Last year, Oxford Dictionaries declared that “Unprecedented” is the word of year that chosen by the famous English language experts to sum up the preceding 12 months. It’s been more than a year since the pandemic changed the way we live and work, and nothing feels more important than staying connected to our communities. Tyre industry is no exception.

As we all know, the automotive society is changing at rapid pace world-wide due to various factors such as new customer trends, growth of middle class and new mobility concepts. The performance requirements of tyres continue to rise ever higher, meaning that even further advancement in tyre technology as well as fighting with complex issues are now our new normal. The requirements of tyre performance parameters are much greater than past therefore now we work with “octagon,” instead of historically used “triangle.”

Today, we are talking about “Desired performance” instead of “Prioritised performance” which covers all required factors as well as sustainable green product concept. As we all know, many tyre manufacturers have announced their aggressive plans to have “carbon-neutral” products and aimed to adopt renewable materials and sustainable solutions.

As noted earlier, there are also additional challenges facing mobility and there are many new topics. In this article as TIC, we focused some of the hot topics to be involved by tyre companies. The below topics will force fundamental changes and our industry is going to be more complex. We need to understand those which would affect market dynamics, breakthrough developments and mobility revolutions.

We believe that a holistic approach is needed to see the future as well as new opportunities and treats. TIC-Tire Industry Consulting’s recommendations are given for some of the important areas, which should be involved by tyre manufacturers in order to continue their business.

Air-Free tyres

The airless concept tyre is one of the initiatives aimed towards many tyre manufacture’s long-term vision of the use of sustainable materials. Many of tyre manufacturers revealed their second or third generation air free technologies by featuring improved load-bearing capabilities, driving performance and environmental design. However, there are a lot of works to be made before air free tyres available for customers. Anyone looking for the future of tyre industry needs to involve Air Free tyre technology. Although it is very hard to estimate, we believe CAGR would be reached 3-4% within ten years globally.

Sustainable solutions

This is one of the most popular topics for automotive industry since many years by aiming CO₂ emission reduction. The motivations are: increasing pressure from legislation to move to zero CO_2, EV sales booming in many countries and consumers are increasingly seeking to buy from environmentally responsible companies. Main players have announced very challenging targets to use all-sustainable materials by 2030 and 2050. Tyre industry has to follow this path and needs to do fundamental changes regarding all processes such as R&D, supply chain and others. We believe that tyre industry should implement multiple technological innovations for sustainable solutions by working with their suppliers. In order to keep the competition, tyre manufacturers should: have a Science Based Target (SBT) for sustainability, engage with suppliers for joint activities and improve R&D activities regarding new materials, new designs and higher the usage of recycled materials.

EV tyres

Global automotive sector is responsible for 15% of global GHG emission and Paris agreement targeted to have “zero” GHG emission by 2050 to limit global warming. This is a very challenging target ever seen that committed by all countries. Private sector is co-responsible for implementation and rapid fleet electrification is one of the on-going solution items. OEMs have set the pace for CO₂ reduction and tyre manufacturers should have the EV tyre that meets “desired performance” as a sustainable green product.

The best example would be Germany , that aims to have 14M electric cars in 2030 by having almost 30% share of total car and electric passenger car new sales would reach to 75-80%  of total cars sale in 2030. Those figures show how big opportunity is exist for EV tyre manufacturers for OE and replacement markets. In that respect, we should continue to improve New Product Development (NPD) process even harder by expanding R&D efforts.

Artificial Intelligence

One of the important breakthrough innovations is AI and now widely use in all industries. We have seen many new applications by using AI in tyre industry too. Some of the areas would be sensor adoptions, prediction of compound physical properties, data mining in production processes and performance predictions during service time such a wear life and others. As TIC, we see AI as a “white space” for tyre manufactures that needs special skills as well as knowledge to adapt AI to existing systems.

Dynamic Testing

This has been performed by many tyre manufacturers using different test methodologies  such as component level, Hil (Hardware-in-the-Loop), ViL (Vehicle-in-the-Loop) test during the development and test & verification states of the product. In addition to those currently available test technologies, there are new developments in testing, such as dynamic driving simulators, in other words DiL (Driver-in-the-Loop). This technology enables tyre manufacturer to test and verify their next-generation tyre designs in virtual environment using the vehicle digital twin, which replicates the actual vehicle including vehicle driving dynamics, with real driver interaction. The DiL will improve the development process and create new opportunities for tyre manufacturers as preferred one. TIC believes in “Speed to market with right solutions and innovation,” and ready to support you. Design & development process duration is getting more and more crucial and all manufacturers are trying to reduce it by using modern simulation and testing technics. We recommend adopting Virtual technology in order to provide the best service to your customers.

