Until the start of vaccination, so many deaths and blockages shut down the industry, as well as businesses and individuals. The lack of labour and consumers only brought uncertainty to people's lives. No one, including governments, was able to overcome all the unknowns.

Later, people began to learn to live with this virus and to learn facilities for practicing social distancing and other preventive measures to reduce the spread of germs. Then the daily life went to normal by half. Consumer markets have started offering services with social distancing.

Then, large companies launched initiatives for the vaccination of employees and some promoted the payment of about USD$ 25 as a bonus for the first volunteers. Employees began to work in stores under pandemic conditions. So, it is the same in tyre shops, for example, to help and maintain the tyres of customers' cars in good condition, which of course ensured mobility in cities so that vehicles let vehicles circulate on the road . People could get the food, medicine, supplies and medical care they need.

Manufacturers should sometimes be able to collaborate with competitors to survive together in tough days.

Sustainability has never been more worth talking about in recent decades to be a legitimate topic on pandemic dates.  One thing is for sure, at the same time, we can never know which companies have really benefited from being willing to invest in the past with a desire to make the business sustainable in the future. We will reach and appreciate these businesses later, as accurate tax and market data as a primary result of a successful business emerges after three consecutive years.

Anyone who has taken seriously the alerts of a post-2015 virus that could one day be a reality and a threat to humanity and go unchecked in nearly three years is supposed to be ready for pandemic dates. Is it really possible to take such a viral effect into account in the risk analysis? But if so, this company is already at least six years ahead of its competition.

We never forget that keeping reliable and loyal consumers is our future.

Today, many industries must survive with material suppliers, customers and its service providers. We can add its competitors as a fourth pole at the corner its competitors,. sSo that companies in the same category should move together and collaborate in difficult days. Suppose Suppose they accept each other's stronger side in a part of the main processes, it might help better in that specific part, s. So that sustainability is ensured for the sake of sociality and economy.

As a sustainable business continuity in raw materials, services, market consistency, health and safety of white and blue colours, loyalty and morals of employees, reliability of energy sources and capacity manufacturing operations. Any production company that never lacks the above can be successful and be considered ‘“sustainable”’ in the medium term. In the long term, the requirements of the environmental authorities must be respected;, social projects must be distributed among the employees.

A real investment in the company's brand must be made. It is sure that the ‘“No Waste’” and ‘“Green Company’” image reinforces the company's brand. May all of these lead the company to establishing production lines that consume less energy and are more efficient. Roof or wall solar collectors, rainwater harvesting pipes, efficient coolers, pumps and electric motors are expected to follow so far to be more durable.

Any tyre manufacturer responding to dealer demand and capable of producing with a minimum number of references will have a head start and make the difference in terms of efficiency.

A cumbersome problem for tyre manufacturers is carrying the heavy size list as production gum . Any tyre manufacturer responding to dealer demand and capable of producing with a minimum number of references will have a head start and make the difference in terms of efficiency.

What about reliable and loyal consumers? We have to bear in mind that consumers are our future. Any excessive savings, if it means reluctance in services or compromises on quality, will result in days of unemployment after a while. Thus, a well-adapted balance between costs and savings is always to be favoured in terms of sustainability.

A cumbersome problem for tyre manufacturers is carrying the heavy size list as production gum  even though they still cannot meet the needs of retailers. Retail stores can only cover 10 percent% to 45 percent% of the demand for walk-in customers. On the other hand, tyre manufacturers can meet dealer needs around 50 percent or 75 percent of orders, while supplying that amount with overproduction and heavy SKUs.

Another headache is the production of winter tyres in the summer, although sales are highly dependent on the severity of winter and upcoming snowfall. Tyre manufacturers often have to overproduce and have a large inventory. In recent years, the climate has changed the practices and the ability to estimate winter tyre sales mainly in Europe.

Therefore, any tyre manufacturer that meets dealer demand and is able to produce a minimum number of SKUs will have a head start and make a difference in terms of efficiency.

Anti-climax after stopping production for some reason of uncertainty is more costly.

After the long days of pandemic, which still affects the daily life of human beings, sustainability has become a matter of vitality for most companies. Lost markets can be won over time, but a climax after production ceases for some reason of uncertainty would be more costly.

