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)

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has approved a plan to close its last two chemical manufacturing plants in the United States, located in Niagara Falls, New York, and Bayport, Texas. This decision, made on 29 September 2026, signifies the company's complete withdrawal from the chemical sector as it seeks to streamline operations and concentrate solely on its core tyre products and services.

The decommissioning process is set to begin immediately, with operations at the Niagara Falls facility potentially ceasing by 31 October 2026. The full shutdown is expected to be largely finished by the end of 2027. This move will result in roughly 85 job losses across both sites. Goodyear anticipates total pre-tax exit charges between USD 55 million and USD 75 million, yet projects an annual boost of USD 15 million to USD 20 million to its Americas segment operating income starting in 2027.

This announcement follows the company's October 2025 sale of most of its polymer and chemical operations to a Gemspring Capital Management affiliate for USD 650 million. The Niagara Falls plant, operational since 1946, has also been under heavy regulatory scrutiny and investigative reporting concerning emissions of ortho-toluidine, a known carcinogen, which allegedly surpassed legal limits.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) celebrated the critical role its customer service teams play in shaping the customer experience with the Customer Service Appreciation Week 2026, recognising them as the vital connection between customers and the many internal teams working together to deliver on company commitments.

This year’s theme, ‘The Extra Mile’, honours the dedication behind that work, including coordinating complex logistics, anticipating customer needs, connecting customers with appropriate expertise and navigating unexpected challenges. Teams bring together people, information and solutions to keep customers moving forward, often making a difference through extra follow-up, proactive updates or determination to find a solution.

Levi Neufeld noted that the EVAL customer service team keeps the customer at the centre of every decision, a commitment shared across all service teams. For Dental, Dinesh Weerasinghe said going the extra mile means understanding each customer’s needs, providing accurate guidance and ensuring nothing is left unresolved. Tim Davis pointed to the PVOH team’s strength in supporting one another through heavy workloads, weather disruptions and unexpected challenges to provide seamless service.

Christian Amad emphasised AIS’s role as the first point of contact, ensuring customers receive needed information and products on time. David Steinberg highlighted Elastomers’ can-do attitude, which helps the team stay flexible and work effectively across three business units and product lines. Across all teams, that extra effort builds customer trust. KAI thanked each member for their responsiveness, knowledge, teamwork and care.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Hankook Tire, a leading global tyre company under Hankook & Company Group, has earned a place on the ‘World’s Best Companies 2026’ list compiled by the US weekly news magazine TIME. Since 2023, TIME has collaborated with global market research firm Statista to identify the world’s top 1,000 companies annually, evaluating factors such as employee satisfaction, three-year company growth and Statista’s key ESG indicators.

The selection was driven in part by sustained performance growth over the past three years. Hankook Tire’s tyre division reported revenue of KRW 10.3186 trillion in 2025, exceeding KRW 10 trillion for the first time since the company’s founding. This achievement was supported by an expanded premium-focused portfolio and stable sales in major global markets.

Sustainability management has also yielded notable results. The company has broadened its renewable energy procurement, including a long-term power purchase agreement for its Hungary plant signed in February, and now holds international ISCC PLUS certification at four production sites: Geumsan, Hungary, Daejeon and Jiaxing in China. Its recently published ‘2025/26 ESG Report’ introduced a group-wide ESG management framework and an integrated materiality assessment system, with transparent disclosure of key outcomes in sustainable materials, supply chain management and human rights.

Beyond these efforts, Hankook Tire continues creating social value through its group’s integrated ESG brand. It is advancing a ‘Mobility-Tech’ strategy incorporating artificial intelligence and data while adding eco-friendly vehicle models to its flagship ‘Vehicle Sharing’ social contribution programme and expanding it into a demand-tailored support model. The company has set a ‘2050 Net-Zero’ goal, became the first Korean tyre company to receive SBTi approval for 2030 reduction targets in 2023 and earned FIA 3-Star Environmental Accreditation in 2024. It was also named to TIME and Statista’s ‘World’s Most Sustainable Companies’ list and the Financial Times and Statista’s ‘Asia-Pacific Climate Leaders’ list in 2024.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Tegeta Green Planet was represented by its director, Shalva Akhvlediani, at the 4th IRF Europe & Central Asia Regional Congress & Exhibition, convened by the International Road Federation (IRF Global). The three-day gathering assembled specialists possessing international and regional expertise, alongside public and private sector delegates and researchers, to deliberate on pressing matters concerning road infrastructure development.

Sustainable, Smart and Safe Roads for Sustainable Economic Growth served as the congress's central theme. Akhvlediani took part in a session titled ‘Sustainable Road Infrastructure: Climate Risks, Emissions and Long-Term Efficiency’, which examined methods for reinforcing the resilience and sustainability of road infrastructure across its complete lifecycle, spanning planning, design, construction, maintenance and renewal.

Climate change adaptation, low-carbon materials, circular economy approaches and environmental efficiency featured among the session's principal subjects, together with solutions guaranteeing road infrastructure's durable, long-term performance. Akhvlediani shared Tegeta Green Planet's expertise and outlook, noting that the company's operations accord directly with circular economy principles by converting waste into resources and advancing responsible waste management.

Operating within Extended Producer Responsibility, Tegeta Green Planet occupies a significant role in Georgia's collection and management of specific waste streams, including used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries. This practical experience illustrates how circular economy principles can be embedded in real business and infrastructure solutions. Congress discussions additionally addressed international experience exchange and practical approaches for strengthening infrastructure resilience, environmental efficiency and long-term durability.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!