The tyre industry gathered to honour outstanding innovation and individual accomplishment over the past year during the Tire Technology Expo 2026 held in Hannover. The Tire Technology International Awards, spanning 13 categories, recognised both technological progress and the commitment to a more sustainable future within the tyre sector. Organised by the Tire Technology International magazine, the winners were selected by an independent panel of journalists and technical experts.

Sustainability was a dominant theme, highlighted by three distinct environmental awards. Bridgestone received the award for tyre design innovation, celebrated for developing a truck tyre composed of 70 percent recycled and renewable materials, a notable industry milestone. In manufacturing, Continental was acknowledged for its significant strides in reducing freshwater consumption during production with the Environmental Achievement of the Year – Manufacturing award. The Environmental Achievement – Industry Contribution award went to the BioButterfly project, a collaborative effort involving Michelin, IFP Energies Nouvelles and Axens. This initiative was praised for creating bio-based butadiene from bioethanol, presenting a credible substitute for fossil fuel-derived materials and demonstrating strong potential for immediate industrial application.

Further technical achievements were recognised across several categories. Flexsys earned the Chemicals and Compounding Innovation of the Year award for developing the first practical alternative to the antioxidant 6PPD after extensive research. Teijin Aramid was honoured with the Materials Innovation of the Year award for industrialisation of its high-performance Twaron Next para-aramid fibre. A collaborative R&D breakthrough by Goodyear and TNO, which integrates tyre intelligence directly into a vehicle's automatic emergency braking systems to enhance safety, won the R&D Breakthrough of the Year award. In manufacturing equipment, Comerio Ercole’s advanced modular calendering line, Zeus, won the Tire Manufacturing Innovation of the Year award. Uzer Makina, a long-time finalist, was finally named Tyre Industry Supplier of the Year.

The event also celebrated conceptual and product excellence. Michelin had a particularly successful evening, first winning the Tire Concept of the Year award for its Lunar Airless Wheel, designed to withstand the extreme conditions on the moon. The company then claimed the highly anticipated Tire of the Year award for its Primacy 5 Energy, a tyre noted by the jury for achieving top EU label ratings in most sizes while offering improved longevity and reduced emissions compared to its predecessor. In the final major category, Continental was named Tire Manufacturer of the Year for the second consecutive year and the fifth time overall, following a review of the top manufacturers' yearly contributions.

The awards also highlighted personal achievements within the field. The Young Scientist Prize for 2026 was presented to Max Dixey, a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London, for his compelling presentation on the effects of carbon black activators. Finally, a Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Michelin’s Pascal Prost. A veteran engineer, researcher and long-time contributor to both the conference and the awards jury, Prost was celebrated by peers and colleagues for his enduring and significant impact on the tyre industry.

Matt Ross, Chairman of the awards and Editor-in-Chief of Tire Technology International, said, “As is now becoming the norm, this year’s awards were incredibly close. Continental and Michelin have picked up multiple awards and should be highly commended, but I’m also happy to see such an array of winners across the whole range of categories. The level of innovation on display across the tyre sector is staggering, and I hope that this year’s awards have captured even a hint of the groundbreaking work taking place to move this industry forward.”

On Frost’s achievement, Ross said, “For as long as I have worked on Tire Technology International and these awards, Pascal has been a valued contributor, a hugely appreciated advisor – and a wonderful sounding board. I would like to join with his peers and friends from across the industry in celebrating his phenomenal contribution to the tyre business.”

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Bekaert has secured a place on TIME magazine’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies for 2026. Developed in collaboration with data firm Statista, the ranking recognizes 750 enterprises from an initial global pool of 5,800, highlighting those with outstanding environmental and social performance.

The assessment employs a rigorous, multi-dimensional methodology examining over 20 indicators. These include the sustainability of core operations, external evaluations from organisations like CDP and the Science Based Targets initiative, ESG reporting transparency and social factors such as workplace safety, leadership diversity and employee engagement. This comprehensive data-driven approach determines the final standings.

This accolade underscores Bekaert’s ongoing dedication to responsible practices and its strategy of embedding sustainability into its solutions to foster efficient, circular and low-impact industrial processes. The company’s strong social metrics reflect a safe and inclusive culture, which supports the delivery of high-quality solutions and the cultivation of enduring partnerships with customers and stakeholders.

Ann-Françoise Versele, Vice President – Sustainability and Governmental Affairs, Bekaert, said, “We are honoured to be included in TIME’s ranking of the world’s most sustainable companies for 2026. This recognition confirms the progress we are making and the commitment of our teams worldwide. Sustainability is a core part of how we operate and how we innovate. I would like to thank all our colleagues who contribute to this journey every day. Together, we remain focused on advancing our ambitions and creating lasting positive impact.”

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Tyres Europe has issued a formal response to the European Commission’s recent Omnibus proposal on Energy Labelling, urging a more cohesive strategy for regulatory simplification within the tyre labelling framework. While the industry association acknowledges the intent behind certain proposed amendments, it has identified several areas where the package could inadvertently introduce new complexities.

The proposed measures include promising steps towards digitalisation, such as the introduction of digital labels, the creation of a technical link between the EPREL database and the Digital Product Passport registry and the automation of label image generation within EPREL. These initiatives are seen as positive moves that could modernise the system and reduce certain administrative burdens for manufacturers.

