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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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced that Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd. (YTRC), its Thai subsidiary focused on natural rubber processing, earned the Outstanding Provincial-Level CSR Organization Award. The honour formed part of the ‘CSR Award 2026’ initiative run by Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the presentation took place on 22 August 2026.

Built around the idea of ‘CSR Partnerships for Sustainable Thailand’, the award programme highlights organisations demonstrating exemplary corporate social responsibility at provincial or metropolitan level throughout the country’s 76 provinces and Bangkok. A total of 92 recipients – among them YTRC, other firms and bodies chosen nationwide and provincial CSR centres – convened at IMPACT Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi Province to collect commemorative plaques.

Governor Jumpot Wannachatsiri (left) presents flowers to YTRC Managing Director Noboru Takita (centre) and Department Manager Supachai Choosuwan at the Surat Thani Provincial Council.

YTRC, established in Surat Thani Province in 2008, has long pursued environmental preservation and dependable ties with nearby communities. Working with the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), it surveys natural rubber plantations and supplies management assistance to farmers, supporting sustainable procurement of the material. The company further backs agroforestry practices that give rubber farmers steadier incomes while partnering with the Surat Thani Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security on efforts to nurture constructive community relations.

The recognition reflects YTRC’s continuous community-oriented CSR work and its notable local impact. A special event on 31 August saw the Surat Thani Provincial Council once more acknowledge those contributions, with the governor presenting a celebratory bouquet. Separately, the CSR Center of Surat Thani Province ranked among only nine centres nationwide to win the Outstanding Provincial CSR Promotion Center Award.

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Hankook Tire has unveiled a new generation of winter tyres for trucks, introducing the Smart Control AW53 for steering axles and the Smart Control DW53 for drive axles. Designed for harsh winter conditions, these models will eventually replace the previous Smart Control AW02 and DW07 winter tyres. They combine high traction on snow and ice with strong cornering and braking performance, along with high mileage. The pair debuts at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, where the company exhibits from 15 to 20 September at stand E09 in hall 11.

Development prioritised strong winter performance across the tyres' full lifespan. Hankook achieves improved winter traction through advanced technology and a blend of tread features. Zigzag grooves and 3D sipes add grip on snow and ice, while tie bars stiffen tread blocks, supporting precise handling and stable driving.

Internal testing at the UTAC Test Centre in Ivalo, Finland, showed the AW53 and DW53 outperforming the earlier AW02 and DW07 models. Braking on snow improved by 2.8 percent, acceleration by 4 percent and handling by 3.7 percent. Central to the design is Hidden Groove technology, in which extra tread grooves emerge as wear progresses, maintaining snow traction and wet grip even when well worn. At 40 percent wear, additional 3D sipes appear, increasing tread block stiffness and improving grip while lowering rolling resistance. At 70 percent wear, further concealed grooves enhance wet grip. Alongside self-regenerating sipes, this sustains winter performance across the service life and extends it by as much as 15 percent.

Stone ejectors in the main grooves and Y-shaped lateral grooves reduce stone retention and shield the tread and carcass from damage. A newly developed compound further contributes to balanced grip. At launch, the AW53 comes in size 385/65 R22.5 164K (158L), rated for 5,000 kg per tyre. The DW53 is offered in size 315/80 R22.5 (156/150L), with a maximum load of 4,000 kg per tyre for single fitments or 3,350 kg for twin fitments. More sizes are planned. All new Smart Control winter tyres carry the 3PMSF label and both can be regrooved and retreaded to extend their working life further.

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Dunlop Motorcycle Europe is set to back teams and riders contending for championship honours at the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) finale, the 89th Bol d’Or, held at Circuit Paul Ricard.

The tyre manufacturer will assist 43 teams in total, serving as exclusive tyre supplier to all 24 Superstock and 13 Production Trophy entrants. Five manufacturers will contest the Production Trophy’s second title, while six privateer squads in the open-tyre Formula EWC class have opted for Dunlop, among them the No. 6 ERC Endurance Team, which recorded a 1:52.173 best lap in Bol d’Or testing.