As a conclusion, tyre industry is facing a lot of challenges and having very dynamic competition, in that respect the tyre technology and tyre knowledge will be extremely important to compete in the future, more than at any time in the past.

TIC Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) have vast hands-on experiences for above topics and ready to support your activities. We provide specialised technical solutions for challenges and TIC guarantees a high standard of professional-ethical principles that we have kept and developed for years. (TT)

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The new AZuR CO₂ savings certificate gives commercial vehicle fleet operators a way to quantify and prove the emissions reductions they achieve through smarter tyre strategies. The tool turns calculated savings into transparent, verifiable documentation, allowing businesses to showcase their resource efficiency efforts. The certification sits within AZuR's wider vision of a closed-loop tyre economy, in which quality tyres are kept in service as long as possible through repair, retreading and regrooving, and materials are recovered through proper recycling channels only once further use is ruled out.

Three distinct levers form the basis of the assessment, and fleets may adopt them separately or together. Reusing sound tyre casings through retreading cuts demand for virgin materials and stretches each tyre's service life. Reprofiling technology from Bear-Machines adds as much as a quarter more mileage to compatible commercial tyres, depending on the tyre and how it is used, while simultaneously trimming fuel burn. Digital tyre management powered by CO2OPT analyses a fleet's tyre usage patterns through artificial intelligence, guiding the selection and deployment of suitable tyres; under the right operating conditions, this can shrink fuel consumption and its associated emissions by as much as 10 percent.

Reliability of the reported figures rests on a defined calculation framework applied to each fleet's own data. The retreading portion draws on life cycle assessment work from Fraunhofer UMSICHT, while the remaining measures follow their own established methodologies and fleet-specific inputs. The result is auditable evidence linking implemented tyre management practices to calculated CO₂ reductions.

Beyond emissions figures, the certificate reveals how deeply a fleet has embraced circular practices by showing its share of retreaded tyres. Three tiers structure this indicator: Category A covers fleets above 50 percent, Category B spans 25 to 50 percent and Category C captures 5 to 20 percent. Documented savings and a practical circularity measure are thus combined in a single certification.

Early adopters already illustrate the concept in action. Over a 12-month window, SIS Internationale Speditions GmbH calculated 31.99 tonnes of CO₂ saved through retreading, CO2OPT software and the fuel savings that followed, with retreaded tyres on more than half its vehicles, earning Category A. The Steinkühler Group, meanwhile, reached 44.72 tonnes of calculated savings in the same period using retreading, reprofiling, CO2OPT and resulting fuel reductions, landing in Category C.

Christina Guth, Network Coordinator, Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR), said, “Many companies are already investing in lower-emission vehicles and alternative drive systems. However, it is often overlooked that tyres can also make a quantifiable contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With the AZuR CO₂ savings certificate, we demonstrate how retreading, reprofiling and intelligent tyre optimisation can be combined in a joint tyre management strategy.”

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DUNLOP has premiered a new atmospheric short film titled ‘Taking the Line’, which centres on the brand’s participation in the 2026 ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring 24 Hours. The two-minute production chronicles the journey of the black-and-yellow DUNLOP Porsche 911 GT3 R, car number 17, offering an emotive portrayal of the challenges faced during one of the world’s most gruelling endurance events.

The film, shot over a week at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife, employed two dedicated camera crews utilising digital cinema cameras, action cameras, car-to-car tracking and aerial drones to capture the action. The notoriously capricious Eifel mountain weather, with its fog, rain and dramatic lighting, serves as a dynamic backdrop, amplifying the drama and underscoring the circuit’s unique character.

Rather than focusing exclusively on track action, the narrative shifts following the retirement of the DUNLOP car to highlight the essential human element of the race. The production pays tribute to the mechanics, marshals, support crews, drivers and devoted fans, emphasising that the event’s spirit relies on these individuals. This approach also connects to DUNLOP’s deep-rooted heritage in motorsport, blending tradition with innovation since the invention of the pneumatic tyre.

