The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada has recognised outstanding individuals and businesses for their dedication and commitment to excellence in the tyre and rubber industry including end-of-life tyre management businesses and other businesses focused on sustainability. 

The association said in a statement that the TRAC Awards Ceremony took place immediately following its Annual General Meeting on 14 June 2022, at the Alt Hotel Toronto Airport in Mississauga. 

The inaugural Industry Leadership Awards recognised leadership in the following categories: Leader of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Sustainability, and Young Leader. 

Carol Hochu, President and CEO, TRAC, said, “To our delight, we received submissions from many highly qualified industry professionals and companies; and picking any one single winner in most categories proved itself a challenge. That is why we chose to recognise multiple winners in several categories. This year, we are pleased to celebrate 11 individuals and companies who have demonstrated leadership and excellence, and whose contribution to the tyre and rubber industry in the areas of business, innovation, and sustainability had been simply outstanding.” 

Emmie Leung, Founder and CEO of TRAC member firm Emterra Group, has been named Leader of the Year, the release said. For over 45 years, Emmie has led Emterra from a one-woman start-up to one of the largest integrated resource management companies. Emmie’s ability to envision business growth and development in the circular economy has led to Emterra’s expansion into several divisions. Emmie created Emterra Tire Recycling (ETR) in 2005 and has continued to make significant contributions to tyres’ circular economy and became a leading supplier of crumb rubber in Canada. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Don Blythe, Don Campbell, Jim Henderson, and Glenn Maidment in recognition of their outstanding achievements and enduring legacies to the Canadian tyre and rubber industry and to the community at large. 

Don Blythe had over 60 years of experience in the industry. He began his career with Goodyear Saskatoon in 1957. He joined OK Tire in 1972 and was instrumental in forming an OK Tire Franchised Dealer Committee to explore the possibility of the Canadian dealers (49) purchasing OK Tire Stores Canada Ltd. from Ashland Oil (Kentucky). In 1973, a 100 per cent OK franchised dealer-owned marketing group OK Tire Stores Inc. was formed. He was named President of OK Tire in 1983. Don was elected to the Board of the Western Canada Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (today WCTD) in 1982. After retiring from OK Tire in 2003, he became Executive Director for WCTD until 2009. Don was instrumental in establishing Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC) and several end-of-life tire programs in Canada and remained at the helm of TSBC until his passing in 2018. 

The Canadian tyre industry owes Don Campbell a debt of gratitude for his vision and dedication to the industry under Industry Canada and as past president of TRAC (1997–2001). Within the framework of NAFTA negotiations in 1980s, Don championed development of a duty remission programme which allowed rubber companies to claim return of duties in return for new investment in Canada. This duty remission accrued approximately USD 250 million, and the industry invested close to a USD 1 billion in new tyre plants and equipment in Canada. 

Jim has been involved in tire industry, tyre production, and manufacturing for 56 years. He started his life-long tyre industry career with Michelin plants in England and Ireland. 

Glenn Maidment’s tyre and rubber industry career spanned 51 years with 30 years working for the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (formerly Rubber Association of Canada, RAC), and nearly 20 years as the Association’s President. Under his vision, the tyre industry and governments developed sustainable and self-sufficient non-profit enterprises that meet their financial and recycling obligations. He was instrumental in the development and implementation of tyre stewardship regulations and establishment of stewardship organisations responsible for tyre recycling in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. 

In the area of Sustainability, TRAC honoured Kal Tire, Maureen Kline, and Tyromer Inc. for their environmental, economic, and social contributions. 

The Young Leader award recognises inspirational and dedicated young leaders who demonstrate industry leadership in management, innovation, technology and/or sustainability within their organisation or community. This year, TRAC recognised Charley Kriksic, Mark Lin, and James O’Reilly, the release said. 

Charley is a motivated and dedicated industry professional. He is Director of Sales and Marketing with Consumers Tire. In 2021, he was elected to the position of President of the Ontario Tire Dealers Association (OTDA) where he oversees the Association’s activities and continues to encourage the growth and prosperity for the sector. 

As OE Account Manager at TRAC member firm MAXXIS, Mark always seeks ways to bring value to the organisation, team members, and customers. He creates strategies to improve partnerships, business processes, products, and marketing activities. 