The truths of having greener products, grasping the digitiszation movement and mobility trends, efficiency improvements, well-organiszed material sourcing, skills development in manufacturing operations, systematic management of product development and R&D activities, the search for alternatives for automation and artificial intelligence are still vital but not much more valuable than being sufficiently sustainable.

We must keep in mind that we are primarily victims of our own behaviours, decisions and actions. It is important to be progressive in the correct initiatives. So tyre manufacturers who manage a well-developed framework for change and agile strategies will win.

We must keep in mind that we are primarily victims of our own behaviours, decisions and actions.  To be progressive in the correct initiatives is inevitable to support. (TT)

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Toyo Tires secured a dominant performance at the 58th SCORE Baja 500, with drivers Trey Gibbs and Gustavo Vildósola Sr. claiming victories in the Trophy Truck Spec and Legends classes, respectively. The championship-winning Open Country M/T-R tyres were instrumental in the success, particularly in the highly competitive Spec class, which boasted the largest field among the top five categories. Brent Fox added to the brand's success by finishing second in the Spec class, delivering a third podium finish for Team Toyo over the race weekend.

The second round of the 2026 SCORE World Desert Championship unfolded on a demanding 468.70-mile circuit through the northern Baja California peninsula. Driving the #215 Mason Motorsports / Toyo Tires / Ford Raptor, Gibbs achieved his maiden SCORE race victory with a winning time of 9 hours, 46 minutes and 7.59 seconds. This triumph extended Team Toyo’s remarkable winning streak in the Spec class to four consecutive years, a reign that began at the 2023 Baja 500. Fox secured the runner-up position in his #282 1Nine Industries / Ford Raptor, clocking in at 9 hours and 55 minutes to complete a one-two finish for the team.

In the Legends category, Vildósola Sr. returned to the top step of the podium behind the wheel of his #1L Mason Motorsports / Toyo Tires / Vildosola Racing / Ford Raptor. His winning effort, completed in 9 hours, 47 minutes and 56.17 seconds, marked his first victory of the season and extended his personal winning streak at the Baja 500 to five consecutive races, a run that started in 2022.

Looking ahead, Team Toyo aims to build on this momentum as the series progresses towards the Baja 400 in September. The brand’s legacy in the SCORE World Desert Championship remains extensive, with multiple victories across all major events. Notable wins include the San Felipe 250 on four occasions, the Baja 500 six times, the Baja 400 five times and the prestigious Baja 1000 six times, with a roster of accomplished drivers contributing to this storied record.

Gibbs said, “Winning the Baja 500 is something I’ve always dreamed of, and it still hasn’t fully hit me what my team and I accomplished over the weekend. Honestly, I don’t have the words to describe what this win feels like.”

Fox said, “Taking home second place in the Trophy Truck Spec class and completing the Baja 500 is something we’re really proud of. Thanks to Toyo Tires, we ran the entire race with no flats and zero issues.”

Stan Chen, Deputy Director – Consumer Marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp, said, “Congratulations to Trey Gibbs on earning his first SCORE race victory this weekend, and to Gustavo Vildósola Sr. on adding another win to his accomplished career. Our drivers have continued to set the standard in the Spec and Legends classes at the Baja 500, and we’re proud of this past weekend’s continued success.”

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Tyres Europe has joined a broad coalition of industrial sectors calling on the European Union to adopt a more dynamic and forceful trade policy amid deliberations by the European Council on economic security, competitiveness and EU-China relations. The tyre industry contends that current frameworks are increasingly mismatched with the realities of a fast-moving global economy, where distortions rapidly transcend borders and sectors.

The sector underpins approximately 500,000 jobs across the Union and supplies essential products for passenger mobility, freight, agriculture and defence. Its viability depends on fair competition within deeply interconnected value chains, yet structural overcapacity, state-induced market distortions and unfair trading practices are simultaneously affecting multiple industries. These pressures cascade across supply networks, weaken investment incentives and progressively hollow out Europe's industrial base. Tyres Europe argues that only a coherent policy combining robust trade defence instruments with broader industrial resilience measures can effectively counter this erosion.

A critical challenge lies in the temporal disconnect between agile global supply chains and the slower pace of EU investigations and duty implementation. Tyre manufacturing routes can be reconfigured within months, allowing exporters to front-load shipments during probes and redirect production to alternative locations once tariffs are imposed. This leaves European manufacturers under sustained competitive pressure even after investigations conclude. Tyres Europe has therefore endorsed the Joint Industry Statement, which urges a more ambitious application of trade policy that reflects the fundamentally altered contours of global commerce.