In a notable technical achievement, the filmmakers utilised advanced artificial intelligence to reconstruct a historically accurate sequence depicting the car without using any archive footage. This innovative process, informed by extensive visual documentation and historical references, successfully bridges more than four decades of DUNLOP’s racing history, creating a new and authentic representation of its enduring legacy at the Nürburgring.

Evropi Dionysiadou, Brand Communications Specialist at Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH and responsible for the production, said, “One of the film’s most memorable moments creates a bridge between the past and the present. As a tribute to DUNLOP’s heritage, a Porsche 962 C appears on the start-finish straight for a few seconds, bearing the same number 17 that raced at the Nürburgring on DUNLOP tyres in 1986 and 1987.”

Dennis Wilstermann, Marketing Manager, Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, said, “With ‘Taking the Line’, DUNLOP underlines its deep roots in motorsport. For decades, experience gained in racing has been transferred into the development of road tyres, helping us create products capable of performing in the most demanding conditions and regularly earning recognition in independent tyre tests. An icon of 24-hour racing, DUNLOP has also contributed to 34 victories at Le Mans, a legacy that continues to inspire and drive us today.”

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The German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) has issued a stark warning, throwing its full support behind a recent open letter from the metal and electrical sectors that urges the Federal Government to implement immediate industrial reforms. Association President Michael Klein stressed that the current situation poses a fundamental threat to the nation’s industrial foundation, prosperity and the very fabric of its democratic society. He insisted that the time for half-measures has passed and that decisive action can no longer be postponed.

The association’s concerns are particularly acute for Germany’s rubber sector, a systemically important industry whose products are vital to strategic fields like healthcare, mobility, defence and infrastructure. According to Klein, mid-sized member companies are buckling under the weight of exorbitant energy costs, excessive bureaucratic red tape and aggressive competition from non-European rivals. He described the industry as being in a state of free fall, which jeopardises national self-sufficiency in several critical areas. To reverse this trend, the wdk is calling for the suspension of reporting duties, the abolition of the national emissions trading system to lower energy prices and robust measures to secure domestic markets.

These urgent appeals are underscored by the latest economic data for the first half of 2026, which paints a grim picture of the industry's trajectory. wdk chief economist Michael Berthel reported significant declines across all major indicators, with production dropping by 5.4 percent to 530,000 tonnes and the workforce shrinking by five percent to 57,200 employees. Revenue also took a substantial hit, falling by 4.1 percent to EUR 5.2 billion compared to the same period in 2025.

Berthel further cautioned that without a rapid improvement in the general operating conditions, the situation will only deteriorate further, leading to the permanent closure of more production facilities. The association’s leadership maintains that creating a level playing field in international competition is not merely an option but an absolute necessity for the survival of the rubber industry in Germany.

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Pyrum Innovations AG has unveiled a comprehensive rebranding initiative, introducing a new logo, an updated corporate design and a fully redesigned website. This strategic overhaul publicly reflects the company’s significant evolution in recent years across technological, entrepreneurial and international dimensions.

Central to the new identity is the guiding principle ‘Rethink Resources’, which encapsulates Pyrum’s shift in perspective towards viewing waste as a valuable raw material source. No longer positioning itself solely as a tyre recycler, the technology firm employs its proprietary thermolysis process to recover and reintegrate valuable resources into the production cycle. The refreshed brand imagery is designed to articulate this vision clearly while fostering a cohesive identity to support ongoing global expansion and technological scaling.

Visually, the transformation features a modern aesthetic with a clear design language intended to boost brand recognition internationally. The new website serves as a central hub, making the company’s technology and vision more accessible. This corporate identity will be phased into operations gradually, with existing materials replaced only during regular updates to align with sustainable resource management principles.

Pascal Klein, CEO, Pyrum Innovations AG, said, “Pyrum has evolved significantly in recent years. With our new brand identity, we want to make this evolution visible to the outside world as well. Our new brand identity is not a break from our previous identity, but rather the next logical step. ‘Rethink Resources’ perfectly captures what drives us: rethinking resources, tapping into new sources of raw materials with our technology and thereby making an important contribution to greater resource independence. Pyrum aims to be one of the first brands that comes to mind when it comes to resource resilience.”

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