TVS Srichakra has entered the European market with its new range of Eurogrip two-wheeler tyres which are customised to meet the European rider’s needs. The company has been meticulously moving on its brand building and product launches in the last two years. In 2019, the company had launched its brand TVS Eurogrip with a new logo and new product range, aiming at younger, millennial and aspirational buyers.

To foray into the European market, TVS Srichakra once again has gone through a lot of studies and product testing. The newly launched range of Eurogrip Bee Connect scooter tyres will be available in a basket of 40 different sizes in the coming months in Europe. Decoding the significance of the Eurogrip Bee Connect name, Andrea Bianchi Milella, Marketing Manager of TVS Srichakra’s Italian Centre, said, “It took quite a long process to came to this to this name-Eurogrip Bee Connect. The pandemic has changed everyone’s life, so has mobility. Due to social distancing and safety, public transportation is being avoided in Europe and, two-wheelers, especially scooters, are increasingly preferred by people to connect with each other. Secondly, at TVS Srichakra, we are the forefront runner for creating ecological consciousness in the tyre industry. We did tremendous work on reducing the environmental impact and increasing the usage of renewable energies with this product. With the Eurogrip Bee Connect, we wanted to highlight that we are very conscious about sustainable mobility and which animal could be better than the bees to symbolise this fact. Bees are industrious and hardworking and, most of the time, on the move, but at the same time, they play kind of a crucial role in the wellbeing of nature and humanity itself. So, we wanted also to highlight this side of our involvement in the automotive industry.”

 The company has entered the European market when the pandemic has put a halt on everyone’s life for more than a year. However, P Madhavan, Executive Vice President - Sales & Marketing, TVS Srichakra, backs the timing to enter the European market, saying the strategic move has been taken after much deliberation. Madhavan says, “I will strongly believe in stop, pause and take a breath, and then look at the very reason where you can go from that point onwards. So we use this period to go back and understand the consumer better. We got into the research more and tried to get fresh insights on the consumer so that if there is that nugget of gold as an opportunity available, go pick that up. That was the thought right through.” 

 The Chennai-headquartered company utilised the recent slowdown period for designing, studying the market trends and the riders’ needs in greater details. The new product development went through multiple rounds of prototyping and subsequent tests in its laboratories and racetracks and roads by some independent testers in Europe. 

 Today, the homegrown company is a leading tyre company in the two-wheelers and three-wheeler and OHT tyre space, operating for more than three decades. The company rolls out around three million tyres every month out of its two manufacturing facilities located in Madurai (Tamil Nadu) and Rudrapur (Uttarakhand). 

Eurogrip Bee Connect for riding experience 

In India, two-wheelers are essentially a mode of commuting, whereas as the consumers in Europe, though in smaller numbers, is more discerning and evolved. 

According to Milella, European two-wheeler riders seek a wholesome experience and are choosy on bikes, accessories, and tyres. “European two-wheeler riders want to enjoy the riding experience, which could be any forms - long rides on highways, country roads, sporty rides, off roads or racetracks. The consumer segment in the region we are dealing with is updated and aware of the types of tyres they require for their needs. So, you need to have quite a lot of offers all across the spectrum to cater to each type of riders. I will say it’s quite interesting,” said Milella.

 Currently, the company is working on new products, which will be released in the first quarter of 2022. A knobby product for off-road purposes and a street tyre for medium and big displacement motorcycles, both in Radial and Cross Ply construction, are lined up for launch in the next few months.

TVS Srichakra has installed an entirely new line at its Madurai plant to manufacture the newly launched range. Elaborating further, V Sivaramakrishnan, Chief Technology Officer (R&D Head), said, “Tyres made for the European market require completely different compounds and materials and need to meet the REACH compliance. So, we have a completely new manufacturing plant dedicated for the European product line in Madurai, India, which includes completely new extruders, tyre building machines, and process.”

 At the start, TVS Srichakra is not looking for sales targets in the European market. The priority for the company is to establish the brand, which another mammoth task for any tyre company. TVS Srichakra has already been in Europe with its Eurogrip brand in the Agri tyre space for five years. “We are designing and developing our products as per the market needs and building our brand. We prefer to have more organic growth,” says Madhavan. 

