Former German World Cup downhill and super-G ski racer Thomas Dreßen has been appointed as brand ambassador for Vredestein by Apollo Tyres Ltd. The company has already signed an agreement earlier this year for Vredestein to become the ‘Official Main Sponsor’ of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2025.

Winner of five World Cup victories, including the legendary 2018 finish in Kitzbühel that made him the first skier to win a debut race at the location since 1988, and 10 career podium finishes, Dreßen will leverage his platform as a former competitive skier to promote Vredestein’s range of winter and all-season tyres. As part of the deal, he will also promote the brand’s links to international winter sports.

The 30-year-old took retirement in early 2024 after a series of injuries but still remains active in sports, with the recent participation in the 227 km Ötztal Cycling Marathon across the Alps standing as testimony of his passion for sports. The former champion also serves as an ambassador for the Nicolaidis Young Wings Foundation, a charity that provides grief counselling to children and young adults who have lost a parent or partner.

This new alliance is part of a diversified sports and motorsports marketing campaign designed for the Vredestein brand, after the company's recent collaboration with Olympian and champion French runner Yann Schrub and three-time Formula One race winner Giancarlo Fisichella.

Dreßen said, “Winter sports have always been a huge part of my life, and partnering with the Vredestein brand to support the FIS Alpine Ski Championships is a real honour. The high-performance qualities of the Vredestein winter tyre range naturally align with alpine skiing. As an athlete who values top-tier equipment to perform at my best, I see a clear connection between the demands of competitive skiing and the engineering excellence of Vredestein’s winter and all-season tyres.”

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President – Commercial, Europe at Apollo Tyres, said, “We’re excited for the upcoming ski season and are delighted to welcome Thomas to the Vredestein team. His expertise and vast experience make him the perfect ambassador to promote some of our award-wining winter range, which includes the new Ultra-high-performance Wintrac Pro.”

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Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, has concluded its fourth annual ‘Download the App, Plant a Tree’ campaign, resulting in nearly 59,000 new trees being planted across United States. The initiative, which ran from Earth Day on 22 April through the end of Bridgestone’s Sustainable Business Week on 12 May, encouraged customers of Firestone Complete Auto Care and Tires Plus to transition away from paper-based processes. In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, the company committed to planting one tree seedling for every new download of its mobile applications.

Since the programme’s inception in 2023, the cumulative effort has contributed over 244,000 tree seedlings to a conservation project spanning 3,600 acres. For the second consecutive year, Bridgestone has collaborated with The Nature Conservancy to focus reforestation on flood-prone areas within the Mississippi Delta region, protecting vulnerable farmland. This work builds upon a significant prior contribution, as the company donated over 5,700 acres of Tennessee land to the organisation in 2018, the largest land donation in that chapter’s history.

The mobile applications function as digital glove boxes, enabling customers to schedule appointments, access vehicle histories and review promotional offers. By incentivising digital adoption, BSRO seeks to curtail paper waste across its 2,200 retail locations. Beyond reducing paper consumption, the company’s sustainability strategy incorporates electric vehicle maintenance and charging services, alongside recycling nearly all products and byproducts used in stores.

This reforestation effort supports the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, a framework of eight corporate values guiding sustainability objectives. The campaign exemplifies the company’s dedication to Energy, Ecology and Efficiency, demonstrating how customer engagement drives environmental outcomes. Through these actions, BSRO integrates ecological responsibility into its retail operations and long-term business model.

Marko Ibrahim, President, BSRO, said, “We are proud to see this campaign continue to grow and support Bridgestone’s long-term sustainability goals. By helping expand green space in communities across the country, our stores are demonstrating what it means to live out our Promise to Care.”

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NEXEN TIRE has inaugurated a fully automated logistics centre at its European manufacturing facility in Žatec, Czech Republic. The strategic project significantly boosts the plant’s storage capacity by roughly 57 percent, elevating it from 530,000 to 830,000 tyres.

Spanning 7,104 square metres and rising 51 metres high, the new warehouse employs cutting-edge automation, including RFID-based product tracking and fully automated inbound and outbound systems. These technologies streamline the entire production-to-shipment process, enhancing both operational efficiency and inventory accuracy. Consequently, the European subsidiary gains greater agility to address seasonal demand shifts, ensuring faster and more reliable deliveries that bolster regional customer satisfaction.

Since commencing European production in 2019, NEXEN TIRE has persistently expanded its local presence. The warehouse project, launched in October 2024 following the plant’s second-phase completion, directly supports rising output and underscores the company’s commitment to strengthening supply chain resilience and manufacturing capabilities across Europe.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, NEXEN TIRE, said, “This warehouse expansion does more than just increase storage capacity. It is a strategic investment that will strengthen our integrated production and logistics capabilities. By continuously enhancing the operational capabilities of our European plant, we will improve the trust of customers and further accelerate our growth in the European market.”

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Tegeta Green Planet, a pioneering Georgian organisation authorised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, partnered with Shine Energy for an educational visit to GLC School (Georgian Learning Center School). The organisation specialises in the circular economy collection, transportation and recycling of used tyres, waste oils and batteries.

Students from grades VI to IX engaged in dynamic discussions, practical exercises and interactive tasks designed to impart crucial knowledge on waste management and resource conservation. The session illuminated the mechanics of the EPR system and underscored the vital role of individual citizens in environmental stewardship. To commemorate their enthusiastic participation, the students received certificates and symbolic gifts.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy by both companies to cultivate environmental consciousness among youth. By utilising practical examples and interactive learning methods, including presentations and games, the project aims to instil sustainable behaviours and a deep understanding of circular economy principles in the next generation.

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The Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR) has expanded its European network by integrating REGOM, a French innovator specialising in automated sorting and identification systems for end-of-life tyres. This partnership strengthens the collaborative push towards a sustainable tyre circular economy, leveraging REGOM’s technological expertise to enhance digitalisation and transparency across the industry.

Proper assessment and classification of used tyres is the foundational step in establishing a functional circular system. Determining whether a tyre is fit for reuse, retreading, recycling or alternative recovery processes is essential to maximising the lifespan of valuable materials. REGOM’s solutions directly address this critical juncture by providing precise, data-driven evaluations.

The company employs advanced artificial intelligence, image processing and real-time data analysis to capture key attributes like tyre dimensions, manufacturer details and tread depth. This technology enables accurate sorting, directing each tyre towards its most suitable end-of-life pathway, thereby improving the efficiency of material flows and boosting recycling rates. Such automated objectivity is a significant asset for waste managers, recyclers and retreaders.

Looking forward, REGOM is actively engaged in pioneering initiatives like the Digital Product Passport and RFID-based identification. These tools are vital for ensuring full lifecycle traceability, from production through multiple use cycles. By enabling comprehensive data collection and process optimization, these technologies promise to drive greater resource efficiency and solidify the digital backbone of the future circular economy.

Christina Guth, AZuR network coordinator, said, “Digital technologies will play a key role in the tyre circular economy in the future. They help to keep tyres in circulation longer, strengthen high-quality recycling pathways and use valuable raw materials more efficiently.”

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