Hans Beckhoff, Founder and Managing Director of Beckhoff Automation, was honoured for his entrepreneurial achievements on 29 January 2025 by German business newspaper Handelsblatt, KPMG and the Stiftung Familienunternehmen (the Foundation for Family Business) and inducted into the Hall of Fame for Family Businesses.

Beckhoff, 70, was honoured in front of more than 170 family business owners during a ceremony in Munich, Germany. For 45 years, he has maintained a high rate of innovation at his technological business, which is no small feat. Instead of being driven by the digital transition, he is driving it. He has also not lost sight of today's global issues, including climate change. According to Beckhoff's slogan, ‘Engineers must save the world’, sophisticated automation technology is crucial in this context since it establishes the groundwork for enhancing sustainability as well as energy and resource efficiency.

The company's technological inventions, many of which have established worldwide market standards in automation, have proven groundbreaking, substantiating its claim to be a pioneer in the field. The core Beckhoff philosophy of PC-based control technology, which leverages the vast development potential of the IT industry for industrial applications, is a perfect illustration of this. PC-based control, which Beckhoff introduced to the market in 1986 and is today essential in a variety of sectors, including the semiconductor, automotive and packaging industries, is where automation and IT meet. It is especially used for high-performance applications.

Another milestone is the bus terminal, fieldbus technology in terminal block format, which was introduced in 1995. This fundamental automation building block allowed for the implementation of strong, small, modular and finely granular control systems that were customised to meet specific needs. The ultra-fast EtherCAT communication technology, introduced by Beckhoff in 2003, has grown to become a crucial global standard for high-performance automation. Today, more than 8,000 businesses from all around the world support this intriguing technology as members of the EtherCAT Technology Group. Despite its reputation for inventions and revolutions, Beckhoff's system idea is still widely used. Today, Beckhoff technology handles all aspects of control tasks: from machine vision and control cabinet-free automation with a comprehensive hardware and software suite to modular I/O components, flexible drive technology, intelligent product transport and TwinCAT control software with artificial intelligence (AI) features, powerful industrial PCs, and EtherCAT.

The next generation has also benefited from Beckhoff's passion for automation and innovation, as seen by the fact that his children, Frederike and Johannes Beckhoff, have long held prominent roles within the business. As a result, Beckhoff Automation is still a family business 45 years after it was founded.

Michelin North America and HAAS Alert are rolling out a new safety initiative that uses digital alerts to protect stranded truckers and roadside technicians across the United States and Canada.

The system integrates HAAS Alert's Safety Cloud technology with Michelin's ONCall emergency roadside service. When truck drivers request roadside assistance through ONCall, the system automatically sends alerts to nearby motorists through navigation apps like Apple Maps and Waze, as well as built-in vehicle systems in several auto brands.

These alerts warn approaching drivers to slow down and move over, providing up to 30 seconds of advance notice before reaching the breakdown site.

"Since 2009, Michelin ONCall has responded to almost 3 million roadside emergency service calls in the U.S. and Canada," said Ed Quigley, Director of Sales & Operations, Connected Solutions at Michelin North America, Inc. "That's why this partnership with HAAS Alert is so important. We want to help improve the safety of everyone on the highway, including commercial truck drivers and service providers, as well as consumer vehicle drivers like you and me."

The partnership comes as research demonstrates the effectiveness of digital alert systems. A 2021 Purdue University study found that such alerts can reduce hard braking incidents by up to 80 percent.

"This new product is designed to help protect commercial vehicle operators by alerting approaching drivers who are using pertinent navigation apps, through Safety Cloud until help arrives," said Tom Parbs, VP of Sales at HAAS Alert.

Michelin ONCall, launched in 2009, aims to respond to service requests within two hours and has handled nearly 3 million tyre and mechanical emergency roadside service events.

Satish Sharma recently joined BKT as Senior President for Strategy and Business Development.

Sharma brings a rich experience of over three decades in the tyre industry.

Prior to this appointment, Sharma was the President spearheading Apollo Tyres’ operations across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa regions. Sharma oversaw key functions, including manufacturing, sales and marketing, customer relations, and regional profitability.

Sharma holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Raipur, and a post-graduate diploma in Business Management from the Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad.

A veteran of India’s automotive sector, Sharma previously served as Chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA).

Kenda Tires has appointed Rebecca Karbon as its new Bicycle Sales Director for North America, the company announced.

Karbon, an industry veteran with extensive experience in the bicycle sector, will lead Kenda’s bicycle sales division, focusing on expanding market engagement and strengthening distributor and retail partnerships.

“We are confident that Rebecca’s expertise will further enhance our partnerships with long-lasting customers while maintaining our exceptional service you’ve come to expect from Kenda,” said Eric Yang, Vice President of Development at Kenda.

Karbon, who will be based in Minneapolis, said she looks forward to increasing brand engagement.

“I’m excited to join the Kenda team and look forward to increasing brand engagement with our distributor and retail partners,” Karbon said.

Call for Papers Now Open for Submissions

The Tire Society is set to host its 44th annual conference, focusing on sustainable innovation in the tyre industry, marking a significant shift towards environmental consciousness in a sector crucial to global transportation.

Scheduled for 23–25 September 2025 at the University of Akron, the conference will centre on the theme "Rolling Towards Sustainability: Tyres for a Greener Future", highlighting the industry's growing emphasis on environmental responsibility and technological advancement.

This year's event comes as tyre manufacturers worldwide face increasing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint and adapt to stricter regulatory requirements for sustainable production methods. The conference's focus on sustainability reflects the industry's response to global climate initiatives and changing consumer preferences.

Key Focus Areas:

• Sustainable materials development
• Optimisation and data connectivity for reduced emissions
• Regulatory compliance and industry collaboration
• Waste transformation strategies
• Circular design principles

The event traditionally attracts engineers and scientists from major tyre manufacturers, vehicle producers, academic institutions, and government agencies globally. Previous conferences have led to breakthrough developments in tyre technology and industry standards.

The conference is offering special opportunities for full-time students, including monetary awards for outstanding papers and poster presentation opportunities, demonstrating the industry's commitment to nurturing next-generation talent in sustainable tyre technology.

Selected papers from the conference will be published in the Journal of Tire Science and Technology, the industry's leading peer-reviewed publication, providing participating researchers and companies with opportunities to establish thought leadership in sustainable tyre development.

The call for papers is open until 3 March 2025. The Society is particularly interested in submissions addressing sustainable materials, performance optimisation, and emerging technologies in tyre manufacturing.