In 2014, Zivojin Sekulic was presenting a concept about Serbia as a future hot spot for tyre production in Shandong, in China, one of the world’s biggest tyre production province. By then, nobody was bullish on Serbia and saw the country as the next tyre production hub, but Sekulic applied analysis and research methods to support his prediction.

Sekulic has been with the industry for over a decade, and has been responsible for developing, managing and supporting operations in  Europe, Asia, and the USA.

Several reasons could support Sekulic's claims. One of the reasons for that prediction was geopolitical relations between China, USA, EU and Euroasia. To de-risk trade tension, many tyre companies are exploring alternative production locations, and Serbia is emerging to be a viable place to target major markets. Also, Also, 'made in EU' effects are needed for OEM contracts which also help to brand building.

Having those reasons in mind, Sekulic forecast that Chinese tyre companies will come to the Eastern and South-Eastern Europe to setup tyre plants to avoid anti-dumping duties, apply made in EU effect to their brand and to get some OEM contracts as they need to be close enough to automotive plants due to specific logistic delivery contracts.

Five years later, Linglong Tire in 2019 started to build a tyre plant in Serbia with an investment of almost one billion USD. "Serbia is China's first strategic partner in central and eastern Europe and has a favourable environment for development and investment," said the Chinese tyre company. After the completion of the project, the annual output of various high-performance radial tyre will reach 13.62 million units, with yearly revenue of $ 600 million.

In the same year just a few months later, another Asian Tyre producer, Toyo Tire announced that it will setup a plant in Serbia.  The Japanese company will invest around 3.91 million euros in the plant, which will produce tyres for passenger vehicles with an annual capacity of five million tyres. Toyo Tire will start construction of the Serbian Plant in May 2020, and manufacturing operations are expected start in January January 2022, with a capacity of five million tyres annually (based on tyres for passenger vehicles) by the summer of 2023.

Cooper Tire Serbia, a subsidiary of Cooper Tire & Rubber is also increasing production capacity at its Kruševac tyre manufacturing plant. With a strategic manufacturing footprint investment of approximately $55 million in equipment upgrades and facility expansion, the project will increase the size of the Kruševac facility to more than 882,000 square feet.

Cooper Tire Serbia will produce new, larger diameter tyres being demanded in Europe and other global markets. Total annual production capacity at the Kruševac plant will increase by approximately one-third after this expansion, which is expected later this year and will establish a footprint which could further double capacity with additional equipment and people.

"We can say that 2019 was an amazing year for the tyre Industry of Serbia. With already four tyre manufacturing plants of Michelin, Copper Tire, Mitas and Trayal, the country will have two more manufacturing plants soon. That is a huge success for Serbia as we all know that even countries with a bigger population and bigger size have lesser number of tyre plants in Europe," says Zivojin Sekulic.

A chat with Zivojin Sekulic:

Why are tyre companies showing increasing interest in Serbia for setting up plants – and generally in eastern Europe?

The reason for setting up tyre plants in Serbia is because of its specific geopolitical status. Serbia is in Europe, but not in the EU. That means particular goods produced in Serbia can be exported with 0% duty to EU, Russia, USA and countries of CEFTA and EFTA agreements and that's the market of almost one billion people. Comparing to anti-dumping duties for tyres produced in China, sounds like a good benefit, right?

Also, another reason is the label of “Made in EU” for tyre brands. The “Made in EU” effects help tyre companies to become recognisable and increase the prices, comparing to prices of tyres produced in China, and that means more significant profit.

Take the example of Hankook and their plant in Hungary. Only a few years after setting up their plant in Hungary they were selling more than 30% of their total annual production in EU and today with OEM contracts, excellent marketing strategy and outstanding R&D teams, they are in the race to become premium brand. So, imagine one day, maybe in five to eight years from today, Linglong can be close to the premium tyre brand and with the right strategy and marketing activities, if they decide to go that way.

One more reason is OEM contracts. Before setting up the plant in Serbia, Linglong signed a deal with VW and Renault, and now tyres produced in the Chinese company's tyre plant in Serbia will be delivered to these two automotive giants.

What benefits/ incentives that Serbia offers?

There are several benefits that country like Serbia is ready to offer to foreign investors. But I would like to highlight the benefits in general, not to go deeper in an analysis of specific incentives as that depends from situation to situation.

