As I speak with industry members, regulators and legislators I continue to be stunned by the lack of appreciation of the very critical role that tyres play in our societies.

Governments bleat about fuel security “investing” precious currency to prop up petroleum fuel storage and production in the face of the ever-expanding development of electric vehicles and more recently the advent of hydrogen as a viable fuel with thanks to the PV (solar) industry advancements. Tyres? What do you mean tyres? Without tyres our societies would grind to a halt in the near term. How are they not a strategic consideration?

Our industries (tyre, road freight transport, mining, public transport and leisure) are facing sufficient difficulties with COVID as well as international shipping challenges to be faced with continued ignorance and negligence by our legislators and regulators.

Please review your countries legislative requirements in regards tyre inflation for light vehicles (say <4,500 kgs) and then the same requirement for heavy vehicles (>4,500 kgs). What do you find?

Mostly I think you will find that tyre inflation pressures are regulated for light vehicles via the vehicle manufacturers tyre placard. For heavy vehicles there is little, if any, such requirement. To illustrate the yawning gap between reality and regulation one peak heavy transport regulatory body published a procedure for roller brake testing for heavy vehicles. The procedure details in minute detail the requirements of the pneumatic system on the truck under test yet merely stated “tyres should be inflated.” As everyone in the tyre industry understands a tyre can be inflated at low pressures totally unrelated to actual operating pressures. What connects the brakes to the pavement? Tyres!

I’ve spoken at length about the absolute requirement for a tyre to be appropriately inflated. This is basic physics, the air molecules captured within the tyre’s air chamber actually support the applied loads. If there are insufficient molecules of air the tyre will be overworked so overheat and so enter a failure phase. There are other requirements for the inflation being the actual shaping of the tyre to interface with the pavement at the optimum level, read traction. A wide based tyre requires special construction to maintain the tread platform shape. If the inflation pressure is not at the manufacturer’s specified level will this critical shape be maintained? Then it is not only the performance of the tyre in question but also the safety of the vehicle and that of the general public in the areas this vehicle operates in.

The extensive report produced by the TNO Organisation (TNO 2013 R10986) detailed not only the exhaust emissions as a result of inappropriately inflated tyres but also the road safety outcomes. This paper is now just over eight years old but the situation with real time pressure monitoring for heavy vehicles remains as it was, 50 years or more ago. WHY? Are our regulators asleep at the wheel (or tyre some may say) through entrenched inaction and ignorance? Or is it that there are just “no votes” in tyres and everyone just ASSuMes their tyres are “ok”?

EV tyres

With the advent of electric vehicles, the ramifications for tyres are huge. In the past internal combustion engines (ICE) built up torque over a rev range, drivelines multiplied the torque developed and for heavy vehicles there is a sweet spot for torque. The multi speed gearboxes assisted the driver to maintain forward motion within this torque sweet spot. Electric motors apply maximum torque over most of their operating range. From the instant the power is applied by the driver (be that human or robotic) the tyres are under peak stress. Any deficiency within the tyre will be magnified with detrimental results. Such a deficiency may be of a manufacturing nature but this is largely controllable by the manufacturer. What is not currently controllable is the human maintenance factor, the applied inflation pressure.

Tyre manufacturers have for as long as they have been manufacturing tyres been informative about the criticality of appropriate tyre inflation. There are untold charts and pictorials showing how a tyre is influenced by under or over inflation yet our regulators and legislators continue to keep their heads buried deep out of the light. WHY when tyres are such a critical component of our modern-day motor vehicle? I would charge ignorance and negligence on one hand but then on the other suggest that because tyres work as well as they do, are as forgiving (by nature of their fundamental flexible design) our “guiding powers” can focus on other trendy and glamorous aspects such as stability control or autonomous braking. An important question for these people to consider and respond to; “what item on the vehicle transfers the power (and so directly influence these vehicle control systems) from the vehicle to the pavement (be that power tractive or retardation)? Yes of course, the humble tyre.

So, when a government sponsored or publicly funded body involved in road safety ignores tyres (for whatever reason, ignorance or negligence) are they really serving the interests of our communities and societies or are they just -- I should stop there but you know where I’m going!

