Goodyear Tire & Rubber completed the acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber. With this acquisition, Goodyear Tire will expand its product offering by combining two portfolios of complementary brands.

“We are excited to officially bring Goodyear and Cooper together and unite our shared focus on customers, innovation and high-quality products and solutions. This combination strengthens Goodyear’s ability to serve more consumers globally and provides increased scale to support greater investments in new mobility and fleet solutions,” said Richard J. Kramer, Goodyear chairman, chief executive officer and president.

Goodyear Tire said the acquisition will strengthen its market position ‘significantly’ in North America.  In China, the acquisition doubles Goodyear’s presence and increases the number of relationships with local automakers while creating broader distribution for Cooper replacement tires through Goodyear’s network of 2,500 branded retail stores.

Post-acquisition, Goodyear Tire will leverage its strength for the original equipment and premium replacement tyres, while Cooper Tire will target the light truck and SUV segments.

The US tyre maker also expects to achieve approximately $165 million in run-rate cost synergies within two years. The majority of the cost synergies will be related to overlapping corporate functions and realizing operating efficiencies. In addition, the combination is expected to generate the net present value of $450 million or more by utilizing Goodyear’s available US tax attributes. These tax attributes are expected to reduce the company’s cash tax payments, positioning it to generate additional free cash flow. The expected cost synergies do not include manufacturing-related savings.

The acquisition is also expected to increase the capital efficiency and flexibility of Cooper Tire’s selected Cooper facilities. As an industry leader in the US, the combined company will offer tire products and a broad selection of services through Goodyear’s relationships with traditional and emerging original equipment manufacturers, autonomous driving system developers, new and established fleet operators, and other mobility platforms. (TT)

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Falken Tyre Europe has appointed Hiroshi Hamada as its new Managing Director, Chairman and CEO.

He comes with over three decades of experience at Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), initially joining the company back in 1992 – then named The Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Company.

In 2018, Hamada was appointed Vice-President of SRI China and President of Dunlop Tire in China. Since 2024, he continued to serve as a Senior Executive Officer at SRI.

Falken Tyre looks to leverage Hamada’s extensive industry experience to enhance collaboration across the company’s European operations and support the brand’s long-term growth strategy.

Hiroshi Hamada, said, "I am honoured to lead Falken Tyre Europe at this exciting juncture with Dunlop. With Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ global expertise and Falken’s legacy of performance and innovation, we are uniquely positioned to strengthen our European operations and deliver value to customers. I look forward to achieving new milestones together with my dedicated and talented colleagues.”

Markus Bogner, Managing Director and President, Falken Tyre Europe, said, "Hiroshi Hamada’s appointment is a strategic step forward for Falken Tyre Europe. His 33 years of experience at Sumitomo Rubber Industries, including numerous leadership roles, bring invaluable insight to our European growth ambitions. Working closely together, we will reinforce the brand’s partnerships, innovate across our product lines and uphold the trust of our customers."

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Ralson Tire North America (RTNA) has named Brian Sheehey President as of 30 April 2025. Sheehey joined Ralson Tire North America as Senior Vice President in 2022 and has 35 years of total experience in the tyre industry.

After finishing the development of a state-of-the-art medium/heavy truck tire production facility in Indore, India, Ralson made its debut in the US commercial tyre market in 2023. With the potential to generate four million units per year, the factory now produces one million TBR units. The facility produces a wide variety of commercial vehicle tyres under the Ralson and Accelus brands. In America, RTNA's distribution network is growing quickly. The opening of two East Coast distribution centres was also recently announced by the company.

Manjul Pahwa, Managing Director and CEO, Ralson Tyres Ltd, said, “Brian has played an instrumental role in our outstanding growth, and the future looks bright for the Ralson and Accelus brands in North America under his leadership. In today’s challenging market, Brian and the RTNA team have done a great job of helping our customers solve deficiencies in their supply base, improve their margins and address opportunities faster than most of the larger legacy brand competitors.”

Sheehey said, “I look forward to growing the Ralson and Accelus brands in North America, Ralson Tire North America is focused on increasing cash flow for our partners. It is a simple idea but not always executed well by tyre manufacturers. RTNA is committed to bringing back the ‘personal touch’ in business relationships, combined with our laser focus on providing dealers and fleets a high-quality product at a reasonable cost that they can depend on every day of the year.”

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The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) has named Ian Andrew as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Stefan Hay, who will step down in July after a transition period. With nearly two decades of experience in association leadership, Ian joins the NTDA from his most recent role as CEO of the Derby-based British Pest Control Association (BPCA).

Prior to leading BPCA, Ian served as Governance and Partnerships Director at the Beech Centre in East Yorkshire, where he played a pivotal role in securing government approval to establish the new Institute for Organisational Development. His career also includes significant positions at the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), where he held roles such as Head of Membership Engagement, Head of Business Development and CMI’s Manager for Scotland. Additionally, he has held senior positions at the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board.

Ian brings a wealth of expertise in membership organizations, business development, training, qualifications, and governance. He will officially assume his role at the NTDA in June, where his experience is expected to drive strategic growth and strengthen stakeholder relationships. Ian has a Bachelor of Divinity from Edinburgh University, a postgraduate degree in hotel administration and an MA in history and international relations from Aberdeen University. Among his accomplishments are his certification as a management consultant and performance coach. Throughout his career, Ian has been a steadfast supporter of improving professional standards and has a wealth of lobbying and high-level representation experience with Westminster and the devolved administrations.

Martin O’Brien, NTDA National Chairman, said, “We are delighted to welcome Ian as CEO. He joins us with the NTDA in its strongest position for many years, with a healthy, engaged membership and a reputation for proactive leadership on the key issues facing the UK tyre trade. We are looking forward to working with him to maintain and grow our influence in the industry and beyond.”

Ian said,“I am delighted to be joining NTDA at such an exciting time. Stefan Hay moved the association on considerably during his time leading it. My intention is to work closely with members and key partners to ensure that, as a sector, we continue to develop confidence and trust in NTDA members for the professional management of tyres, ensuring we develop better qualified tyre technicians and promote their expertise alongside the highest levels of motorist and tyre safety.”

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Following its Annual General Meeting of members on 4 June 2025, the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) has announced its 2025-2026 Board of Directors.

The members chose Bridgestone Canada Inc's Phillip Diogenes as the new director at that meeting. The board will be chaired by Chris Figel of AirBoss of America Corp., while Lawrence Kumar of Yokohama Tire (Canada) and Paul Christou of Goodyear Canada Inc were named as Vice Chair and Treasurer, respectively. Having held executive positions at Canadian Tire, Yokohama Tire and now Bridgestone, Diogenes provides 20 years of expertise in the automotive and tire sectors. His background includes leadership, marketing and business strategy. He has an MBA from the University of Leicester.

Chris Figel, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at AirBoss of America Corp, said, “I’m honoured to serve as TRAC’s Chair of the Board of Directors, and the Board is pleased to welcome Diogenes to the team. I’m confident his industry experience and proven business acumen will serve TRAC well. I would also like to thank Pamela Scarrow for her dedicated service to TRAC as she retires from Bridgestone and steps off the Board. We wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life and career. I also extend my gratitude and the warmest welcome to returning Directors who continue to serve the Association with diligence and professionalism.”

The complete list of TRAC’s 2025-2026 Board of Directors is given below:

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