote, USTMA sent in a letter of support for the measure. 

According to the EPA's own evaluation in 2020, the current guideline offers a sufficient margin of safety to safeguard human health and avert a negative environmental impact. On 29 November 2024, however, the EPA released an updated final NESHAP rule that added emission restrictions for total hydrocarbons (THC) and filterable particulate matter to the current NESHAP regulation, in defiance of the agency's own judgment. Because of this, tyre factories must build and run a large number of control devices called regenerative thermal oxidisers, which require a large amount of natural gas to burn impurities. In an effort to lower insignificant HAPs, these new control devices raise carbon emissions while placing a heavy financial burden on tyre manufacturing facilities with no clear emissions reduction target.  

The EPA's objective to protect America's clean air is shared by USTMA member companies. In order to reduce the negative impacts on the American tyre manufacturing business, the environment and the American economy, the USTMA supports Congressional action to overturn this final rule, even as it continues to collaborate with the EPA, the association stated.

Anne Forristall Luke, President and CEO, USTMA, said, “Tyre manufacturers have long understood and complied with the existing NESHAP standards to reduce hazardous air pollutant (HAPs) emissions from tyre manufacturing. However, the agency’s revised final NESHAP rule creates an adverse environmental impact, while imposing significant financial burdens on tyre manufacturing facilities and providing negligible, if any, benefits. The industry appreciates the Congressional leadership and bipartisan efforts in getting this resolution passed.”

China's tyre industry posted modest growth in 2025 with its total brand value edging up from USD 2.7 billion to USD 2.8 billion, according to Brand Finance's latest Tyres 25 2025 report.

Sailun strengthened its position as China's most valuable tyre brand with a 13 percent increase in brand value to USD 905 million. The manufacturer achieved a significant milestone by breaking into the global top 10 for the first time, displacing Japan's Toyo Tires. Sailun also emerged as China's fastest-growing tyre brand this year, with Brand Finance's market research highlighting the brand's strong credibility both domestically and in international markets.

Linglong Tire retained its status as China's strongest tyre brand despite a 2 percent decline in brand value to $785 million. The company recorded a Brand Strength Index score of 62.6 out of 100, earning an A+ brand strength rating. According to Brand Finance's analysis, Linglong's performance is primarily driven by its eco-friendly product range and overseas expansion initiatives.

"China's tyre sector may have seen modest growth, but brands like Sailun and Linglong Tire are clearly leading the charge. Sailun's rise in global rankings is a testament to its growing reputation, not just in China but around the world. The brand’s growth is driven by high credibility both locally and internationally, while Linglong continues to maintain its position by focusing on brand strength and sustainability. These brands prove that even in a challenging market, staying innovative and connected to consumers can drive real success,” said Scott Chen, Managing Director of Brand Finance China.

Other Chinese brands featuring in the global rankings include Sentury Tire (down 12 percent to USD 332 million) at 19th position, CST (down 1 percent to USD 289 million) at 22nd, and Triangle Tyre (valued at $226 million), securing the 25th spot.

The combined brand value of the world’s top 25 tyre brands increased by 5 percent to $38.8 billion, outperforming the largely stagnant broader automotive industry. Manufacturers are heavily investing in innovation to meet evolving market demands, including green tyre technology, innovative RFID-enabled products and specialised offerings for electric vehicles.