The technology to monitor tyre pressures in real time is and has now been available for decades. The TREAD Act (USA) mandated tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS) for light vehicles in the USA in the year 2000. This year TPMS gets a key for its birthday, yes well and truly a mature product (some may say adult) and industry yet, our regulators and legislators continue to ignore the humble tyre.

The upsides of maintaining tyres at an appropriate pressure I’ve discussed previously, all positive. The same detail has been published in many papers (such as the TNO paper!) but we as an industry continue to live in the past whilst adopting hi-tech solutions for other aspects of our industries, e.g., GPS tracking, fatigue monitoring, reefer monitoring and control, real time video surveillance of the drivers and the surrounding traffic conditions. Why? To me there is little respect paid to the critical role the tyre provides for us. So many users do not consider how the tyre works for them and why the simplest of tasks will enhance the performance, yes, I speak of inflation maintenance. Without respect the tyre will never be recognised for the contribution it has made and continues to make.

I publicly and openly challenge our tyre manufacturers as a collective to mount an education campaign to enhance the level of respect the general public has about tyres. The TIA (US) and USTMA have local campaigns on behalf of their members but I consider that until the tyre manufacturers as a collective industry actual improve the level of respect for the humble tyre we will be chasing our tails on a race to the bottom. Our tyres deserve better!

What about Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, BKT, Dunlop, ZC Rubber, Hankook, Pirelli, Toyo, Sumitomo, Yokohama, Kumho, MRF, Apollo, Nokian, JKTyres, Cooper, Titan, Linglong, Triangle et al?

Remember success does not reward a lack of action. (TT)

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), has reinforced its technical support for the sixth round of the 2026 season, the Vodafone Rally de Portugal, being held from 7 to 10 May in Matosinhos in the country’s northern region. The company is supplying its extreme all-terrain Dynapro R213 tyre, engineered for gravel stability, which is available in both Hard and Soft compound options. This tyre features a high-strength casing and an optimised tread pattern designed to disperse impact from sharp rocks and maintain grip even under high-speed, high-stress driving conditions.

As one of the most historic fixtures on the WRC calendar, Rally de Portugal has been a cornerstone event since the championship’s inaugural season in 1973. The 2026 edition is based at the Exponor service park near Porto and includes 23 special stages with a total competitive distance of roughly 345 kilometres. The route blends fast-paced sections with technically demanding areas, challenging crews with a soft, sandy gravel surface that deteriorates rapidly as cars make repeated passes. While the first run demands stable performance on limited grip, the second pass exposes deeper ruts and sharper rocks, making tyre durability and handling decisive.

A particular focus is the Amarante stage, the longest of the rally at approximately 26 kilometres, which features a mix of tight hairpin turns and high-speed straights. Drivers must carefully balance aggressive tactics with tyre preservation, placing a premium on strategic decision-making. The Dynapro R213’s two-compound system allows teams to adapt flexibly to evolving stage conditions, with the Hard compound offering resilience against cuts and the Soft compound providing extra mechanical grip on looser surfaces.

Beyond technical support, Hankook is operating its ‘Brand World’ booth inside the service park throughout the event. This interactive space aims to elevate the premium image of the global brand with a motorsport heritage exhibition, racing simulators, branded merchandise and dedicated photo zones. Visitors are offered an immersive brand experience that complements the intense competition, as Hankook continues to demonstrate its engineering capabilities across one of the most abrasive and unpredictable rallies on the WRC schedule.

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Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp (Toyo Tires) launched the 2026 Championship Off-Road (COR) racing season with a dominant three-class victory sweep, led by drivers Johnny Greaves in Pro-4, Ryan Beat in Pro-2, and Wyatt Miller in Prospec. The opening weekend, held for the second straight year at the Show-Me Shootout on the 1.2-mile short course at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, saw Beat’s Pro-2 truck run on off-the-shelf 35x12.50R17 Open Country C/T tyres, while Greaves relied on off-the-shelf 35x12.50R17 Toyo Open Country R/T Trail tyres for his Pro-4 win.

