This year’s Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence, held at Deutsche Messe during Tire Technology Expo, featured an expanded array of categories in order to recognise the scope of innovation and achievement that has been showcased over the last 12 months. The winners were announced at an evening drinks reception held at the Deutsche Messe on Tuesday. The night’s winners included Continental, Goodyear, Michelin and Sumitomo Rubber Industries. Now comprising 13 categories, the Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence were a celebration of recent advances in tyre technology and progress toward a greener and more sustainable industry. The awards, which were coordinated by Tire Technology International magazine, were officiated by a panel of international journalists and industry experts.

Sustainability in tyre manufacturing
To recognise the increasingly prominent role of sustainability in tyre manufacturing, the new-look awards featured three categories focused on environmental development. Michelin’s 45 percent and 58 percent sustainable material tyre designs picked up the award for Environmental Achievement of the Year – Tire Design. Continental’s invisible rubber marker technology was judged the winner in the Environmental Achievement of the Year – Manufacturing category, and Emissions Analytics’ EQUA Tyre database took home the trophy for Environmental Achievement of the Year – Industry Contribution. Emissions Analytics founder and CEO, Nick Molden, was keen to champion the work of his colleagues.

Other categories
Other new categories for 2023 included Chemicals and Compounding Innovation of the Year, which was won by Nynas’ Nytex BIO 6200 tire oil. Another award was Materials Innovation of the Year, which saw the jury recognise Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ work on synthesised biopolymers. The good news continued for SRI in the category for R&D Breakthrough of the Year, which saw the tyre maker awarded for its research into enzyme evaluation. HF Group was bestowed with the ‘Tire Technology International Supplier Award’.

Goodyear picked up the award for Tire Manufacturing Innovation of the Year, thanks to its groundbreaking small-batch production process used in its factory in Luxembourg. The Tire Industry Supplier of the Year award was presented to HF Group, in recognition of its commitment to digital solutions and its excellent relationships across the industry. Goodyear was also placed first in the Tire Concept of the Year category for work on its 90 percent sustainable material tyre design.

Chris Helsel, Senior Vice President – Global Operations And Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear, said, “Goodyear’s innovative spirit and drive for excellence helps us develop leading products and services that address our customers’ needs for today and tomorrow. Our teams are working on solutions and processes that have the potential to make driving safer, more efficient and more sustainable. We are excited to be recognised for this work and thank Tire Technology International for these esteemed awards.”

Hannover-based Continental was also back at the podium to collect the Tire of the Year Award for the PremiumContact 7, winning a hotly contested new category which looks set to see some battles in the years to come.

Boris Mergell, Head of Research and Development at Continental Tires, who accepted the awards in Hannover, said, “Our commitment to performance, sustainability and safety runs right across our organisation, and it’s fantastic that once again this has been recognised. Winning awards for both our innovative technologies and products is a tremendous motivation for the entire team. At Continental, we aim for safe, cost-effective and more sustainable mobility, while enabling vehicles to perform at their best."

This year, Michelin took home the The Tire Manufacturer of the Year Award, marking the sixth time that the French manufacturer has claimed top spot. The Young Scientist Prize for 2023 was given to Agate Utane, a PhD student at Loughborough University. The award’s jury – which is separate to the 11 central categories – selected Agate and her work, ‘Efficient Tire-Road Friction Testing for Vehicle Handling Applications’.

Jan Prins was the winner of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. Nominated by many of his peers, Prins is a popular winner, and has enjoyed a highly successful career at Jaguar Land Rover since graduating from Delft University of Technology in 1990. Prins recently began heading the judging panel for the Young Scientist Prize. 

Celebrating the tyre industry
Matt Ross, Editor-In-Chief of Tire Technology International and Chairman of the awards, said, “We felt we needed the ability to recognise and celebrate more aspects of this ever-expanding industry. Overhauling the categories gave us the chance to better acknowledge where the really exciting innovation is taking place. It enabled us to focus more on the environmental achievements being developed in multiple areas, and also to zero in on some areas of exciting R&D that didn’t perhaps fit our previous category structure. Judging by the caliber of this year’s shortlist, and the tough time the jury had in choosing their winners, we can expect some fascinating competitions in the coming years.”

For more information about the award winners, visit https://www.tiretechnology-expo.com/en/awards.php 

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Gaurav Kumar has resigned as a whole-time director of Apollo Tyres, the Indian tyre manufacturer, after more than two decades with the company, though he will remain chief financial officer during a transition period.

The Gurugram-based company's board approved the resignation at a meeting on Thursday. Kumar steps down as a director, and consequently as a member of the risk management committee, with effect from the close of business the same day. The company said he had confirmed there was no material reason for his departure beyond that stated in his resignation letter.

Kumar will continue as chief financial officer for such period as is necessary to ensure a smooth transition, after which he will cease to be part of the company's senior management.

