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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Tyres Europe has joined a broad coalition of European industry associations urging the European Commission to fix persistent flaws, gaps and technical limitations in the EU Deforestation Regulation’s Information System before the rules take effect on 30 December 2026. The system serves as the central pillar of the EUDR, designed to ensure traceability and compliance within highly complex supply chains.

Industry feedback highlights major shortcomings, particularly restrictions on aggregating Due Diligence Statements and a lack of essential functions for business users. These issues threaten to impose heavy administrative burdens and create operational uncertainty for companies trying to meet the regulation’s requirements.

The coalition is demanding that the Commission make the system not only legally compliant but also operationally practical, thoroughly stress-tested and adapted to real-world business practices. A reliable and user-friendly platform is deemed critical for supporting compliance while protecting the uninterrupted supply of key commodities and products into the European market.

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Van den Ban Autobanden has announced the passing of its founder, Arie van den Ban, with deep sorrow. He was a familiar and respected figure both inside and outside the organisation.

Establishing the company in 1968, Arie van den Ban used vision, entrepreneurship and determination to transform it into an international tyre wholesaler and distributor serving global customers. The company looks back with great respect and gratitude on his profound contributions.

The company statement read: “For many, both within and beyond the company, Arie was a familiar and respected figure. His influence on the organisation and the people around him will be felt for years to come. We look back with great respect and gratitude on everything he has meant to Van den Ban Autobanden.”

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Nokian Tyres has once again secured a position on the Financial Times’ Europe’s Climate Leaders list, maintaining a perfect record since the ranking first launched in 2021. The annual recognition, compiled jointly by the Financial Times and research firm Statista, evaluates data from approximately 3,000 European companies. Being featured highlights the Finnish tyre manufacturer’s measurable advancements in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Out of 600 companies selected across all industries for their five-year emission reduction progress, Nokian Tyres placed 29th overall. Within the automobiles and components sector, only one other firm joined it in the top 100, and Nokian Tyres emerged as the highest-ranking tyre manufacturer on the entire list. The company’s strong performance underscores its leadership within its specific industry segment.

ductions in both absolute greenhouse gas emissions and emissions intensity, alongside broader climate commitments and collaboration with external sustainability assessors such as CDP and the Science Based Targets initiative. These combined criteria determine the final order of Europe’s most climate-progressive companies.

Susanna Tusa, VP – Public Affairs and Sustainability, Nokian Tyres, said, “From using mostly renewable energy to building the world’s first full‑scale zero‑CO₂‑emissions tyre factory, our climate actions help pave the way for more sustainable mobility. We want to offer drivers safe, high‑quality tyres that are made with continuously lower environmental impact as we continue moving towards net‑zero greenhouse gas emissions. This ranking by the Financial Times is a great recognition of our work.”

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Indian tyre exports reached a record INR 273.12 billion in FY2025-26, rising 9 per cent from INR 250.57 billion in the previous financial year, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce.

The increase marks the second consecutive year of 9 percent growth in tyre exports, highlighting the industry's ability to sustain overseas demand despite geopolitical uncertainty and slower global economic growth.

The United States remained the largest export market for Indian tyres, accounting for 15 percent of total export value at INR 40.82 billion during FY2025-26. However, its share declined from 17 per cent a year earlier after the US administration increased tariffs on Indian tyre imports from 25 per cent to 50 per cent in August 2025.

The higher tariffs reduced the competitiveness of Indian tyres against products from countries benefiting from lower trade barriers. In February 2026, the US reduced tariffs on most Indian goods from 50 per cent to 18 per cent, providing some relief to exporters.

Arun Mammen, chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association, said the industry had delivered strong export performance despite disruption to global supply chains, higher logistics costs and trade uncertainty across key markets.

Through market diversification, cost optimisation and policy support, Indian tyre manufacturers-maintained export momentum during the year.

After the US, the leading export destinations for Indian tyres were Germany, which accounted for 7 percent of exports, followed by Italy and Brazil at 5 per cent each, and France at 4 percent. Indian tyres are now exported to more than 170 countries.

"The tyre industry has exhibited remarkable resilience and growth in the post-pandemic period. Over the last four to five years, tyre manufacturers have invested approximately INR 300 billion across greenfield and brownfield projects, reflecting strong confidence in India's long-term economic prospects and its emergence as a global manufacturing hub" added Mammen.

India's tyre industry has an estimated annual turnover of about INR 1 trillion, with exports accounting for more than one-quarter of total industry turnover.

The industry said geopolitical developments, including the West Asia crisis, continued to pose challenges through supply chain disruption, higher energy costs and inflationary pressure. However, manufacturers remain optimistic about long-term export prospects, supported by trade agreements and deeper integration into global value chains.

"As global supply chains continue to evolve, India is increasingly being recognised as a reliable sourcing destination for high-quality tyres. Supported by technological advancements, sustainability initiatives and favourable trade engagements, the Indian tyre industry is well positioned to strengthen its role in global markets in the years ahead," added Mammen.

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