Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT), a Yokohama Rubber Group, has started production at its Visakhapatnam plant, India, which will respond more quickly to expanding global demand for off-highway tyres.

The new plant, which was originally scheduled to begin production in the first quarter of 2023, was inaugurated in the presence of Jagan Mohan Reddy, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, the Indian state where the plant is located, Masayuki Taga, Consul General of Japan in Chennai, and Nitin Mantri, a member of the board and managing officer of the Yokohama Rubber and the head of the Group’s OHT division.

In its initial production stage, the Visakhapatnam Plant will have a daily capacity of 69 tonnes (rubber weight). The plant’s daily capacity will be increased to 132 tonnes in the second stage planned to start in the first quarter of 2024. Further expansion of the plant’s capacity is under consideration, said the company.

Nitin Mantri said, “We are very excited with this best-in-class facility that will set a new benchmark for quality and productivity in the OHT segment. With our increased capacity we will reduce our lead times to better serve our global customer base”.

The company already has two plants – Dahej, Gujarat and Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, which produces three brands- ALLIANCE, GALAXY and PRIMEX used for agricultural, construction, industrial and forestry machinery. 

YOHT also has two other tire plants in India—the Dahej Plant in the state of Gujarat and the Tirunelveli Plant in Tamil Nadu. The plants produce three of the Group’s core OHT brands—the ALLIANCE, GALAXY and PRIMEX brands—which are used on agricultural, construction, industrial and forestry machinery. YOHT sales have been expanding faster than the overall OHT market. To meet the demand for its products, Yokohama Rubber began the construction of the Visakhapatnam Plant in the third quarter of 2020 to supplement a 1.6x expansion of production capacity at the Dahej Plant. 

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Pirelli has expanded its premium Cross Country mountain bike tyre line with the introduction of the SCORPION XC RH. This new model, entirely manufactured in Italy at the company's Milan-Bollate facility using FSC-certified natural rubber, is engineered for the highest levels of competitive racing where minimizing rolling resistance is the paramount concern.

Designed for hardpack and compact terrain, the SCORPION XC RH aims to deliver record-level rolling efficiency without sacrificing control. Its performance stems from a synergistic combination of a specialised tread design and a bespoke RACE XC compound. The tread pattern features a wide, continuous central band with low-profile, tightly spaced knobs to maximize speed and smoothness. For confident cornering, a key weakness in many fast-rolling tyres, the RH incorporates aggressive shoulder knobs directly derived from the SCORPION XC RC model. This differentiated profile ensures stability on straightaways and provides exceptional traction through technical turns.

The custom-formulated RACE XC compound is the product of Pirelli’s technical expertise, bridging motorsport and cycling. Developed specifically for the RH model, this compound is calibrated to offer ultra-fast rolling performance coupled with essential chemical grip, which is critical for maintaining control on mixed surfaces and when riding at the limit. Internal laboratory testing confirms that the SCORPION XC RH is the fastest model in Pirelli's entire Made-in-Italy cross-country range, demonstrating a more than forty percent improvement in rolling speed over the previous RC model.

This new Racing Hardpack tyre has already been proven under race conditions by Pirelli’s partner teams, including Alpecin-Deceuninck and Trek Factory Racing, in events such as the Les Gets World Cup and the World Championships. Notably, Samuele Porro of the Klimatiza Orbea team rode the SCORPION XC RH to a Vice World Champion title at the 2025 Marathon World Championships.

The SCORPION XC RH is available to consumers in a 29x2.4 size, offering a choice between the standard LITE casing and the redesigned ProWALL casing, which features reinforced sidewalls for enhanced protection and stability. The tyres are now available at leading bicycle retailers and online, complete with graphics in both standard and Team Edition versions.

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Nokian Tyres has been named an Official Sponsor for the 2026 and 2027 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships, connecting its brand with a premier winter sports spectacle. The sponsorship covers the upcoming tournaments in Switzerland and Germany, which captivate a global audience of millions.

According to Tiina Frazer, VP of Brand, Marketing and Communications at Nokian Tyres, the partnership is a natural alignment. She notes that ice hockey is a sport defined by extreme conditions, where success hinges on control, precision, and grip. This directly parallels the core mission of Nokian Tyres, which is to engineer products that provide drivers with reliable safety and confident performance on the road, regardless of the weather. The collaboration reinforces the company's dedication to excellence in demanding environments.

Frazer said, “We’re proud to support an event that brings together millions of passionate hockey fans – whether they’re cheering at the ice rink or following the excitement from their screens. It’s a privilege to be part of the special moments viewers enjoy around the globe, especially as awareness of our heritage as inventor of the winter tyre is growing globally. We are looking forward to our partnership and wish all the teams and players success for the upcoming tournament.”

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The World Brand Lab unveiled its ‘Asia's 500 Most Influential Brands’ list at the Asia Brand Congress in Hong Kong on 24 September 2025, featuring both Kumho Tires and Doublestar Tires for their significant brand impact.

Kumho Tires achieved a comprehensive ranking of 209th, rising six places from the previous year and positioning it as the second-highest ranked tyre brand. Meanwhile, Doublestar Tires climbed five spots to 305th overall, earning the distinction of being the top-ranked brand within China's domestic tyre industry.

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Michelin North America, Inc. is enhancing retailer access to its bicycle tyres through a new distribution partnership with J&B Importers, effective 1 October 2025. With this development, retailers will be able to order Michelin products directly through J&B Importers, starting with an initial selection of popular models.

A major expansion of the tyre lineup is scheduled for 1 January 2026, which will introduce a comprehensive portfolio. This collaboration is designed for a seamless integration, providing efficient access to Michelin's premium range. The 2026 expansion will include a wide array of new SKUs, encompassing tyres for road, mountain, gravel and city cycling to meet diverse market demands.

Justin Brock, Vice President – Sales, Recreational Products, Michelin North America, Inc., said, “Partnering with J&B Importers, Inc. allows us to better serve independent bike dealers with faster access to Michelin’s trusted tyre technologies. This is a key step in expanding our footprint and supporting the cycling community with products that deliver performance and durability.”

Phil Sweet, General Manager, J&B Importers, Inc., said, “We’re proud to welcome Michelin to our distribution portfolio. Michelin is a globally respected brand known for innovation and performance. This partnership allows us to offer our dealers access to premium bicycle tyres backed by a legacy of excellence, and we’re excited to grow the assortment in the months ahead.”

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