The organisation supports enhanced resources for investigations, a more proactive deployment of existing instruments aligned with industrial objectives and exploration of additional WTO-compatible tools to tackle systemic state-induced distortions. It also advocates for strategic use of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation to address recurrent distortive patterns beyond isolated case assessments. Given that tyre manufacturing involves long-term, capital-intensive decisions with near-irreversible capacity loss, preserving a competitive domestic base is framed as both an industrial goal and a matter of strategic autonomy. As European leaders shape their response to a volatile trading environment, Tyres Europe urges them to ensure that trade defence evolves to safeguard fairness and the industrial capabilities underpinning prosperity and innovation.

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Sri Trang Group, led by Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited (STA), the world's largest fully integrated producer and distributor of natural rubber, and Sri Trang Gloves (Thailand) Public Company Limited (STGT), a global leader in sustainable rubber glove production and distribution, executed its second annual ‘Sri Trang Go Green: Restoring Blue Carbon for Sustainability’ project on 6–7 June in Don Sak District, Surat Thani Province. The initiative convened executives, employee volunteers and residents from Baan Don Harn and Kao Charoen communities to restore coastal ecosystems and promote environmental awareness.

Marine and coastal ecosystems, which sequester carbon at rates quadruple those of terrestrial forests, anchored this year's blue carbon focus. The project pursued three core activities, including seagrass bed restoration to support carbon storage and marine larvae nurseries, the release of aquatic species to revive ecological balance and continuous monitoring of seagrass growth to guide data-driven conservation management.

The selection of Baan Don Harn and Kao Charoen leveraged their abundant mangrove forests and robust community conservation involvement. Over seventy participants joined, including Sri Trang employees from Bangkok and the southern provinces of Songkhla, Trang, Surat Thani and Chumphon, alongside the Marine and Coastal Resources Office Region 4, the Pak Prak Sub-district Health Promotion Hospital, local conservation groups, agricultural networks, Wat Singkhon School students and community volunteers. Their efforts produced 400 planted mangroves, 600 released Asian seabass, 200,000 released black tiger shrimp and 68 kg of waste collected from Nang Kam Beach, with debris sorted according to carbon credit standards for future marine debris solutions.

The initiative reinforced the vision of a green rubber company while emphasising environmental education. Asst. Prof. Pontep Wirachwong from Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya and Patipan Bupatae, Director of the Mangrove Resource Conservation Division at Marine and Coastal Resources Office Region 4, shared expertise on mangrove ecosystems and marine resource management to deepen participant understanding of blue carbon significance.

Community support included donations of 10,000 Satori rubber gloves to the Pak Prak Sub-district Health Promotion Hospital and sports equipment worth THB 5,000 to Wat Singkhon School. Employee engagement flourished through the ‘GoGreen – Vlog Challenge 2026’, with selected videos to be published on the ONE SRI TRANG Facebook page to broaden conservation messaging.

Building upon the 2025 project in Trang Province, the second year commenced with an April phase on Koh Libong, with monthly seagrass monitoring underway. Sri Trang Group aims to expand marine green spaces, enhance biodiversity and strengthen collaboration between private sector, government agencies and local communities to preserve natural resources for generations to come.

Veerasith Sinchareonkul, Group CEO, Sri Trang Group, said, “Participating in the restoring blue carbon ecosystems reflects our commitment to sustainable business practices and ESG principles, encompassing both environmental restoration and contributing to society and enhancing quality of life for communities. Beyond mitigating the impacts of climate change, the project also contributes to strengthening coastal ecosystems, which are vital to the livelihoods and local economies of coastal communities. We believe that the collaborative power of employees and the communities today will inspire further conservation efforts, laying the foundation for future sustainability.”

Veerin Auengteerasuwan, Human Resources Division Manager of Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited (STA), and Chalermchai Norsakul, General Manager of Sri Trang Gloves (Thailand) Public Company Limited (STGT), representing the management and employees of both companies, shared their vision: “Environmental stewardship begins with collective action. The Blue Carbon project is another important step in encouraging Sri Trang employees to participate in restoring and conserving beach areas, which are natural carbon dioxide sinks. The initiative also fosters awareness, understanding and inspiration for collaborative and sustainable conservation of natural resources.”