In his resignation letter, Kumar said: "It has been terrific to be part of the incredible journey at Apollo Tyres thus far. I have learned, and hopefully contributed in equal measure, and now seek to explore alternative and new challenges. I wish Apollo Tyres the very best for the journey ahead and will always be part of the Apollo Tyres Family." He added that he was grateful to Onkar Kanwar and Neeraj Kanwar for their support during his tenure of more than 22 years at the company.

Neeraj Kanwar, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, said: "Gaurav deserves kudos for the critical role he has played in the growth of Apollo Tyres, both in India and overseas, in the last twenty years. While we do regret losing him, we are conscious of his personal aspirations and wish him the very best in his future endeavours."

The company said it was in the process of appointing a new chief financial officer.

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Shrader Tire & Oil (STO) has announced the appointment of Bob Feldbauer to the role of President, effective 1 August 2026. He will concurrently serve as Chief Operating Officer, while Joe Shrader maintains his position as Chief Executive Officer.

Feldbauer’s ascent follows his arrival at STO in early 2025 as Chief Operating Officer, a role built upon a robust industry resume. His prior engagements include a lengthy stint at the helm of Jack’s Tire & Oil in Utah and a substantial period with Michelin North America, where he handled sales and managerial assignments.

Under the new structure, Feldbauer’s purview widens to encompass both internal fleet management across 14 sites and outward-facing commercial development, including alliances and market expansion. With the founding family’s fourth generation now active within the firm, the succession plan reinforces the enduring principles established when the company opened in 1948.

Shrader said, “Bob has proven exactly what we hoped he would when we brought him on board – sharp operational instincts and a real drive to help this company grow. Putting him in the President seat lets us move faster on the growth plans we’ve been building towards.”

Feldbauer said, “It has been a fast year and a half at Shrader Tire & Oil. I have gained tremendous insight and valuable knowledge about our organisation’s structure, company culture and an understanding of our overall goals and commitments. One thing is clearly obvious – the commitment Shrader employees have to deliver the best customer experience each and every time. I appreciate this and look forward to supporting them as their President and COO.”

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Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) has unveiled a brand installation at the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) T2 Elevated Road Underpass as the tyre manufacturer seeks to broaden its positioning beyond its traditional Off-Highway business and strengthen awareness of its expanding on-highway portfolio in India.

The 2,000 sq. ft. installation, inspired by the company's "Elevate Your Drive" philosophy, highlights BKT's portfolio across agriculture, construction, mining, earthmoving, commercial vehicles, two-wheelers and passenger vehicles. The activation comes as the company expands its presence in India's two-wheeler and commercial vehicle tyre segments.

Designed to move beyond conventional outdoor advertising, the installation features nine illuminated tyre-shaped displays, each 8 feet in diameter, using the tyre itself as the central storytelling element. It opens with a large-format visual featuring BKT brand ambassador Ranveer Singh, followed by a sequence of displays illustrating the company's expanding mobility portfolio. The installation will remain at the airport for 24 months.

Mumbai International Airport handled a record 55.5 million passengers in 2025, providing the company with sustained visibility among business travellers and consumers.

"For BKT, innovation goes beyond product engineering; it extends to how we tell our story. This installation reflects a simple yet powerful idea: our tyre itself becomes the medium through which travellers experience the breadth of BKT's world. As we expand our presence across India's mobility landscape, it is important that consumers see BKT not through a single product category, but as a brand that supports movement across diverse terrains, applications and journeys. Mumbai Airport provides an ideal stage for us to express that transformation in a memorable and distinctive way," said Satish Sharma, Senior President & Director – Business Development and Strategy, BKT.

The installation was conceptualised by Infectious Advertising and uses immersive design, sequential storytelling and its airport location to showcase the company's wider mobility portfolio. According to BKT, the activation is intended to connect its established Off-Highway business with its growing presence in India's on-highway mobility market.

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Mumbai-headquartered leading carbon black manufacturer Epsilon Carbon has reported a 10 percent reduction in carbon dioxide equivalent emissions across its upstream transportation operations during FY2025–26. The reduction was achieved through the deployment of an electric and liquefied natural gas freight fleet.

An independent third party certified the emissions data. The reductions achieved in transport logistics equate to carbon absorption figures associated with approximately 29,000 trees. The verified figures allow supply chain partners to include these reductions within Scope 3 emissions reporting frameworks and environmental disclosures.

Gaurav Mathur, Chief Executive Officer, Epsilon Carbon, said, “Decarbonising logistics is central to our climate strategy. What makes this milestone meaningful is that the results are independently verified with a 10 percent reduction in CO2e emissions within the upstream transportation category over a single financial year, driven by the adoption of electric and LNG fleets. These carbon reductions strengthen our own sustainability disclosures and those of our customers, and we intend to scale this model across our supply chain.”

Following Phase 1 operations, Epsilon Carbon intends to expand the number of electric and LNG vehicles in its transport fleet during FY 2026–27 to scale low-carbon freight transport across its supply chain network.

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