Utilising automation and digitalisation - known as digitisation in tyre manufacturing, presents a new perspective on all activities and tasks. Computer-aided systems make it possible to shorten continuous development and production times, increase time and performance usage of lines, and increase product quality while reducing the time needed for changing settings and to maintain the fleet.

In the past 20 years, VIPO a.s. has established itself as a leading manufacturer of automatic bead winding production lines. Based on the requirements of its customers and taking into account the trends in the tyre industry, in addition to continuously improving the existing lines, in 2014 VIPO a.s. started to invest in the development and acquisition of services-oriented services aimed at increasing production efficiency, in particular by reducing the time of line settings and maintenance, improving production quality and maintaining best practice directly in the factories and all of this in the most comprehensible form suitable for newly recruited workers as well.

In the area of digital competence, VIPO a.s. focuses mainly on 3 interconnected areas:

1) Advanced Condition Monitoring (ACM) - advanced condition monitoring including predictive maintenance (Regression Analysis and Neural Networks);

2) Rapid Action Supporting System (RASS) - enabling rapid problem localization and immediate search for the necessary methodology and documentation using 3D scans, including the development and preservation of Best Practice;

3) Staff training - using multi-view instructional videos, respectively 3D virtual trainings and optimization principles of Quick Changeover (SMED), Poka-Yoke and ergonomic and safety principles.

Advanced Condition Monitoring

Shifting from reactive and preventive maintenance to predictive maintenance that allows all tasks to be performed at exactly the optimum time, thus reducing downtime and reducing scrap, is not possible without advanced condition monitoring and the appropriate analytical part of the necessary amount of data. In this area, VIPO uses its own specialists in statistics and neural networks, long-term know-how in the field of mechanical design and rubber chemistry. Data security in the process of data acquisition, processing and presentation is a matter of course. VIPO never stores tyre production and technology data without the consent of a particular tyre manufacturer. Data processing is possible on the manufacturer's servers, respectively in the cloud (according to customer preference).

Rapid Action Supporting System

RASS is a system using 3D Scan, respectively 360-degree panoramas of production technology for easier and faster orientation in space (especially for less-experienced or new workers). This interface is linked to live data on production parameters as well as on the current need for intervention (whether changes in settings or equipment maintenance). At the same time, the operator / maintenance staff makes use of all the necessary documentation (such as technology regulations, machine documentation and electrical documentation) quickly available to deal with the situation at a specific point of the technology. Thus, the system does not burden the workers in a time-consuming situation with too much information that may be generated when searching for the necessary documents and procedures. Using an intelligent search system in the Best Practice of the plant based on solving the same or similar problems, the worker can accomplish the tasks properly, on time and much faster than before RASS implementation.

Staff training

Based on our long-term experience with continuous improvement of our internal processes and products, VIPO a.s. has also integrated a staff training system - operations and maintenance - into the system. The training can be based on complex but also affordable instructional videos that are required by end-users, which, thanks to multi-vision technology, accurately and comprehensively depict the correct procedure for performing the desired task. The video tutorials emphasize all the key moments concerning the production technology itself, as well as ergonomics and occupational safety. “The cherry” on the trainings in the terms of production savings is the optimization of the processes, where, through a team of engineers, we are able to optimize processes in accordance with the principles of SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) and Poka-Yoke. For more demanding customer groups, we offer training in 3D virtual reality, which also enables automatic evaluation of the effectiveness of the training and the trained workers themselves.

The main service that VIPO a.s. offers to its customers for supporting the challenges of 2020 is the complex system described above, the main effect of which is to save time when changing production technology settings, as well as performing service tasks. At the same time, the system contributes to reducing the number of scraps and also enables customers to develop and fully exploit their best know-how.

VIPO a.s. offers its know-how and services related to its own SMM (Smart Maintenance Module) software solution, but it is also able to integrate it into existing solutions of the world's leading IoT software manufacturers.

(For more information about Smart Maintenance Module and all services provided, please contact: Andrej Bencel, SMM Key Account Manager; abencel@vipo.sk; www.vipo.sk; www.smartmaintenance.sk

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WACKER has earned the 2025 Gold Medal from the independent rating agency EcoVadis, marking its continued recognition for sustainable practices and responsible corporate governance. This distinction places the company within the top five percent of all businesses assessed by EcoVadis (over 1,000 companies globally). WACKER's overall score improved from 77 points (in 2024) to 79 points, driven largely by enhanced reporting and concrete actions focused on Scope 3 emissions and ethical standards.

The EcoVadis assessment measures the quality of a company’s sustainability management through a methodology grounded in international frameworks like the Global Reporting Initiative, the UN Global Compact and ISO 26000. Performance is scored from 0 to 100 across four core areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement, using 21 specific indicators.

