By Sharad Matade

As part of its sustainability efforts, Continental aims at using at least ten percent of natural rubber derived from Russian dandelion roots in its tyre and industrial rubber goods production in future.

“We have undertaken a huge research task to meet ten percent of our requirement of natural rubber from dandelion roots. It is a long-term process,” Dr Carla Recker, Head of Expertfield Materials Chemistry & Taraxagum, told Tyre Trends in an interview. “It will take decades to complement natural rubber from Hevea brasiliensis with natural rubber from dandelion plants at an industrialised level. However, the company does not intend to replace NR from Hevea brasiliensis trees.”

According to Dr Carsten Venz, Site Manager at Taraxagum Lab Anklam, “Dandelion will be an additional source of natural rubber, not a replacement to rubber trees, in the coming years.”

Continental has been consequent on the cultivation and processing of Russian dandelion as an alternative source of raw material to the rubber tree in the tropics. Last year, the company officially opened its research and test laboratory named Taraxagum Lab Anklam in Anklam, Germany, a base for its future research into the cultivation and processing of Russian dandelion, within a year after the ground-breaking ceremony held in November 2017.

“The Taraxagum Lab Anklam is the latest key milestone of our project,” said Dr Recker.

The Taraxagum project is crucial for the company. “The natural rubber from dandelion is important to develop a new alternative and sustainable supply of the raw material” Dr Venz said.

On bicycle tyres

Though the lab was opened last year, Continental started working on the dandelion rubber project in 2011, and the company has already used rubber from dandelion roots in its passenger car tyres, truck tyres and industrial rubber goods. “The latest development on production-side is that we have industrialised bicycle tyres with rubber derived from dandelions. So, you can now buy bicycle tyres of Continental made of dandelion rubber in the market,” Dr Recker said. Continental showcased its first bicycle tyre with dandelion rubber at the Tour de France this year.

Currently, the Taraxagum lab is working on dandelion research, and over the next five to ten years, it will focus on the industrialisation of dandelion rubber and increase the share for the dandelion rubber in its products.

“Continental sees the Russian dandelion as one element of our commitment for sustainable natural rubber as detailed in our Sustainable Natural Rubber Sourcing Policy published in October 2018. At least for us, the Russian dandelion is the most promising alternative source for natural rubber. There might be different sources (to get natural rubber), but that does not fit for us. The Russian dandelion can be grown in different climate zones unlike natural rubber from heave brasiliensis trees which need tropical climates to grow. Rubber trees and the Russian dandelion have the same characteristics, the same chemical structure and the same properties. It is just two plants producing the same material,” says Dr Recker. The advantage of dandelion rubber over rubber from trees is that the former has a generation succession of just three months as compared to seven years for the latter.

Since the dandelion plants can be cultivated in Northern and Western Europe, which makes transportation routes to the European production sites much shorter and contributes to the sustainable use of existing resources, thinks Continental.

However, the major challenge will be the 100 percent replacement of rubber made from trees with dandelion rubber. Dr Recker thinks, yes, technically, dandelion can replace tree rubber by 100 percent, but the more significant challenge will be the industrialisation of dandelion rubber to the level of rubber trees. “We are at a research stage. The amount of dandelion available globally is not enough to replace natural rubber commercially. To create that biological system to industrialise the natural rubber from the dandelion will take some time and we will have to be more patient,” says Dr Recker.

Research is a time and capital consuming task. Synthetic rubber is also coming into tyre production in a more significant way, but the crude oil derived commodity has historically been volatile, and even oil-producing nations are diversifying their businesses citing falling productions and growing focus on cleaner options.

Dandelion rubber is not new to the tyre industry; however, the industry does not seem much keen on dandelion plants as an alternative source for natural rubber. “Not everybody (tyre company) is willing to invest in the early research of dandelion rubber and setting up the entire bio-economy. You have to establish a full value chain from breeding to the production of natural rubber from dandelion plants, which is does not exist yet and not every market player is willing to invest in such a long-term process,” explains Dr Recker.

Since Continental sees dandelion a sustaining resource for natural rubber in the future, it has made a substantial investment for the project. It has already poured in 35 million euros for the project. “Though many of our peers are investing in other resources to get natural rubber, I think we are quite unique investing like the way we are to explore alternative resources for natural rubber,” says Dr Venz.

