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okohama Rubber Co. and dotData Inc. are jointly developing an artificial intelligence agent designed to help engineers generate hypotheses, analyze research data and evaluate potential risks.

The system will combine technical documents, including design specifications and experimental reports, with engineers’ expertise and data insights generated through dotData’s Signal Intelligence technology.

Based at Bridgestone’s Mississauga office, Fourie will lead the company’s Canadian business, with end-to-end responsibility for its strategy, commercial operations and long-term growth plans across the country.

The appointment is a new role that reflects the strategic importance of Canada to Bridgestone and its commitment to strengthening leadership and accountability within the market. Dedicated in-country leadership will support faster decision-making, greater coordination across the Canadian business and an even closer connection to the needs of customers and teammates.

The University of Poitiers and tire manufacturer Michelin have officially launched LabCom I‑TireLab, a collaborative research laboratory aimed at developing data-driven technologies for safer and more sustainable transportation.

Stephan Sielaff took over as Chief Executive Officer of the Schill+Seilacher Group on October 1. In the rubber and tire industry, the Group is best known for its STRUKTOL® additives. As CEO, Sielaff intends to make greater use of the Group’s international footprint and further strengthen collaboration with customers.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced the election of Joe Hinrichs as chairman of its Board of Directors, effective Oct. 7, 2026. Hinrichs, who will also chair the board’s Governance and Executive Committees, was elected to the company’s board in 2023. He succeeds LauretteKoellner, who will retire in accordance with Goodyear’s Corporate Governance Guidelines at the company’s 2027 annual meeting.

ENGEL expects revenue of around €1.55 billion for the 2026/27 financial year, an increase of approximately ten per cent on the previous year. The business is performing ahead of plan, although it would be premature to speak of a broad recovery in the injection molding market.
Demand is rising most strongly in the US, where customers are moving ahead with projects postponed in previous years. The expansion of domestic manufacturing is also creating both greenfield and brownfield opportunities.

TNO launches polySCOUT, an independent Dutch AI company that designs polymers to specification. Target properties and regulatory constraints go in; lab-validated candidate materials come out. Where the design and selection phase of a new polymer typically takes years, polySCOUT brings it down to weeks. The technology has been developed within TNO since 2022, and TNO becomes a shareholder in the new company.

Covestro LLC announced that Steven Reinstadtler, architectural and construction coatings manager at Covestro, has been selected to receive the Center for the Polyurethane Industry’s (CPI) Distinguished Leadership Award. The award was presented during the Closing Session and Awards Luncheon at the 2026 CPI Polyurethanes Technical Conference in Orlando, Florida, on October 7, 2026.

Dr Jutta A. Dönges will leave AUMOVIO SE by mutual agreement after one year with the company to pursue new professional opportunities. She will step down from her position as a member of the Executive Board effective October 7, 2026, and will leave the company effective October 31, 2026. The Supervisory Board respects this decision and would like to thank Jutta Dönges for her valuable contribution to the company’s development.

Until a permanent successor for the finance function has been appointed, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Philipp von Hirschheydt will assume responsibility for the finance function at Executive Board level in addition to his existing responsibility. Claus Bauer, a member of AUMOVIO’s Supervisory Board and former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Schaeffler Group, will serve as interim Head of Finance starting no later than November 1, 2026.

The Polymer Industry Cluster and the University of Warwick in Coventry, United Kingdom, have launched a collaboration aimed at accelerating polymer and advanced materials innovation and commercialization between the U.S. and U.K.

The partnership will connect Warwick researchers and spinouts with Greater Akron’s polymer industry, scale-up facilities and commercialization network, while giving Polymer Industry Cluster companies and researchers access to Warwick’s research expertise, facilities, talent and innovation network.