 The company also plans to introduce some of Eurogrip Bee Connect products in India and other markets in upcoming quarters.

 Not only building a brand, but establishing the retail chain in Europe is another challenge. The retail tyre business in the region is much more organised in both online and offline segments, which give much more options to consumers. In Europe, the retail tyre business is being increasingly driven by digital space, and consumers expect solutions from doorstep delivery and fitment to other services instead of just a product. As of now, TVS Srichakra has no plans to acquire any retail chain or distributors in the replacement market in the region. Currently, the company is working with the leading distributors across all European countries- Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands. “With our partners, we will be present at the vast majority of retailer across countries to support our customers,” said Milella. 

 TVS Srichakra’s Italian R&D centre will play a vital role in establishing the company’s base in Europe. It focuses on cutting edge technology development and bringing the knowledge and consumers specific inputs in the region. The Italian centre also brings in testing capabilities, which are available globally. The Indian R&D Centre is oriented towards designing detailing, product industrialisation, working from the arts to parts, compound and material testing. “We look into more synergy in terms of technologies getting developed at our India and Europe R&D centres,” said Sivaramakrishnan.

 The company already has a material science lab in India and mentors from Japan and Italy for the material and compound development process.

 Last fifteen months of the pandemic, TVS Srichakra designed and developed new products for the local market. It launched 11 new products for the replacement market, including eight new high-performance tyre sizes for motorcycles, two for scooters and one new tyre size for electric rickshaws. The tyre sizes were introduced under the Sportorq, Jumbo GT, Conta, Durapro and e-Durapro product series.

 In December 2020, the company also announced its planned capital expenditure of INR 10 billion to ramp up manufacturing in its Madurai and Pantnagar plants. This investment is planned to be made over three years. The investment, when fully made, will result in an increase in two and three-wheeler tyre capacity by 25-30 percent and a doubling of off-highway tyre capacity from current levels. 

 The company also worked on digitalisation heavily as it had anticipated that contactless working would be the order of the day. The digitalisation programme helped TVS Srichakra reach the retailers without having the salesman in the field. “Consumers who realised that the shared mobility was out and they pulled out the two-wheelers for service and changed the tyres and battery. So we saw a huge uptick in numbers thanks to the effort that we put in,” said Madhavan.

 Madhavan anticipates that if the COVID situation gets better and the economy comes back on track, the boost the usage of two-wheelers. “That will augur well for us, and we run into the festival season. So, this is to say, we are not fortune tellers there, but the only thing is if the entire thing gets over the next two, three weeks, and the consumers are allowed to move around that that I believe will be a stepping stone to getting a good festive season.” (TT)

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MAXAM Tire has further expanded its off‑the‑road tyre portfolio by adding a new 45/65R45 size to the MS406 E4/L4 series. This larger variant is specifically engineered for heavy loader applications, offering operators an additional high‑performance solution that prioritises strength, longevity and cost efficiency over the long term.

The tyre’s deep E4/L4 tread pattern is designed to deliver strong traction while resisting wear and cuts, even in severe working conditions. This aggressive yet durable design helps loader fleets boost productivity, as the tyre maintains grip and reduces downtime. Over its service life, users can expect a lower cost per operating hour.

To withstand harsh job sites, the MS406 incorporates a thick undertread that provides enhanced puncture protection. Its robust casing not only endures heavy use but also supports excellent retreadability, further extending the tyre’s usable life and improving overall return on investment. A wide, flat footprint contributes to superior stability, ensuring dependable performance and operator confidence when the vehicle is under substantial loads.

With this new size addition, MAXAM Tire continues to strengthen its off‑the‑road product line, giving customers another valuable option that balances durability, traction and long‑term operating efficiency in demanding loader environments.

Jimmy McDonnell, Vice President – Sales and Marketing, MAXAM Tire North America, said, “With the addition of the 45/54R45 size, we’re continuing to respond directly to market needs while expanding access to a proven loader tyre. Our focus is always on delivering market-leading value and tyres that perform in real-world conditions while helping customers control operating costs.”