For example, the government is offering land where investors can set up a plant free of charge. There are also some tax incentives for more significant investments which are happening in the tyre industry. For instance, Cooper Tire's expansion project is supported by around $8 million in incentives provided by the Serbian government. Some investors can even get incentives per each employee that they will hire (basically like cashback card ). So, a general conclusion is that country like Serbia is really generous to foreign investors, and they should have that in mind.

Which companies are in the process of setting up?

At this moment Linglong is building the tyre plant in the city of Zrenjanin and Toyo announced that they will start building a plant in the city of Indjija very soon.

On the other side, there are major tyre companies - Mitas, Michelin, Cooper Tire, Trayal, which are producing tyres the country.

What's the future of tyre industry in Serbia?

Even I was right six years ago with a prediction that Asian tyre producers will setup tyre plants in Serbia in the near future that doesn't mean I will be right this time. But I genuinely believe that in Serbia there is a place for one more tyre plant. Specifically, I am thinking about a TBR , Agri and OTR tyre plant that can be built in a place where now Trayal's old plant is located which is still working and producing tyres for agriculture.

Going forward, the future of the Serbian tyre industry will move in another direction. After setting up plants, we will see R&D centres and Testing grounds and facilities in the country. I am predicting this because, for R&D, you need to have an excellent workforce and Serbia really has top-notch engineers and amazing developers. Currently, Continental has an R&D centre in the city of Novi Sad where several hundreds of engineers are employed.

In my working experience of 14 years in the tyre industry and 10 years in the IT sector, and having experience from Silicon Valley, I can tell you that engineers, researchers and software developers in Serbia are outstanding and not expensive like in the western EU or Silicon Valley. So, I am pretty sure that future intelligent tyres that will be based on sensors and specific software and machine learning will be designed and produced in some of the R&D centres based in Serbia.

Regarding testing facilities. Well, why should someone go to Spain or to Nordics to test summer or winter tyres if they can do it in Serbia as our climate is changed, so we have very hot summer and extreme winter, the perfect climate for tyre testing.

Q) Please share some information on your Project SMARTY?

My project SMARTY is related to the tyre industry and related to the development of smart tyres and smart trucks.

Using my vast experience from the tyre industry and IT industry, with a team of developers, I am working on the development of specific sensors, hardware and software that will be used in vehicles to optimise the costs and to prevent the accidents with tyres. We want to predict failure before it happens.

Currently, we have some working models and, shortly, we will start with sales of those models. The final goal is to make SMARTY device to become necessary in every vehicle to become smart or autonomous. Sensors for truck and OTR tyres we will unveil soon.

(Zivojin Sekulic: z.sekulic@gaj.rs)

Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian Tyres Plc said its chief financial officer Niko Haavisto would leave the company, with the firm moving quickly to appoint an interim replacement whilst searching for a permanent successor.

The Helsinki-listed company announced that Jari Huuhtanen, currently vice president of group business control, would step into the CFO role on an interim basis from June 1st as the recruitment process gets underway.

Nokian Tyres, known for its winter and all-season tyres, provided no details regarding Haavisto's reasons for departure or his future plans.

The announcement comes during a challenging period for the global tyre industry, which has faced supply chain disruptions and fluctuating raw material costs.

"I want to thank Niko for his contributions to the company. Niko has been a valuable member in the Nokian Tyres team, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours," said Paolo Pompei, president and chief executive of Nokian Tyres.

The company has not disclosed a timeline for appointing Haavisto's permanent replacement.

French tyre manufacturer partners with Cherry Tyre Park for 3,000 sq ft facility in Indiranagar

Michelin has opened a new service store in Bengaluru, expanding its retail footprint in India's technology capital as demand for premium automotive services rises alongside growing luxury car ownership.

The 3,000 square foot Michelin Tyres & Services Store, located in the upmarket Indiranagar district, has been established through a partnership with Cherry Tyre Park, India's largest tyre retail network. The facility offers precision tyre fitting, wheel balancing and alignment services.

Michelin's expansion comes as Bengaluru experiences increased demand for high-performance mobility solutions, driven by a growing market for premium and luxury vehicles in the city, which serves as India's information technology hub.