However, Tyres Europe has expressed concern that other aspects of the proposal risk undermining these benefits. The potential empowerment of delegated acts to facilitate a label rescaling could generate fresh regulatory uncertainty and technical hurdles. Furthermore, the expansion of the Product Information Sheet, alongside the introduction of nested labels and additional EPREL requirements, threatens to increase administrative complexity without clear evidence that these changes would meaningfully aid consumer decision-making.

Citing recent data, Tyres Europe notes that consumer engagement with existing tools remains low, with only 39 percent of shoppers recalling the tyre label in 2024, a decline from 50 percent in 2017, and a mere 5 percent Tyres Europe Urges Cohesive Simplification in Omnibus Labelling Proposal having consulted the EPREL database. Given that the 2021 revision already rejected similar data requirements due to technical challenges, the association advocates for a targeted approach focused on improving consumer awareness and market incentives rather than adding new layers. Tyres Europe has affirmed its readiness to collaborate with the Commission to ensure the final framework delivers genuine simplification and supports a competitive European business environment.

Adam McCarthy, Secretary General, Tyres Europe, said, “The priority should be to make the existing tyre label better understood and used by consumers, not to add new layers of complexity that risk creating costs without changing purchasing behaviour. A simplification package should simplify.”

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Michelin North America, Inc. has announced a major reorganisation of its US manufacturing operations for the BFGoodrich Tires brand, a move that will consolidate production and impact approximately 1,200 workers in Alabama. The restructuring, set to begin later this year, will centralise nearly all BFGoodrich production at the company’s Fort Wayne, Indiana, facility. Consequently, operations at the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, site will undergo a phased wind-down starting in early 2027, with a projected completion date by the end of 2028.

In alignment with its corporate values, Michelin is emphasising a supportive transition for affected staff. The company temporarily paused Tuscaloosa operations to commence direct discussions with employees, with normal production scheduled to resume on 29 June 2026. No job separations are expected for several months as transition plans are finalised, and the company will engage union leaders to determine separation benefits for wage employees in accordance with the existing collective bargaining agreement and federal regulations.

The decision stems from structural inefficiencies at both plants, which are operating well below designed capacity. Simultaneously, the BFGoodrich brand faces increasing competitive pressures in the recreational and off-road tyre segment despite maintaining a robust market share and a strong performance reputation. Company leadership determined that consolidating production at Fort Wayne is essential to establishing a more efficient industrial framework to secure the brand’s long-term viability.

As tyre production and rubber-mixing activities gradually decrease over the next two years, Michelin North America intends to partner with public and private entities to identify new purposes for the Tuscaloosa site. This collaborative effort reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to the community’s future prosperity, ensuring that stewardship of the facility remains a priority even as its current manufacturing role concludes.

Terry Redmile, Michelin’s Senior Vice President for Manufacturing Operations in the Americas, said, “Because of the dedication of our teams in Tuscaloosa, BFGoodrich Tires is celebrated as a pioneering American brand, and an enduring symbol of car and truck culture. Due to the size, footprint and infrastructure of the Fort Wayne factory, that site is better positioned to consolidate the capacity and meet future demands for the success of BFGoodrich Tires. Unfortunately, we could not identify any feasible structure that would enable us to continue operating in Tuscaloosa while also supporting long-term value creation across our factories in North America.” 

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Dow will invest approximately USD 100 million by the end of 2027 to expand its specialty silicones manufacturing and research capabilities in the US, China and Japan, as the chemicals group seeks to meet rising demand from the mobility, electronics and healthcare sectors.

The investments will increase production capacity for liquid silicone rubber and engineered silicone materials, while also expanding research facilities focused on thermal management technologies.

The company said the projects would strengthen regional supply chains and support customers through local manufacturing and technical capabilities.

“These investments underscore Dow’s focus on scaling specialty silicones materials and bringing innovation closer and faster to our customers,” said Brendy Lange, president of Performance Materials & Coatings. “By expanding manufacturing and innovation capabilities in these strategic regions, we are investing to meet increasing consumer demand, strengthening our global supply chain capabilities, and enabling customers to move faster from innovation to commercialisation.”

Dow plans to expand liquid silicone rubber manufacturing facilities in Carrollton, Kentucky, and Zhangjiagang, China. The facilities are expected to begin operations in 2027 and will support applications in mobility, electronics and healthcare.

The company is also increasing capacity for engineered silicone materials used in electronics applications, including power electronics, semiconductor packaging, thermal management and electrical protection.

New capacity in Songjiang, China, and Fukui, Japan, is scheduled to come on stream this year. Additional expansions in Auburn, Michigan, and Zhangjiagang are expected to be completed in 2027.

Dow expanded its Cooling Science Labs in Shanghai earlier this year and opened additional facilities in Midland, Michigan, in June. The facilities are intended to support the development and scale-up of thermal management technologies.

The investments complete the series of silicones projects outlined during Dow’s 2024 investor day. The company said project timelines had been updated to reflect market conditions and affordability considerations.

Dow said demand for specialty silicones continues to grow in mobility, electronics and medical applications, where supply reliability, technical support and product performance remain important considerations.

In mobility and electronics markets, the expanded capabilities are intended to support applications including mobility intelligence modules, data centres, microelectronics, energy electronics, consumer electronics components and advanced safety systems.

In medical applications, the company said regional manufacturing capabilities support local supply requirements for regulated products.

Dow said local manufacturing and technical support would help customers improve supply reliability, accelerate commercialisation and meet evolving qualification requirements.

The company said its integrated silicones manufacturing network across the Americas, Europe and Asia positions it to serve growing demand in specialty materials markets.

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