Over 90 percent of natural rubber derives from South East Asia, a tropical region suitable for natural rubber trees. However, erratic climate behaviour is hitting production of natural rubber in this region. Natural rubber producers are also exploring other areas to grow natural rubber trees. According to Dr Recker, the research project has yet to ascertain the survival scope of the Russian dandelion in changing climates. “I believe that Dandelion will grow in all climate zones,” says Dr Recker.

Yield ratio

As of now, Continental also does not have comparable yield ratios between natural rubber from dandelion and hevea brasiliensis. “We are working on determining the output of natural rubber per acre from both resources,” says Dr Venz. “Usually, between 1 and 1.8 ton per hectare per year is produced from rubber trees, and around the same amount of production per hectare we are expecting from dandelion plants,” estimates Dr Recker.

As part of the value chain creation, the company is focusing on breeding for seed production and harvesting, root production and harvesting, and the extraction process. According to the company, growers also need some time to understand and get hands-on to harvest dandelion plants. Every year climate conditions will determine a different impact on the plants. “We will need to see how the crops will react in different climate and harvesting seasons. We are building a network of farmers in North East Germany from whom we learn and whom we can teach what we have learned,” added Dr Recker.

Fundamental design and development of tires for the mobility of the future will be unchanged; however, tires will be expected to be high performance and eco-friendly. According to Continental executives, for the mobility of the future, natural rubber will remain the core ingredient and dandelion will be one of the sustainable options to provide natural rubber. “Rubber be will be used in future to make high-performance tires, and we are exploring the option to have a sustainable source for natural rubber,” adds Dr Recker.

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CEAT reported a 26 percent year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue to INR 47.62 billion in the second quarter of the 2026-27 financial year, while net profit stood at INR 1.12 billion as higher raw material costs continued to weigh on the tyre maker.

The company’s consolidated earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin was 9.5 percent, according to its unaudited results for the quarter ended 30 September.

Arnab Banerjee, Managing Director and Chief Executive, said revenue growth was supported by premium segments across business units. He added that the conflict in West Asia had kept raw material costs high, prompting the company to tighten cost controls.

CEAT expects to deliver double-digit revenue growth in the second half of the financial year, alongside further price increases, Banerjee said.

On a standalone basis, revenue rose 23 percent year on year to INR 45.48 billion. EBITDA margin was 10.14 percent, while net profit reached INR 1.64 billion.

Kumar Subbiah, Chief Financial Officer, said commodity costs were expected to remain elevated in the third quarter. The company would continue to pursue measured price increases and improve its product mix to manage cost pressures.

Subbiah said debt increased during the quarter, largely because of capital expenditure of close to INR 4.9 billion to expand capacity in areas with high utilisation, as well as dividend payments.

He added that CEAT would maintain financial discipline while investing to meet demand and support profitable growth.

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Michelin has strengthened its retail presence in India by launching two Michelin Tyres & Services outlets in Delhi, located in Dwarka and Karol Bagh. The openings make Michelin's premium tyre range, including the Made-in-India Primacy 5, accessible to customers in west and central Delhi, alongside professional fitment and tyre care. The Dwarka facility was inaugurated by Benjamin Coesnon, Marketing Director India.

The Dwarka outlet, operated with Excellent Tyres, covers 1,500 sft and caters to one of Delhi's largest planned residential sub-cities and its expanding south-west corridor. Excellent Tyres, established in 1994, brings over 30 years of experience in the capital's tyre trade. Meanwhile, the Karol Bagh store, run with Rana Tyres, spans 1,000 sft in a prominent automotive trade hub. Founded in 1977 and now led by its third generation, Rana Tyres contributes nearly five decades of technical knowledge and a loyal clientele.

The expansion reflects Michelin's sustained commitment to India. Its distribution network now exceeds 800 points of sale, while over INR 28 billion has been invested in the Chennai manufacturing plant. A further INR 6.86 billion went into a passenger car tyre line that now produces the Primacy 5 for Indian buyers. The new stores aim to deliver safer, more durable and higher-performing mobility.

