Under its Laufenn Brand, Hankook introduced a new line of tyres for commercial use for the second tier of the UK market.

Laufenn will initially launch with nine different patterns, covering the main range of tyre sizes, for the transport of goods, people as well as tyres for construction traffic. The initial line-up has been developed to meet more than 85% of the total market needs, with most of the sizes offering 3PMSF labelling.

“Our new Laufenn truck and bus radial tyres will offer the UK market a valuable addition to Hankook’s overall product portfolio,” says Chang-Yool Han, Managing Director of Hankook Tyre UK. “It will help us to demonstrate to our customers that Hankook is a premium tyre maker, able to offer a full and comprehensive product range, and therefore strengthen our position as a tyre solution provider.” Paul Emery, Sales Director of the UK adds: “To us this is a unique opportunity – by launching an additional truck and bus tyre brand for commercial use, we also substantiate the development of Hankook’s TBR offer into a striving, full-service, premium brand with all its associated technological innovations.”

The Laufenn truck and bus tyre line-up will initially offer products for regional haul use, last-mile delivery, public transport and construction traffic. All patterns are regroovable and retreadable with a deep original tread to deliver a good mileage performance. With proven casing technology and the necessary tread compound know-how, nine different tread patterns will initially be available to cover most of the market needs, of which 80% carry the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.

The Laufenn range will include five tread designs for regional haul, three for construction and material handling traffic and one for urban and commuting bus services:

The regional haul treads cover Truck, Trailer and Bus needs. The two steer tyres, Laufenn LF21 for regional to longer driving distances, and LF22 for regional hauling, accommodate a wide range of vehicles, ensuring they will be well equipped and profiting from excellent durability, among other advantages. The Laufenn LZ22 serves as a drive axle tyre for regional haul application, offering a robust tread compound for long tyre life and even wear. Laufenn LF90 an LF91 both fit the purposes of regional haul trailer tyres in different sizes.

The On & Off road application range of Laufenn truck tyres covers the needs of customers who frequently serve construction sites with their fleet. Therefore, the all position Laufenn tyres LR01 and LR02 both offer the necessary heavy-duty endurance to withstand different levels of ground condition-induced stress. Laufenn LR53 teams up with the LR01 and LR02 as a reliable drive axle tyre with good chip and cut resistance and ability to withstand the demands for On & Off road application.

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Fornnax Technology, a global leader in recycling equipment manufacturing, has officially brought Sushil Upadhyay on board as the new Head of its Service Department, a leadership transition that takes effect immediately. With a professional background spanning over 26 years, Upadhyay arrives with extensive experience drawn from multiple multinational corporations. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed and coordinated large, cross-functional teams comprising more than 300 professionals. Within his new capacity at Fornax, his primary focus will involve steering strategic transformations within the service domain, with the objective of optimising equipment reliability, maximising value across the lifecycle of machinery and elevating the sustained performance of the company’s worldwide installed base of industrial recycling solutions.

In the coming year, the service division under his leadership is set to concentrate on a series of clearly defined operational objectives. Key among these is the effort to curtail instances of unexpected machinery downtime by integrating both preventive and predictive maintenance approaches. The team also intends to roll out measurable performance benchmarks for service delivery, which will include tracking metrics such as speed of response, Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) and overall equipment uptime. Moreover, there will be a concerted push to reinforce the availability of spare components by optimising regional warehousing and distribution processes.

Further developments on the agenda involve the creation and delivery of well-structured training modules targeting technical expertise and workplace safety, aimed at enhancing the capabilities of service personnel. In parallel, the organisation plans to introduce digital tools designed to boost transparency in operations and enable customers to more effectively monitor service activities. These combined efforts underscore Fornnax’s commitment to evolving its service infrastructure in response to growing demands for efficiency and reliability.

Jignesh Kundaria, Director & CEO, Fornnax, said, “Our people are the true engine behind our innovation and execution. As we scale globally and expand our footprint across diverse recycling applications, cultivating a culture of excellence remains central to our strategy. In 2026, we are intensifying our focus on talent development, leadership growth and building a high-ownership, high-accountability environment that drives continuous improvement across engineering, manufacturing, and service. This will set new benchmarks in the industry, and I believe Upadhyay will play a crucial role in this journey.”

Upadhyay said, “Fornnax’s strong positioning in high-capacity shredding solutions and its commitment to sustainable recycling deeply resonated with me. The company’s engineering strength and rapid growth trajectory present a powerful opportunity to build a world-class service organisation. In an industry where machine reliability directly impacts customer profitability, service becomes a direct driver of customer success. I am excited to elevate Service from a support function to a strategic growth enabler, which is specifically focused on uptime, lifecycle value and long-term partnerships.”

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Pirelli has commenced 2026 by building upon its record-breaking previous year, which was distinguished by numerous victories and podium placements across its entire product portfolio and its innovative Cyber Tyre technology. This exceptional momentum is underscored by the remarkable performance of the recently launched summer Cinturato, a tyre engineered for premium sedans and CUVs that has rapidly established itself as a benchmark for safety, longevity and dynamic equilibrium. Having already secured two wins in 2025, the next-generation Cinturato has added two outright victories and three podium finishes in the opening months of 2026, excelling in six comparative tests conducted by leading European automotive publications and independent organisations.