During Saturday’s round one, Ryan Beat in the number 51 Bilstein / Toyo Tires / Rockstar Energy / Chevrolet truck seized the lead on lap two and never gave it up, securing Team Toyo’s first Pro-2 victory of the 2026 campaign. The following day’s round two featured Johnny Greaves piloting the number 22 Monster Energy / Toyota / Toyo Tires Pro-4 truck to an early-season checkered flag, while reigning Prospec champion Wyatt Miller, in the number 73 Bass Pro Shops / Toyo Tires / Chevrolet entry, added another win to start his title defence.

With the season-opening weekend complete, the COR series now prepares for the Antigo Off-Road National scheduled for 29–31 May 2026 at the Langlade County Motorplex in Antigo, Wisconsin.

Greaves said, “It felt great to show up for the first race weekend and take a win, along with a third-place finish. It was a strong way to start the season.”

Beat said, “I’m super happy to kick off another season with a win! The team has been putting in the work, and it shows. As the series continues, tyres become the difference-maker, and our Toyos were dialled all weekend.”

Adrian Puente, Manager – Events, Motorsports and Technical, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp, said, “After an incredibly successful 2025 season, it’s great to see Team Toyo drivers in the winner’s circle on opening weekend in Wheatland. Wins across three classes on off-the-shelf Toyo tyres highlight the quality of our products and their championship-winning-pedigree.”

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Liberty Tire Recycling’s SmartMIX rubber asphalt additive (RMA) has taken centre stage as a key component as the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), alongside Alabama State Parks and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, was named a finalist in the Market Development Excellence category of the inaugural Circle of Change Awards launched by the Tire Recycling Foundation (TRF).

For its award-nominated project, Alabama State Parks selected Liberty Tire Recycling’s SmartMIX to resurface roads and parking areas at public parks. Unlike complex liquid modifiers, the SmartMIX additive from Liberty Tire Recycling offers a simpler, cost-effective solution that improves asphalt compaction, flexibility and overall durability. Manufactured entirely from recycled tyres, the material itself remains recyclable, helping Alabama’s project boost pavement longevity while generating steady, long-term demand for recycled tyre rubber.

The Tire Recycling Foundation launched this national recognition programme to honour efforts that create lasting, expandable demand for products derived from scrap tyres, integrating such materials into conventional infrastructure and public works. The award category recognises initiatives that embed recycled tyre materials into mainstream infrastructure and public works programmes.

Winners of the Circle of Change Awards, including the Market Development Excellence category, will be announced on 14 May 2026, during the Tire Recycling Conference Awards Luncheon in Denver, Colorado.

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Infiniteria has appointed Proman as its Engineering, Procurement and Construction partner for a circular tyre recycling facility in Uddevalla, Sweden. This collaboration marks a decisive move towards establishing what the company describes as Europe’s leading circular tyre recycling business, with the Uddevalla site serving as the cornerstone for a future network of industrial-scale plants across the continent.

The company specialises in transforming end-of-life tyres into high-value recovered materials, aiming to accelerate the transition to a more resilient circular economy. The Uddevalla facility stands as Infiniteria’s flagship project and represents the initial phase of a broader European expansion strategy.

Committed offtake agreements are already in place with major customers including Preem, Nokian Tyres and Michelin, underscoring strong industrial demand for the recovered materials.

Kajsa Ryttberg-Wallgren, CEO, Infiniteria, said, “Bringing Proman on board as our partner is a major step forward for Uddevalla. They have a proven track record in delivering complex industrial plants, and the discipline and capability they bring mark a decisive step towards starting operations. We are fully committed to Uddevalla as the long-term home of our flagship facility, to our customers and to building Europe’s leading circular tyre recycling business.”

Francisco Carlos, Managing Director, Proman Portugal, said, “We appreciate the confidence and trust placed in Proman by Infiniteria as we take on the role of Engineering, Procurement and Construction partner in the Uddevalla project. Proman brings strong global expertise and experience to the project, including project management, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of complex industrial facilities. We look forward to working with Infiniteria to progress the Uddevalla project towards successful completion.”

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