"Bengaluru has always been a key market for us with our consumers valuing quality, innovation, and performance. The launch of this new Michelin Tyres & Services store in partnership with Cherry Tyre Park strengthens our commitment to bringing world-class services and a premium experience for our customers in this dynamic and fast-growing market," said Shantanu Deshpande, Managing Director of Michelin India.

The store was inaugurated by Siddharth Mehta, Marketing Director at Michelin India, alongside representatives from Cherry Tyre Park.

Cherry Tyre Park has maintained a partnership with Michelin for over 12 years. The collaboration reflects Michelin's strategy to leverage established retail networks whilst expanding its presence in India's southern region.

The French company, which positions itself as a technology leader in the tyre industry, has been tailoring its premium offerings to meet the requirements of luxury and high-performance vehicles as India's automotive market evolves.

Michelin's latest store opening underscores the company's broader commitment to enhancing retail infrastructure and customer service capabilities across key Indian markets, particularly in regions with significant premium vehicle penetration.

Italian industrial machinery manufacturer Comerio Ercole SpA is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year whilst unveiling significant investments in research and development capabilities as the family-owned company seeks to strengthen its position in global polymer processing markets.

The Busto Arsizio-based firm, which exports 94 percent of its production worldwide and employs 250 people across its group operations, has published a commemorative 272-page book documenting its industrial journey from 1885 to 2025. The company was founded by Ercole Comerio, known affectionately as “Ul Balösu”, who launched the enterprise the same year he married Teresa Marcora.

Comerio Ercole will showcase two major technological developments at its main production facility on 6th  June, opening its doors to institutional partners and industry stakeholders. The company is launching a new universal Industry 5.0 manufacturing centre alongside an expanded R&D technology centre featuring advanced experimental equipment.

“Our corporate DNA is based on deep respect for tradition and constant forward-looking drive within an evolutionary process that never stops,” said Riccardo Comerio. “Every day we face challenging and stimulating situations that push us to keep improving.”

The R&D expansion includes two new experimental machines - one for mixing and one for calendaring - equipped with cutting-edge longitudinal stretching units for thin sheets. The facility’s main laboratory operates as a “mini-factory” with a four-roll calendering line that can be reconfigured to three or five rolls depending on process requirements.

The enhanced laboratory features a dual-feeding system accommodating direct extrusion and feeding from mills and internal mixers. A second laboratory houses a calendering line designed for the embossing processes of films and nonwovens, offering up to 100 different patterns for material enhancement.

These investments are designed to bolster the company’s capacity to support customers in developing new polymer and elastomer processing techniques. Comerio Ercole’s R&D team provides project support through patent validation, underlining the firm’s focus on technology and service delivery.

Economic journalist Luciano Landoni, who authored the commemorative book's afterword, highlighted the company’s entrepreneurial example. “The entrepreneurial example of Comerio Ercole is highly motivating, especially for young people, who now more than ever need concrete signals based on competence, passion and vision," he said.

The company operates under the corporate structure of Comerio Ercole SpA a Socio Unico, with a share capital of €2.2 million, and is coordinated by Comerio 1885 Holding Srl SB. Its machinery serves customers in the polymer and rubber processing industries globally, and the firm maintains its headquarters at Via Castellanza 100 in Busto Arsizio, northern Italy.

South Korea’s Nexen Tire, a leading tyre manufacturer, has won the 2025 Red Dot Design Award in the Product Design Category.

The judges appreciated the company’s winter tyre – Winguard Sport 3’s performance-driven design that was tailored for extreme winter conditions. The company shared that the Winguard Sport 3 takes inspiration from bird wings, the V-shaped tread pattern enhances traction and steering control on snowy roads. It uses a specially formulated compound that provides flexibility even at low temperatures, maintaining grip and offering reliable performance in harsh winter climates.

The sidewall features dynamic graphics and a snowflake emblem to combine sporty aesthetics with seasonal identity.

The Red Dot Design Award is organised by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Germany, evaluates entries based on innovation, functionality, durability and overall design excellence. This also marks the second consecutive year for Nexen to win a Red Dot recognition.

The tyre is expected to be launched in Europe during the winter of 2025.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, Nexen Tire, said, “This award is a testament to Nexen Tire’s evolution as a brand that combines technological sophistication with strong design capabilities. We will continue to introduce products that balance driving performance with aesthetic appeal, delivering differentiated brand value in the global market.”