The Cinturato's success story includes a premier position in a test by Tyre Reviews, where it was lauded as the best summer tyre of the year for its impeccable dry braking and precise steering feedback. It also achieved a triumph in evaluations by the Automobilclub von Deutschland, earning an ‘excellent’ rating and top marks in safety-critical areas like dry braking and aquaplaning resistance. Further reinforcing its technological sophistication, the tyre secured second place with a ‘Highly Recommended’ rating from the ADAC, which recognised its robust durability and diminished environmental footprint alongside its balanced handling.

Additional podium finishes came from Auto Zeitung, which praised the Cinturato as a tyre devoid of weaknesses for its safe handling and impressive mileage, and from Sweden's Vi Bilägare, which highlighted its agile nature and short stopping distances. The tyre's comprehensive capabilities were also affirmed by Auto Bild, where it progressed from a strong qualifying performance to the final round, impressing testers with its grip and balanced behaviour, especially on wet surfaces.

This outstanding beginning to the year for the Cinturato is part of a broader renewal of Pirelli's summer offerings, which recently welcomed the fifth-generation P Zero, the quintessential tyre for sports cars, and the third-generation Scorpion, the latest evolution designed to deliver safety and enduring performance for SUVs.

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Prinx Chengshan, together with its brand Chengshan, participated in the 25th Heilongjiang Agricultural Machinery Exhibition in Harbin on 14 March 2026. The event served as a platform to advance the modernisation of China’s agricultural machinery sector and foster industry exchanges. In this context, the company displayed a comprehensive range of agricultural tyres tailored for tractors and combine harvesters.

For tractors, the company presented its agricultural radial tyre series. The TX600 model is engineered with robust tread blocks and a cut-resistant compound, ensuring stable handling during high-speed operations while offering strong defence against punctures. The TX700 features a reinforced carcass and belt structure, providing significant load capacity and superior traction to perform effectively in wet and uneven fields. Meanwhile, the TX800 incorporates a deep R-1W tread pattern and a specialised wear-resistant compound, supported by strengthened beads and shoulders. This design enhances resistance to damage from straw and stones, thereby extending tyre longevity. Addressing the needs of combine harvesters, the TX2000 model delivers a 20 percent increase in load capacity and excellent flexibility. Its low-pressure, wide-footprint design minimizes soil compaction, aligning agricultural efficiency with environmental sustainability.

Additionally, the company’s bias tyre offerings, the CSY90 and CSY93, were also showcased. These tyres feature a traditional herringbone tread pattern that ensures effective self-cleaning and robust traction. They maintain reliable performance in challenging terrains such as soft sand and muddy fields, while their durable construction supports continuous operation during peak farming periods.

With the global push towards agricultural modernisation and mechanisation, Prinx Chengshan has strategically expanded its off-the-road (OTR) tyre operations. A key milestone in this effort is the newly operational green smart factory for OTR tyres. With an investment exceeding RMB 1.1 billion (approximately USD 159.50 million) and spanning over 100,000 square metres, the facility is designed to produce 84,000 engineering tyres and 10,000 giant tyres annually. Serving diverse sectors including mining, construction and agriculture, this initiative enhances the company’s high-end product portfolio and promotes the sustainable advancement of China’s OTR tyre industry.

Looking ahead, Prinx Chengshan intends to uphold its integrated product and service approach. By advancing agricultural tyre technology, the company aims to support the evolution of agricultural machinery through intelligent and sustainable solutions, contributing to the sector’s continued progress.

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Tructyre has announced the appointment of Mark Holland as its new Operations Director, effective from April 2026. In this role, he will leverage his extensive background in managing large-scale mobile service operations to enhance support for fleet customers across all sizes.

Holland transitions to Tructyre from ATS Euromaster, where he spent nearly six years as Operations Director. His tenure there also included leadership positions such as Head of Mobile Operations, Head of Network Development and Area Operations Manager. Prior to joining ATS Euromaster in 2011, he served as Network Manager at Auto Windscreens, where he was responsible for overseeing the company’s mobile teams.

In his new capacity, Holland will oversee a 350-strong fleet of service vehicles, along with tooling, equipment, supply chain and distribution. He will also manage Tructyre’s 24/7 Customer Experience Centre in Gateshead, which handles over 11,000 calls each month. Tructyre specialises exclusively in mobile servicing for trucks, trailers, buses and coaches. Its operations are supported by a network of 40 depots across England, Wales and Scotland, supplemented by additional stocking points, ensuring technicians have round-the-clock access to the necessary fitments for both planned service work and roadside emergencies.

Holland said, “Tructyre is partway through a major investment in new systems, so it’s an exciting moment to be stepping into this role. These upgrades will streamline processes for both our technicians and colleagues within our Customer Experience Centre, enabling us to deliver an even faster, more efficient service for fleets. Few industries carry the responsibility that ours does, and the opportunity to help de‑risk Britain’s commercial vehicle fleets is one I take seriously. I’m looking forward to driving operational excellence in everything we do and ensuring our customers have complete confidence in their tyres.”

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