Asst.Prof.Pontep Wirachwong, Head of Marine and Environmental Science, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science and Fisheries Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya, Trang Campus, said, “This project plays a vital role in the conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems, particularly in restoring seagrass beds to a healthy and abundant state. This will help increase the abundance of aquatic life and fisheries resources, which are essential to the value chain of surrounding communities. It also supports the local economy, both as a seafood production area and as a location with strong potential for sustainable tourism.”

Kerk Nuinoi, Chairman of the Ban Don Han Marine Conservation Volunteer Group and Village Headman of Moo 2, Ban Don Han, Don Sak District, Surat Thani Province, said, “On behalf of the Ban Don Han Marine Conservation Volunteer Group, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Sri Trang Group for its continued commitment to supporting mangrove forest restoration in our area. The ‘Sri Trang Go Green’ project has contributed to restoring the richness of coastal and marine ecosystems, while encouraging the community to recognise the value of natural resources and work together to conserve mangrove forests in a sustainable manner.”

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TyreSafe commemorated its 20th Annual Briefing and Awards this week, drawing a record-breaking crowd of over 200 representatives from the automotive, retail, manufacturing, enforcement, governmental and road safety sectors. The landmark gathering took place at The Belfry, signalling a significant escalation in the collective focus on tyre maintenance as a cornerstone of national roadway welfare.

The unprecedented turnout underscores a broad-based acknowledgment that proper tyre upkeep is essential to UK's wider road safety objectives. Opening the proceedings, TyreSafe Chair Stuart Lovatt lauded the industry's unified dedication, emphasising the necessity of preserving this cooperative drive amidst an evolving policy environment. This call to action set the tone for discussions centred on the newly released National Road Safety Strategy, the first of its kind in 15 years.

Throughout the day, experts dissected upcoming challenges and potential solutions, repeatedly stressing that cohesive collaboration and a harmonised message are vital for achieving the ambitious goals set forth by the government. The formal proceedings seamlessly transitioned into an evening gala where distinguished entities and individuals received accolades for their creative partnerships, public outreach and steadfast dedication to safeguarding motorists.

The night culminated with TyreSafe bestowing its Lifetime Achievement Award upon Lisa Scott, honouring a remarkable 40-year tenure in road safety advocacy. From her origins as a Road Safety Officer to her present managerial role at National Highways, Scott's influence on educational programmes and behavioural initiatives has been profound. As a key Steering Committee member, her mentorship has been instrumental in shaping protective measures for the public. Looking forward, TyreSafe recommits to evidence-based education and advocacy to ensure the new national strategy translates into tangible, life-saving action.

2026 TyreSafe Award Winners:

Tyre Safety in the Community – Halfords
Online & Social Media – The Motor Ombudsman
Communications – Pneumatic Components Ltd
Road Safety Partnerships – Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service
Small Tyre Retailer of the Year – TMT Tyres
Emergency Services Partner – Sussex Police Road Safety Team
Innovation & Technology – Autogem Invicta Ltd
Road Safety Organisation – Driven To Improve Ltd (My Learner Driver)
Large Tyre Retailer of the Year – Protyre Autocare
Vehicle Manufacturer – Toyota (GB) PLC
Tyre Manufacturer of the Year – Bridgestone UK
Road Safety Individual of the Year – Brad Mawson, Safer Roads Greater Manchester
Special Recognition Award – Pirelli UK Tyres Ltd
Outstanding Achievement Award – Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership
Lifetime Achievement Award – Lisa Scott

Lovatt said, “This year’s record attendance demonstrates the strength and commitment of the tyre safety and road safety community. As we welcome the first National Road Safety Strategy in 15 years, it is more important than ever that organisations across our sector continue to work collaboratively, share expertise and deliver consistent messages that help save lives. The challenges ahead are significant, but together we have the opportunity to make a lasting difference.

“Our twentieth Annual Briefing and Awards was a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when organisations come together with a shared purpose. The quality of this year’s award entries was exceptional and reflects the incredible work being undertaken across the country to improve tyre safety and road safety. We congratulate all of our winners and finalists and thank every organisation and individual who continues to support TyreSafe’s mission of reducing tyre-related incidents on our roads.”

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