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA World Rally Championship, will face the demanding Croatia Rally from 9 to 12 April 2026. This event marks round four of the season and takes place in and around the port city of Rijeka. Among the most gruelling rallies on the calendar, it will feature both the Ventus Z215, engineered for precise dry handling and cornering stability, and the Ventus Z210, designed to deliver superior traction and rapid water evacuation in wet and unpredictable conditions.

The 2026 route spans roughly 300.28 kilometres across 20 special stages, with the service park relocated to the historic Grobnik Circuit. The course covers four counties, including shakedown stages on the island of Krk and technical tests through the Lika-Senj highlands. Drivers must contend with extreme grip variations along the Adriatic coast, from abrasive volcanic tarmac in the mountains to smoother, dustier sections near the sea, the latter becoming dangerously slick with even light rain.

Throughout the event, Hankook will operate its Brand World marketing booth inside the service park, reinforcing its unified global premium image. The booth will offer interactive experiences such as a motorsports history zone, racing simulator, tyre fitting activities, merchandise sales and a photo zone, giving fans an immersive brand encounter. Meanwhile, intense competition is expected: while Toyota GAZOO Racing has a strong history in Croatia, both Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team and M-Sport Ford World Rally Team aim to exploit the new coastal terrain to challenge for the podium.

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Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited has earned a total of 23 CSR-DIW awards, demonstrating its longstanding commitment to operating with ongoing responsibility towards society, local communities and the environment. In 2025, the Department of Industrial Works honoured the company under the CSR DIW to MIND for Sustainability programme, which recognises industrial factories that enhance their social and community responsibility for sustainable coexistence.

Among these accolades, five facilities received the CSR DIW Award for maintaining these high standards continuously for a decade, while another 18 facilities received the CSR DIW Continuous Award for consistently implementing responsible practices, collectively celebrating industrial organisations that serve as models for industry growing in harmony with communities under the principle of good industry coexisting sustainably.

These achievements reflect how the Sri Trang Group balances economic, social and environmental priorities, allowing the industrial sector to work alongside communities effectively and advancing Thailand’s rubber industry towards a sustainable green future. The group has steadily carried out community focused and socially responsible initiatives across six key areas, including youth development, arts and local traditions, livelihood and career support, environmental management, workplace health and hygiene as well as disaster relief and assistance for vulnerable groups.

This recognition further underscores Sri Trang Agro Industry’s role as a leading organisation that drives sustainable industrial practices while consistently creating lasting value for society, communities and the environment.

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Bridgestone has announced its participation in the 41st Space Symposium, the largest space conference in United States, taking place in Colorado Springs from 13 to 16 April 2026. The company’s exhibit will be hosted within the Japanese Space Industry pavilion organised by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), marking its third consecutive year at the event since 2024. A key focus of Bridgestone’s presence is its ongoing development of lunar rover tyres, a project that embodies the company’s belief that ‘tyres carry life’.

Since 2019, Bridgestone has advanced research on lunar rover tyres and pursued co-creation with international partners to commercialise space mobility technology. In 2024, the company collaborated with Astrobotic Technology, followed by a basic agreement with ispace in 2025. These efforts aim to generate new value in the rapidly evolving space mobility sector.

At the symposium, Bridgestone will demonstrate tyres for small and medium lunar rovers, first unveiled in 2025, by mounting them on a mobility vehicle. Attendees can see and touch the tyres, experiencing their high traversability on simulated lunar challenges like fine sand and rocky ground. Through this showcase, Bridgestone seeks to expand its space business network and foster co-creation opportunities, ultimately supporting safe lunar mobility and humanity’s exploration goals.

The lunar rover tyre project applies Bridgestone’s AirFree technology, an exploratory business under its 2024–2026 Mid Term Business Plan. By refining this technology in the extreme lunar environment, the company aims to eventually bring those innovations back to Earth, enhancing conventional tyres and contributing to broader social value.

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