James O’Reilly, Vice President of the Trail Tire Group, is a second-generation tyre business professional. He is currently overseeing the Distribution Arm (Trail Tire Supply) as well as the Associate Store Program (Trail Tire Auto Centers) at Trail Tire Group, the release added. (TT)

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Hankook Tire concluded Round 2 of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden, on 15 February in the Umeå region, where its Winter i*Pike SR10W tyre was put to the ultimate test. As the championship’s sole rally tyre supplier, Hankook equipped all competing crews with this dedicated winter tyre, which features specially engineered ice-rally stud pins. Designed to conquer the most severe icy environments, its asymmetric tread pattern works in tandem with the studs to provide exceptional grip, powerful braking and unwavering high-speed stability on frozen surfaces.

Rally Sweden, first held in 1950, is unique on the calendar as the only event contested entirely on snow and ice. Crews were challenged by 18 special stages covering around 300 kilometres, with competition intensified by speeds reaching up to 200 kmph and rapid temperature fluctuations. These punishing conditions demanded precise car control, reliable tyre traction and steadfast braking performance, making the choice of the Winter i*Pike SR10W critical for success.

Following a fierce contest, Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin claimed victory by a margin of 14.3 seconds, securing their second consecutive win in Sweden. Having also finished second in the season opener at Rallye Monte-Carlo, this result propelled the pairing to the top of the championship standings with 60 points.

The WRC now turns its attention to the formidable Safari Rally Kenya, scheduled for 12 to 15 March 2026 near Naivasha. This event is renowned as one of the most gruelling on the circuit, where crews must navigate extreme heat, mud from heavy rainfall and rapidly changing weather.

Hankook’s commitment to the sport extends beyond event supply. The company continues to refine its high-performance rally technology through intensive collaboration with the FIA and major automotive manufacturers, having completed over 2,000 kilometres of real-vehicle testing across eight countries. With its exclusive tyre supply agreement for all WRC classes covering the 2025 to 2027 seasons, Hankook is reinforcing its premium brand identity and solidifying its leadership in motorsport engineering.

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Ecolomondo Corporation, a leading Canadian innovator in sustainable scrap tyre recycling technology, has appointed Craft Capital Management, LLC as its strategic investment banking advisor. This partnership is designed to bolster Ecolomondo’s capital markets strategy, with a focus on financing initiatives and a planned uplisting to the NASDAQ. Securing this position is a key step for the company to obtain the necessary capital for its global expansion.

Eliot Sorella, Ecolomondo’s Executive Chairman, highlighted that Craft Capital’s successful history of providing capital solutions is well-aligned with the company's goal to scale up as a major supplier of recovered carbon black and tyre pyrolysis oil. These materials are produced using Ecolomondo’s proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process. As worldwide demand for circular and sustainable materials grows, this advisory engagement is seen as a vital move to advance the company's market position and support its next growth phase.

Craft Capital, a full-service brokerage firm with over a century of combined financial experience, offers customised investment banking services and connects clients to a broad network of family offices and institutional investors.

Sorella said, “Craft Capital’s proven track record in delivering capital solutions aligns strongly with our strategy to scale as a leading producer of recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) using Ecolomondo’s proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process (TDP). As global industries accelerate their transition towards circular and sustainable materials, this engagement is an important step in advancing our capital markets strategy and supporting our next phase of growth.”

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Continental is set to make a significant impact at the upcoming Tire Technology Expo in Hannover with a strong presence at the technical conference scheduled for 3 March 2026. The company will kick off the event with a major presentation centred on the evolution of tyre technologies designed to meet the demands of autonomous driving. Dr Andreas Topp, who leads Platform Development and Industrialisation for passenger car tyres at Continental, will illustrate how the vision of autonomous vehicles is transitioning into everyday reality and how the tyre manufacturer is proactively developing innovative solutions to support this shift.

In addition to the opening session, Continental experts will deliver three further presentations, each addressing critical areas of tyre science and environmental regulation. One of these will explore the use of recovered carbon black derived from end-of-life tyres as a filler material. Professor Jorge Lacayo-Pineda, a specialist in materials evaluation, will delve into the complexities of identifying this material within vulcanised rubber compounds. Recovered carbon black, primarily obtained through pyrolysis, represents a milestone as the first industrially scalable filler sourced from discarded tyres. It is not considered a direct substitute for conventional carbon black but rather a distinct category of filler due to its unique composition, which includes carbon residues and a specific thermal background. Professor Lacayo-Pineda will examine the technological and regulatory possibilities that arise from detecting this material in new tyre compounds, focusing on reliable identification techniques such as electron microscopy and molecular spectroscopy.

