Chief analyst and Co-Founder of WhatNext Rubber Media International Jom Jacob has passed away due to a cardiac arrest on 30 November 2024.

The industry veteran had spent over three decades specialised in market dynamics and price outlook of natural rubber.  He was a senior economist with ANRPC (Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries), at Kuala Lumpur, before he co-founded WhatNext Rubber Media International.

Jacob had also worked with the Rubber Board (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India) for around two decades by monitoring and formulating development plans for rubber industry. The veteran had a short stint with the Centre for Development Studies (Affiliated to the Jawaharlal Nehru University or JNU) as a researcher in sustainable land-use.

He was an expert at Fundamental Analysis of the rubber market and widely regarded for his charming and friendly personality amongst his circles. In the rubber industry Jacob will be widely remembered as a friend a phone call away,

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  - Noemia Rollemberg Hansen November 30, 2024 21:39 PM

  Irreparable loss to natural rubber. All rubber producers in the world are in mourning today

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Jeff Glajch, the Chief Financial Officer of Orion S.A., a multinational speciality chemicals firm, will retire early in the fourth quarter of 2025, the company stated today.

To find a replacement, an extensive search will be initiated. Glajch will continue to support Orion until the end of 2025 in order to facilitate a seamless transfer.

Corning Painter, CEO, Orion, said, “On behalf of our entire organisation, we thank Jeff for his guidance and valuable contributions to Orion over the past three and a half years. Thanks to Jeff’s leadership, we have exceptional finance and information technology teams in place, and we are well-positioned for future growth.”

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The Tire Society has completed its paper selection for the 44th Annual Conference on Tire Science & Technology, which will take place from September 23 to 25, 2025, at the University of Akron. This year, over 60 percent of presentations will come from international participants.

Technologists from 20 organisations in Canada, China, Germany, India, Italy, Korea, and the United States will present at the conference. Presenters include tire manufacturers, universities, testing labs, consultants, suppliers, a vehicle company, and the non-profit Consumer Reports.

This year’s program focuses on sustainability, with papers on rubber emissions, devulcanisation, tire lifecycle, and electric vehicle applications. Technical talks will also cover tire performance topics like noise reduction, cornering, traction, wear, and durability testing using predictive analytics and advanced simulations.

Dr Surendra Chawla will deliver the keynote address titled “Sustainability in the Tire Industry: Driving Toward a Greener Future.” Chawla spent four decades at Goodyear, advancing to Director of Corporate Research before retiring as Senior Director, Global Innovation. Following his Goodyear tenure, he joined the Polymer industry Cluster as a Leading Consultant, contributing to the Greater Akron region’s designation as the Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub by the US Economic Development Administration.

Michelin representatives Frederic Biesse and Damien Lim will present the plenary address “Tire Wear Emissions and Air Quality: Current Insights and Pathways Toward a Sustainable Future.” Biesse has worked 26 years at Michelin’s Clermont-Ferrand R&D Centre in France, focusing on noise, wear, and rolling resistance as Manager of the Tire Performance Analysis team. Lim brings 14 years of experience from Michelin Americas R&D Centre, specialising in tire wear studies and predictive tool development.

Scott Sass, Director of Technology at Alterra Energy LLC, will address the awards banquet with “Polymer Circularity: Steering Clear of Potholes.” Alterra has developed a continuous thermochemical liquefaction process for recycling typically non-recyclable plastics into manufacturing feedstock.

The Tire Society positions itself as the world’s leading membership organisation for tire science, engineering, and technology. Conference registrations include Tire Society membership, providing access to the peer-reviewed Tire Science and Technology Journal and post-conference presentation access through the “Play-on-Demand” feature.

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Continental Tire the Americas has named Wyatt D Hamilton Sr as the new Director of Sales for its US Truck Tire Replacement division. With over 20 years of industry expertise, Hamilton will lead strategic efforts to expand market share, enhance customer relationships and drive sales growth in the replacement truck tyre segment.

A seasoned professional, Hamilton began his career at Continental as a Field Sales Representative after earning a Business Management degree from North Carolina State University. He progressed through key roles, including Territory Sales Manager and Key Account Manager for both Replacement and Original Equipment (OE) Truck Tires. His leadership expanded globally when he headed Continental’s Truck Tire OE team in Malaysia for the APAC market. Upon returning to the Americas, he led the Pricing and Market Intelligence team, influencing strategic decisions. Most recently, as Director of OE and Strategic Accounts, he developed business strategies while fostering collaboration across engineering, operations and sales teams, along with talent development initiatives.

Based at Continental’s US headquarters in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Hamilton’s deep industry knowledge and leadership will further strengthen the company’s position in the truck tyre market.

Shaun Uys, Vice President Truck Tire US, Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, said, "Wyatt's extensive industry expertise, unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and strategic foresight position him as the perfect leader to elevate our replacement truck tyre business to new heights. We are eager to witness the contributions he will bring to this pivotal role."

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Nokian Tyres has announced several key leadership changes, effective 1 September 2025, to align with its sharpened commercial focus and strategic growth commitment.

Christopher Ostrander has been appointed SVP of Passenger Car Tyres, North America, and will join the Nokian Tyres Management Team. Previously serving on the Board of Directors since 2021 and as Chair of the Investment Committee since 2024, Ostrander will step down from these roles before transitioning. He succeeds Lauri Halme, who has been named SVP of Vianor while remaining on the Management Team.

Additionally, Tron Gulbrandsen, currently VP of Passenger Car Tyres, Nordics, has been promoted to SVP of the same division and will also join the Management Team. These changes reinforce Nokian Tyres' leadership in key markets.

Paolo Pompei, President and CEO, Nokian Tyres, said, “These changes reflect our enhanced commercial focus. I am extremely excited to welcome Christopher to the Management Team. His extensive experience and deep knowledge of the tyre industry and the North American market will strongly support our future expansion in this strategic growth area, helping us secure our premium positioning and further strengthening our product and go-to-market strategy. At the same time, I want to thank Lauri for his valuable contribution to our business transformation in North America and for laying a solid foundation for future growth. He will now focus on the strategic development of our service capabilities and the further development of the Vianor network. Finally, I want to congratulate Tron for being appointed to the Management Team. With 20 years of successful business development and sales leadership experience in the Nordic region, Tron brings valuable insights. His customer-centric approach will further sharpen our commercial focus and help consolidate our presence in the Nordic market.”

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