The season-closing 24-hour race poses a demanding mix of technical corners and fast stretches, notably the 1.8-kilometre Mistral Straight, alongside day-to-night running and traditionally changeable weather that may test both dry and wet KR allocations.

Dunlop will provide its established KR108 and KR109 slicks, plus a latest-generation medium front specification, developed as G2_01 VAL3 and validated with EWC teams in 2025 for improved durability and performance. The range targets single-lap speed and multi-stint longevity, with intermediate and wet tyres available for all conditions.

David Auerbacher, International Motorcycle Race Event Leader, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “We’re excited to return to Circuit Paul Ricard for the season finale, where both the Superstock and Production Trophy champions will be crowned. It’s been another strong season for Dunlop across all categories, as we celebrate five years as the exclusive tyre supplier to the Superstock Trophy and two years supporting the Production Trophy. Both categories have continued to grow and develop, while leading privateer teams also continue to choose Dunlop as they fight for wins and podiums in the Formula EWC class. We’re looking forward to an exciting season finale and are proud to support all the teams and riders as they battle for championship success at the biggest race of the EWC calendar.”

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The Tyre Recovery Association convened its Briefing Day 2026 at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Warwickshire, drawing more than 100 senior figures from the UK tyre recovery, retreading, retail and manufacturing sectors alongside national regulators, parliamentarians and trade bodies. The event served as a platform to press for meaningful reforms covering tyre recovery, green procurement and domestic circular resilience.

Tessa Munt, the MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, delivered a keynote address that attacked the enduring disconnect between government policy rhetoric and industrial reality. Drawing on her parliamentary work regarding end-of-life tyre exports to India and her engagement with Somerset businesses, she condemned official inaction and set out four priority areas for reform, criticising a reliance on superficial slogans while domestic capacity lies stranded.

The MP highlighted what she described as a double standard, noting that the Environment Agency imposes strict Digital Waste Tracking on compliant domestic operators while granting misplaced goodwill and deadline extensions to non-compliant overseas exporters. Before the rules were diluted, proof-of-arrival compliance stood at just 20 percent. She further noted that more than 150,000 tonnes of licensed UK recycling and remanufacturing capacity remains entirely idle while raw waste is shipped abroad.

Her proposed reforms comprised the immediate statutory withdrawal of T8 exemptions to establish an audited permit regime, adoption of the Australian shred-only export model to end whole and baled tyre exports, instant revocation of export licences for brokers failing to supply timestamped and geotagged proof of delivery and mandatory green public procurement quotas for remanufactured tyres and rubberised asphalt. The RAC Foundation's Steve Gooding also addressed the conference, explaining that a modest 10 percent rubberised asphalt target in public highway contracts would absorb all idle UK crumb capacity, reduce road noise by three to five decibels and produce longer-lasting roads. Strong participation from the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA), the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA), the British Tyre Manufacturers' Association (BTMA) and the Imported Tyre Manufacturers Association (ITMA) underscored growing cross-sector unity.

Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General, TRA, said, "The TRA Briefing Day proves that the British tyre recovery sector is united, highly innovative and ready to grow. Having around 100 key players and all four leading trade associations in one room shows that our industry is speaking with one voice. If the UK’s tyre recovery sector does not grow, it will soon disappear from these shores. We are gradually making progress in getting government to understand this, but there is a long way to go. We have the domestic processing infrastructure, the technical capability and the private capital ready to build a world-class circular economy. What we lack is a regulator and a government willing to back domestic industry by ending illegal whole tyre exports and enforcing green procurement. Tessa Munt MP highlighted this in her powerful speech. We are very grateful to her, Steve Gooding and all those who spoke yesterday, as well as our sponsors Vaculug, Murfitts and KwickFit. These contributions made the event an overwhelming success. The message from industry is clear: the time for policy talk is over, we need to statutory reform."

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