Another key presentation will broaden the conversation around tyre emissions. Dr Frank Schmerwitz, a senior test engineer specialising in tyre wear, will address the limitations of current discussions that predominantly focus on tyre and road wear particles. He will highlight additional pathways of mass loss that are not captured by conventional measurements. His talk will consider the release of nanoparticles, the persistence of wear residue on road surfaces and the chemical degradation of this material due to environmental factors like oxygen and ultraviolet light, aiming for a more complete scientific picture.

The final presentation will tackle the complexities of modern tyre development in the context of new regulatory frameworks. Dr Pavel Ignatyev, an expert in rubber friction and wear physics, will discuss how the introduction of standardised abrasion limits and measurement methods under the Euro 7 regulation is reshaping innovation in the industry. He will explain the various parameters influencing tyre wear and how they interact with these new requirements. Through simplified models, he intends to demonstrate the intricate nature of tyre wear and outline the collective challenges that remain for the industry, emphasising that a deep understanding of these dynamics is crucial for translating regulatory mandates into effective technological advancements.

Dr Topp said, “The future of self-driving vehicles has begun. We are developing tyre technologies and products that meet the unique technical requirements of these vehicles. This includes topics such as interaction with smart vehicle dynamic controls, optimised fleet operations and tailored solutions for specific use profiles.”

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The concluding day of 2026 F1 Pre-Season Testing at the Bahrain International Circuit saw Charles Leclerc set the overall fastest lap of the entire six-day programme. The Ferrari driver delivered a time of 1:31.992s on the C4 compound Pirelli tyres during the final hour of running, improving by eight-tenths of a second on the previous benchmark established by Kimi Antonelli. This performance placed him ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren, who recorded a 1:32.871s on the C3 tyre. Max Verstappen and George Russell followed, with times of 1:33.109s and 1:33.197s, respectively, both also set on the C3 compound. Notably, none surpassed Leclerc's own leading time on that particular compound, a 1:32.655s. Pierre Gasly rounded out the top times, utilising the softest C5 tyres to post a 1:33.421s.

The C5 compound saw limited use on the final day, employed only by Alpine and Williams for short-run simulations. Aston Martin, despite having the tyre available, opted not to run it and instead completed just six laps on C3s before their session was curtailed. In contrast, teams focused on different aspects of performance. Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvin Lindblad set the pace on the harder C1 and C2 compounds, respectively. The day was also notable for the absence of several drivers, including Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Alex Albon, who did not participate in any track action.

Beyond outright speed, teams dedicated significant effort to long-distance evaluation. Gabriel Bortoleto completed 25 laps on the C2 compound for Audi, while Esteban Ocon undertook 24 laps on C1s for Haas. Ocon was also the sole driver to run intermediate tyres, completing four laps to assess front wing behaviour. Over the entire six-day test, a total of 41,366 kilometres were covered across all 11 teams, a distance exceeding the Earth's circumference. The C3 compound proved the most popular, accounting for 61 percent of all laps. In total, 591 sets of slick tyres were utilised throughout the pre-season, with 326 of those deployed in the final three days alone.

Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, said, “The radical changes introduced to the cars have inevitably shifted the teams’ focus towards power units and aerodynamics rather than tyres over the last few days. The final stages of testing are usually dedicated to optimising the car-tyre package, but it is clear some teams haven’t reached that point yet. Generally speaking, track feedback has been consistent with our simulation expectations. Drivers were able to gain confidence with the entire Pirelli range through both performance trials and long runs, even using the C4 and C5 compounds which aren’t particularly suited to a circuit like Sakhir.

“Mechanical resistance appeared strong across all options, with no signs of graining or blistering. Degradation levels are almost certainly higher now than what we expect for the Bahrain race, when temperatures will be lower and cars more developed. A central theme this season will certainly be balancing temperatures between the axles, especially ahead of the first race in Melbourne. The lower loads of a street circuit might require more intensive tyre preparation or differentiated tyre blanket temperatures, particularly in qualifying. In any case, it will be interesting to discover in Australia how much teams have been ‘sandbagging’ their engine power to avoid showing their hand. We only have to wait a couple of weeks to see the true pecking order.”

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