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Continental has extended its project to enhance sustainability in smallholder natural rubber cultivation with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH by three years. Since 2018, around 5,000 local smallholders in West Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia, have already been trained to cultivate high-quality natural rubber in line with clearly defined sustainability criteria. By 2027, a further 1,000 smallholders are to be involved in the project, which is co-funded by Continental and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The gains are threefold: the smallholders’ income has increased by an average of 27 percent since the start of the project; together with GIZ, Continental is building valuable capacity to improve sustainability in the cultivation of natural rubber by smallholders and to use responsibly sourced natural rubber in products; and precious forests and peatlands are preserved in the project region in Indonesia.

The Mitchell Group announced the opening of a new manufacturing facility for its Sta-Kleen Silicone line in Niles, Illinois.

The new facility is near an electric power plant, and the facility’s primary energy source is the plant’s non-polluting steam. The facility recaptures and transforms the steam to power the entire manufacturing process, from inspection to packaging and shipping.

Continental supplied tires to 18 of the world’s 20 highest-volume manufacturers of fully electric vehicles. These include manufacturers such as BYD, Geely, Volkswagen, NIO, Mercedes-Benz and Renault. In each of the three regions, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North, South and Central America (the Americas) and Asia-Pacific (APAC), the premium tire manufacturer supplies nine of the 10 highest-volume electric vehicle manufacturers with original equipment tires. According to the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), every fifth car sold worldwide is already electrically powered.

Myers Industries, Inc. announced on April 2, 2025, that Grant Fitz, the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has submitted his resignation, effective May 2, 2025.

To help ensure a smooth transition, Mr. Fitz will remain in his current role until his departure date, working closely with Daniel Hoehn, Vice President and Corporate Controller. Mr. Hoehn will serve in an interim role until a permanent CFO is named. The company has already launched a formal search to identify candidates.

This ambitious project is part of a $320 million, four-year investment designed to enhance the plant’s capabilities to meet the growing demand for larger rim-diameter tires, which are higher-profit and higher-margin products. The expansion will focus on producing tires for electric and autonomous vehicles, aligning with Goodyear’s strategic goals to cater to emerging automotive technologies.