Shantanu Deshpande, Managing Director, Michelin India, said, " Delhi is one of the largest premium car markets in the country. Expanding our presence in Delhi will provide accessibility to today's customers and serve the next wave of premium car owners. With the Made-in-India Primacy 5 now available at these stores, customers in the capital can get Michelin's globally benchmarked safety and longevity, backed by expert service from trusted partners. India remains a key growth market for Michelin, and Delhi is central to how we continue to build our presence."

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Pirelli has completed the renewal of its winter range with the Scorpion Winter 3, a tyre developed for SUVs in cold-weather conditions. That segment now accounts for more than half the global market and brings distinctive traits, notably greater weight and a higher centre of gravity, which demand dedicated internal structures and tread patterns.

The result is a tyre balancing performance across the many conditions of winter, from snow and wet roads to dry asphalt. It overcomes a traditional winter tyre compromise, giving SUV drivers consistent strength even in demanding situations, a claim already supported by a first independent test that ranked it best among its competitors. At launch, every size carries an A wet-grip rating on the EU tyre label, with noise between classes A and B. For the growing electric and plug-in hybrid portion of this segment, Pirelli also offers Elect technology, engineered specifically for those powertrains.

Development began with how tyres behave under heavy loads. The contact patch was redesigned to optimise pressure peaks, critical for mileage and even wear on heavy vehicles. This produced the generation's first major innovation: as the tread wears, the active edges within the contact patch, and therefore snow and wet grip, stay consistent over time. A dedicated carcass and tread design were likewise engineered for high vehicle weights.

The tread geometry adopts several Cinturato Winter 3 solutions, that tyre having recently won a test by the independent German association ADAC. These include a zigzag central groove for water evacuation and lateral snow grip, patented Snow Keeper Teeth that retain snow in the grooves to exploit snow-on-snow contact, and a high void ratio that aids snow and wet performance while countering aquaplaning. SUV-specific additions include stiffer tread blocks for handling and wear resistance under load, plus calibrated sipe density to preserve dry-road behaviour.

The compound draws on P Zero Winter 2 experience, using specific polymers such as Dual-Core Polymer, whose dual mechanism improves grip across conditions, while plasticisers broaden the operating temperature range. Engineers at Bicocca made extensive use of advanced Virtual Development techniques, simulating variables for precise results while cutting development time and prototypes, and driving simulators from static to dynamic helped target dry handling and enjoyment. The Pirelli Sottozero Center in Swedish Lapland enabled year-round snow and ice testing, partly indoors.

Launching in 30 sizes from 18 to 22 inches, the tyre offers Elect technology, which can raise electric and plug-in hybrid range by up to 10 percent, the Pirelli Noise Cancelling System that reduces perceived cabin noise via internal sound-absorbing material and Seal Inside for pressure retention after external punctures. It joins the Scorpion family begun in 1986 for high-riding vehicles and first fitted to the Lamborghini LM002, now spanning summer, winter and all-season road and off-road products with a strong original equipment focus. It adds to more than 1,200 homologations, including bespoke work for Aston Martin, Porsche, Lamborghini, Lotus, Audi, BMW, JLR and NIO. With winter tyre or snow chain rules starting 15 November, it completes a Winter range fully renewed over two years, alongside P Zero Winter 2 and Cinturato Winter 3.

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Tyres Europe has joined 44 European organisations in backing a joint statement spearheaded by European Metals, which urges EU Member States to endorse a more rapid and robust application of the bloc’s trade defence arsenal. The statement advocates for extra personnel within DG TRADE’s trade defence units and greater reliance on existing instruments while pressing the Commission to introduce a fresh policy toolkit targeting state-driven market distortions.

For the tyre industry, these concerns carry direct consequences. European tyre production remains capital-intensive, encompassing over 70 plants, including retreading operations, alongside roughly 20 research and development centres. Of the 398 million tyres newly fitted across the EU in 2024, approximately 40 percent originated beyond the Union’s borders. In recent tyre proceedings, trade patterns evolved more swiftly than the EU could respond, both prior to and following the imposition of measures.

On 5 October, Tyres Europe published its position paper, ‘Towards a more effective EU Trade Defence Policy’, outlining its recommendations. Mirroring the joint statement, the paper requests additional resources for DG TRADE and advocates launching work on a new instrument designed to tackle systemic distortions.

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