TÜV SÜD has expanded its test laboratory in Frankfurt am Main and unveiled new testing facilities at an Open Lab Day at the site, giving customers and employees an exclusive insight into the new state-of-the-art testing environments. The expansion strengthens TÜV SÜD’s position as a leading provider of independent testing and certification services.

Car charging plugs can now be tested in the lab to assess features like weather resistance, mechanical strength and electrical safety. To guarantee the endurance and durability of charging plugs and other parts, the new lab can also conduct crash testing on them. The inclusion of performance testing for tiny batteries is another significant development. Basic functional analysis will be the main emphasis of these tests at first, but in the second part of the year, comprehensive safety and performance evaluations will be included. Similar to this, power tool testing capabilities have been greatly increased to give manufacturers an even more thorough evaluation of the calibre, robustness and safety of their goods.

The capability to ascertain the biogenic carbon content of materials is an additional highlight of the expansion. These assessments support the implementation of sustainable manufacturing methods by giving businesses evidence of the utilisation of renewable raw resources. In order to make sure that packaging and other materials fulfil the strictest safety regulations and don't leak dangerous compounds into food, the testing infrastructure for materials that come into contact with food has been increased at the same time. It's also important to note the recently added ability to evaluate welding fume filtration systems, which may undergo a thorough performance assessment and will soon be certified.

TÜV SÜD is now able to provide an even greater variety of chemical testing services to make sure that products satisfy the most recent regulatory standards thanks to the expansion of its Frankfurt laboratory. With standardised testing for compounds including PFOS, PFOA, C9-C14 PFCAs, and PFHxS, there is a special emphasis on PFAS analysis. Due to the laboratory's expansion, even more businesses may now make use of its extensive testing knowledge, which includes services related to durability testing, risk assessment and certification for a range of product categories.

Walter Reithmaier, CEO, TÜV SÜD Product Service GmbH, said, “By expanding our laboratory in Frankfurt, we are responding to growing demand for product testing and certification. Our new testing capacities will set new standards in safety, sustainability and performance. We look forward to supporting our customers with state-of-the-art testing technology and professional expertise.”

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Designed to tackle the largest truck and bus wheels while maintaining precision for passenger vehicles, the RB30T Hybrid Wheel Balancer from Ranger (a BendPak division) delivers power and versatility. Switching between heavy-duty and light-duty applications is effortless, requiring just a button press. Its integrated pneumatic wheel lift enhances safety and ergonomics by minimising manual handling and reducing injury risks.

Capable of balancing wheels for buses, semi-trucks, OTR vehicles, light trucks and cars, the RB30T ensures fast, accurate results without recalibration. Its re-engineered platform supports wheels up to 330 lbs (approx. 150 kg), 49.25 inches in diameter and 20 inches wide, with rapid cycle times – seven seconds for car wheels and around 20 seconds for full truck assemblies. At its core, the Ranger Drive-Check system uses advanced 64-bit processing and quartz piezoelectric sensors to detect even the slightest imbalances across multiple axes. This smart technology simulates real-world driving conditions, identifying vibrations before they become road issues and automatically recommending optimal corrections.

Built for durability, the RB30T features a ribbed nylon-fibre drive belt, counter-weighted flywheel system and a three-phase motor with solid-state phase conversion for smooth, high-torque operation under heavy loads. The balancer comes ready to use with a commercial mounting kit, including cones and adapters, while its spacious top tray and side shelves keep wheel weights and tools organised for efficient workflow.

Available as a standalone unit or with the Ranger Select package – which includes professional installation and training – the RB30T is a robust solution for shops handling diverse wheel balancing needs.

Sean Price, Director of Product Development, said, “The new RB30T wheel balancer can do it all. Its versatility makes the RB30T a great choice not just for heavy-duty fleets and repair garages but also for high-volume tyre shops and mixed fleets.”

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Bridgestone has officially rolled out its proprietary aircraft tyre management system “easytrack” in collaboration with Cebu Pacific Air, marking the first deployment of the solution by a commercial airline.

The system, launched in April 2025, uses QR codes and a smartphone app to track aircraft tyres across the supply chain—replacing Cebu Pacific’s manual, paper-based process.

“As Cebu Pacific continues to expand its operations, it's essential that we invest in smart solutions that enhance efficiency and reduce manual workload,” said Shevantha Weerasekera, Vice President, Engineering & Fleet Management at Cebu Pacific. “Partnering with Bridgestone to implement the ‘easytrack’ system has enabled us to significantly improve our tyre  management processes significantly, ensuring greater accuracy, safety, and productivity across our operations.”

Bridgestone said the system has halved labour time for inventory management and achieved full tyre tracking accuracy after verification trials at Cebu Pacific’s warehouses, MROs, and maintenance bases.

“As a value co-creation partner, we have proposed solutions tailored to on-site operations based on learnings and insights gained from Cebu Pacific Air’s frontline operations,” said Arata Tomita, Director, Global Aviation Tire Solutions Business Division at Bridgestone. “We are very pleased that the official implementation of ‘easytrack’ has contributed to the improvement of operational accuracy, safety, and productivity.”

Bridgestone said the move aligns with its “Bridgestone E8 Commitment,” with a focus on enhancing efficiency and ecology by supporting sustainable tyre practices and operational productivity.

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Japanese start-up ispace inc. and tyre maker Bridgestone have agreed to jointly develop tyres for small and midsize lunar rovers, targeting Moon use by 2029.

The partnership equips Bridgestone’s elastic wheel technology—designed to adapt to harsh lunar terrain—on ispace's rover prototypes. The companies will conduct Earth-based performance tests before Moon deployment.

“Bridgestone’s lunar rover tyre has a structure of thin metal spokes, enabling flexible deformation while maintaining durability,” said Masaki Ota, Director of OE Business Strategy & Planning/New Mobility Business Division at Bridgestone. “This design delivers superior ability to traverse and shock absorption, allowing the rover to traverse the lunar surface and overcome obstacles such as lunar rocks.”

Bridgestone started developing lunar rover tyres in 2019 and unveiled concept models in April 2025 with lower weight to suit smaller rover platforms.

ispace, known for micro-sized lunar rovers, sees the partnership as key to its long-term lunar economy mission.

“ispace's goal of establishing a new economy on the Moon requires the participation of players from a wide range of industries,” said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace. “Bridgestone… is now developing lunar rover tyres for the extreme environments found on the Moon. These tyres will undoubtedly contribute to future human advancement on the Moon.”

The companies said they are also exploring collaboration opportunities through the Space Strategy Fund at Japan’s national space agency, JAXA.

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Magna Tyres, a leading premium off-the-road (OTR), industrial and truck tyre solutions company, has launched a new AI-powered (Artificial Intelligence) chatbot on its official website.

The chatbot will provide instant assistance to its customers 24x7 in any language around the world.

Robert Gruijters, Head of Marketing, Magna Tyres, said, “Customer service is at the core of our brand promise. With a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 67, we already outperform many in our industry and this launch reinforces our commitment to becoming a truly best-in-class brand by being always available, accessible and responsive.”

This move is part of the company’s efforts to not only meet but exceed customer expectations by providing an instantaneous response ranging from product queries to general support.

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