In line with its commitment, WACKER provides its EcoVadis evaluation to customers as a standardised and credible validation of its sustainability efforts. The company has also defined ambitious climate targets, aiming to halve its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 relative to 2020 levels. Progress is already evident, with a 30 percent reduction achieved as of 2024. Looking further ahead, WACKER strives to reach net-zero emissions across its operations by the year 2045.

Peter Gigler, Head of Corporate ESG, WACKER, said, “The result confirms our initiatives in many key areas. It provides our customers with invaluable proof.”

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Balkrishna Industries Ltd (BKT Tires), a global leader in off-highway tyre manufacturing, has appointed Craig Borman as Head of OTR at BKT USA. The appointment is in line with BKT’s long-term strategy through 2030.

Borman brings with him 20 years of experience across off-road equipment, tyres and rubber tracks. He will play a key role in leading BKT USA's OTR team and expanding the company's presence in this market while increasing awareness of the value and dependability of BKT's range of products.

Borman said, “I’m extremely excited to join the BKT family and to build off the successes that this team has already achieved. I look forward to engaging with our partners, determining how we can accelerate our mutual growth and working towards achieving BKT’s vision of being a recognised leader in the OTR segment.”

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The Supervisory Board of Continental AG confirmed a significant leadership transition during its meeting on 17 December 2025. Christian Kötz will be appointed as the new Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 January 2026. He succeeds Nikolai Setzer, who will step down from the Executive Board on 31 December 2025. Setzer's departure follows more than 16 years as a board member, including the last five years in the CEO role, and occurs by mutual agreement as the company reaches a pivotal point in its strategic evolution.

This planned change in leadership aligns with the substantial progress Continental has made in its transformation into a pure-play tyre company. Major structural milestones have been achieved, including the spin-off of Aumovio and the signing of an agreement to sell the Original Equipment Solutions (OESL) business area. Regarding the planned 2026 sale of ContiTech, internal preparations are largely complete. The market outreach phase has concluded, and a structured sales process is scheduled to begin in January 2026, setting the stage for the final step in the corporate realignment.

Kötz’s extensive background within the tyre business, dating back to 1996, positions him to lead this final phase. A member of the Executive Board since 2019, his previous leadership roles within the Tires group sector included responsibility for the passenger car tyre replacement business in the EMEA region, the original equipment and commercial vehicle tyre business units and global research and development for passenger car tyres. His many years of trusted collaboration with Nikolai Setzer are expected to ensure continuity during the transition.

Kötz will lead an Executive Board comprising several key figures. Alongside him and Philip Nelles, who has headed the ContiTech group sector since 2021, are Roland Welzbacher and Ulrike Hintze. Welzbacher joined the board in August 2025 and assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer on 1 October 2025. Hintze was appointed to the board on 1 July 2025, serving as Chief Human Resources Officer and Director of Labour Relations. This board will be responsible for driving the tyre business forward, completing the corporate realignment and, following the sale of ContiTech, integrating the remaining group functions into the tyre organisation.

Wolfgang Reitzle, Chairman of Continental’s Supervisory Board, said, “Nikolai Setzer has been instrumental in shaping Continental, realigning the organisation and paving the way for three strong, independent companies. For this, he has the thanks of the entire Supervisory Board as well as my personal gratitude. With this handover, we are consolidating responsibility for the tyre business, the realignment and the remaining tasks of the group functions in one role. Christian Kötz is one of the most distinguished managers in the global tyre industry. With his extensive experience and passion for Continental, we firmly believe he is the right choice to lead the company successfully into the future.”

Setzer said, “In recent years, we have succeeded in transforming a diverse portfolio of businesses into three strong, independent champions. After 28 years at Continental, now is the right time for me to hand over responsibility to Christian Kötz. I’m extremely grateful for the journey we’ve all shared and proud of what we’ve all achieved together. I firmly believe that the tyre business, ContiTech, Aumovio and OESL have a promising future ahead.”

Kötz said, “I would like to thank the Supervisory Board for its trust and am excited about this new responsibility. Continental has been my professional home for three decades. Together with the Executive Board team and all colleagues throughout the company, we will complete the realignment and continue the success story of our tyre business.”

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Following the 2025 General Assembly, Law Hieling has been elected to the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) Executive Committee to represent the Manufacturer category. His 27-year international career at Michelin, encompassing roles in finance, commercial sales, distribution and his current leadership in natural rubber purchasing, provides a profound, ground-level understanding of the global tyre industry.

This extensive background has given him a clear appreciation for the intricate balance between commercial needs and ecological responsibility. He is committed to leveraging this perspective to help drive the collaborative, transparent and equitable solutions that are essential for a genuinely sustainable natural rubber value chain, benefiting both people and the planet.

Hieling said, “I look forward to contributing to the work of the Executive Committee in advancing responsible practices across the natural rubber sector.”

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