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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MAXAM Tire has expanded its MS453 PRO line with the release of a new 24.00R35 size, designed specifically for rigid dump trucks operating in severe mining and aggregate environments. The premium tyre offers improved TMPH and TKPH capabilities alongside higher load capacity to boost productivity and extend service life under extreme conditions.

Engineered with a three-star casing to support heavy-haul rigid trucks, the new MS453 PRO model features an innovative self-cleaning two-stage tread void design that increases ground contact and grip for superior stability. Multiple tread compound options allow customisation to various site requirements, while a unique shoulder tie bar reduces lug deflection and stabilises the tread shoulder. Reinforced sidewalls, robust bead construction and enhanced steel belts deliver maximum puncture resistance.

With reduced void length to optimise the footprint and wear characteristics, the 24.00R35 addition strengthens MAXAM’s reputation as a reliable partner for global mining operations. The company continues to provide practical and advanced tire solutions that maximise performance where it matters most.

Jimmy McDonnell, VP – Sales & Marketing, MAXAM Tire, said, “At MAXAM, we know that mining & quarry operations demand more than just a tyre; they demand a solution that yields higher load capacity along with reliability that drives productivity. The new 3-star 24.00R35 MS453 PRO reflects our commitment to providing customers the confidence to take on tougher demands while lowering their total operating costs.”

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Goodyear is heading back to the lunar surface as part of a major new space initiative. Under NASA’s Artemis programme, the tyre manufacturer will equip Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) with specialised tyres designed for astronaut missions scheduled to begin in 2028.

The Pegasus vehicle is built for the harsh conditions of the Moon’s South Pole, where extreme temperatures, rocky ground and low gravity pose constant challenges. Goodyear’s lunar tyres will help astronauts travel longer distances and conduct scientific work safely, relying on engineering developed from decades of Earth-based and space-based experience.

Lunar Outpost leads the vehicle’s development alongside General Motors, Goodyear and Leidos. This partnership combines expertise from multiple industries to support the next phase of human exploration, aligning with Goodyear’s broader goal of leading tyre innovation both on Earth and in space.

Chris Helsel, Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, said, "From breaking land speed records to traversing the Moon's surface to pushing the limits of the world's toughest race circuits, Goodyear innovations have been helping people travel safely on their own journeys for more than 125 years. Goodyear tyres first left tread marks on the Moon during the Apollo mission, and since then, Goodyear technology and the people behind it have kept making tyres worth bragging about."

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Tana Oy, a Finnish environmental technology company specialising in manufacturing mobile solid waste shredders, screens and landfill compactors, has unveiled a new digital tool called Tana Wingman, designed as an operator assistant for its line of TANA shredders. The system transmits live hopper camera footage and real-time equipment metrics directly to machine operators, with the stated goals of improving on-site safety and boosting processing efficiency. This digital assistant allows for more attentive monitoring of the shredding action and faster reactions to fluctuating feed conditions.

The solution is available as an optional upgrade for TANA Hammerhead and TANA Shark models, merging visual oversight with performance data on a tablet interface positioned inside the loading machine. Operators gain immediate access to critical readings without exiting their cabin, which promotes quicker judgments, consistent material flow and a safer work environment. A notable feature is its self-contained design, as Tana Wingman functions entirely on-site without relying on cloud servers or an internet link, keeping all data local.

This release strengthens Tana’s wider strategy of delivering smarter waste management through connected machinery, embedding practical intelligence directly into daily operations. By adding this tool to its digital suite, the company continues to focus on practical, machine-level enhancements rather than cloud-dependent solutions.

Retrofit kits are available for existing D series TANA Hammerhead and TANA Shark shredders, while new machines can receive the system during production. The setup uses a local Wi-Fi connection between the shredder and any commercial Android tablet running the Tana Wingman application, downloadable from the Google Play Store, with no need for proprietary hardware. Among the reported benefits are superior hopper visibility, fewer interruptions to leave the cabin, safer feeding practices, reduced risk of loader damage, transparent production capacity readouts and fully localised operation. Further details are accessible through authorised Tana distributors.

Petteri Tiainen, Product Marketing Manager – Digital Solutions, Tana Oy, said, “Tana Wingman gives operators immediate access to the information they need exactly where they need it. By combining a live hopper view with machine data, it supports faster decision-making, smoother material flow and safer day-to-day operation.”

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Citira, a Sweden-based company specialising in circular tyre management, has reached an agreement to acquire the Swedish truck and bus maintenance firm Malte Månson from the private equity group Accent Equity. The combination of Citira’s tyre expertise with Malte Månson’s vehicle servicing is designed to create a convenient, full-service offering for heavy vehicle fleets initially in Sweden, with further expansion planned across Europe.

For 108 years, Malte Månson has operated as a renowned independent maintenance partner for truck and bus operators throughout Sweden. The company has established a strong reputation for reliable day-and-night service, comprehensive drivetrain and ancillary equipment repairs and a warm customer approach. In 2025, the firm reported revenues of SEK 773 million (approximately USD 82.31 million).

The transaction remains subject to standard closing conditions and regulatory approvals, with finalisation expected in the third quarter of 2026. Following the deal, Staffan Lindewald and his fellow members of the management team are set to become co-owners of Citira.

David Boman, CEO, Citira, said, “Together with Malte, we can build a unique service offering for heavy vehicle fleets and users, delivering convenient and sustainable uptime, with only one point of contact for the customer. I am deeply impressed by the high-calibre team at Malte, which will be an excellent fit with our network of tyre shops.”

Staffan Lindewald, CEO, Malte Månson, said, “Citira felt like a natural fit for Malte. We share a position as an independent service-focused challenger. We share the same type of heavy vehicle customers for which we provide complementary services. With Citira, we can reach more customers, provide additional services to our existing ones and accelerate Malte’s growth journey.”

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