The business portfolio comprises extruded rubber profiles and gaskets for niche construction, industrial and automotive applications. Sales in 2024 amounted to just over SEK 150 M, principally in Northern Europe. Production operations are located in Halmstad, Sweden. The acquisition forms part of Trelleborg’s strategy to develop leading positions within attractive segments.

Chinese tire maker General Science has transitioned to a state-controlled entity. This change comes after the Hongdou Group transferred 24.5% of its shares in General Science to Jiangsu Soho Holding Group, a company under the control of the Jiangsu provincial authority.

The Global Polymer Summit is the most valuable destination for attendees to expand their network, learn from experts and explore business opportunities. The merging of the International Elastomer Conference (IEC) and the International Tire Exposition & Conference (ITEC) into one creates an event where all the best companies and programming will be together in one location. It bridges the tire and rubber industries through comprehensive technical programming, engaging discussions and a dynamic all-in-one event.

Tokyo, Japan – Bridgestone Corporation announced that it will exhibit at the 40th Space Symposium, the United States’ largest space-related

Apollo Tyres Ltd has appointed Rajeev Kumar Sinha as the Chief Manufacturing Officer. He will lead the global manufacturing team, driving the global manufacturing agenda, including strategy and planning, performance optimization, plant management, integrated manufacturing services (IMS), corporate industrial engineering (IE) and deployment of Advanced Manufacturing Systems, including AI/ML solutions.

Hiratsuka, Japan—The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that on March 12 it held its 11th Panel Discussion on Biodiversity as

Bloomington, IN – When Indiana University (IU) embarked on a major renovation of its Student Recreational Sports Center, the objective

The company’s iconic airship is being re-wrapped with a black and silver color scheme, including a vintage Goodyear logo on the sides and a reappearance of the blue and yellow Goodyear “house flag” that donned the side of the company’s earliest blimps. The new design is intended to surprise and delight fans of the Goodyear Blimp and serve as a visual representation of the airship’s 100-year history that will spark conversations about this significant milestone throughout the remainder of the year. Goodyear’s other blimps will maintain their current blue and yellow design.

NovationSi and RDAbbott recently introduced 21 middle school students to the rubber and polymers industry. The seventh graders from Roberts Middle School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, toured RDAbbott’s Barberton Service Center, a materials science and distribution hub that’s also NovationSi’s headquarters. The Wednesday, February 19, field trip included a hands-on experiment.

Teknor Apex has named Patricia Mishic O’Brien as Chief Sustainability Officer, effective March 3, 2025. In this role, O’Brien will be responsible for developing and overseeing Teknor Apex’s sustainability strategy and its alignment with the company’s long-term vision and business goals. Her appointment strengthens the company’s focus on contributing to a circular economy, incorporating sustainable practices across manufacturing sites, and helping customers meet their sustainability goals.

Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) announce that its Waluj plant has been honored with the prestigious GEEF Global Safety Award 2025 in the Gold category for the tire manufacturing industry.

The award, which was granted by the Global Energy & Environment Foundation (GEEF) during the Global Clean Energy Summit in Delhi, recognizes companies that distinguish themselves by adopting excellence in safety, health, and sustainability standards.

Matteo Spinola joins Syncro Group in the role of Sales Director, bringing with him a vision oriented to result, sustainable growth and synergic coordination of the six companies belonging to the Group.

Matteo has gained a solid technical and commercial background in more than 20 years of experience, holding positions of increasing responsibility in leading companies of the sector. His profile stands out for his ability to build and consolidate international sales networks, manage complex markets and create value through clear and shared leadership

Goodyear’s previously announced layoffs of 850 employees at its Danville manufacturing plant are set to take effect April 1st, reducing the plant’s workforce by half. This move is part of Goodyear’s strategy to shift focus from commercial tire production to aviation tires, aiming to enhance the competitiveness of the Danville facility.

Unlike traditional automation that relies on predefined instructions, AI-driven systems learn, adapt and make real-time decisions through machine learning and data analysis. This shift enables businesses to handle complex, dynamic environments with greater flexibility and precision, continually improving and optimizing based on real-world conditions. AI-powered automation predicts needs, identifies inefficiencies and evolves with each interaction, facilitating faster and smarter decision-making, without human intervention.

Yokohama Corporation of North America (YCNA) announced three organizational changes, effective immediately.

A new era of leadership is taking shape at global leading tire company Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire), as the company elevates Jongseon Ahn and Sanghoon Lee to the roles of Executive Directors and new Co-CEOs, following approval made at the Annual General Meeting and Board of Directors meeting held on March 26 at its headquarters, Technoplex, in South Korea.

Webfleet, Bridgestone’s globally trusted fleet management solution, is introducing its new flagship Driver Terminal: the PRO X. The rugged professional tablet, designed specifically for truck and van fleets, comes with enhanced performance and quick access to Webfleet Work App and professional navigation. With the ability to be tailored to business needs, the PRO X is the perfect allrounder for fleets looking for a long-lasting device to increase operational performance and service reliability.

Pirelli is gearing up for the 2025 North American motorsports season with new partnerships and extended agreements with several prestigious motorsport organizations across the U.S. and Canada. Over the next months, a team of nearly 40 Pirelli team members will support more than ten major North American motorsport championships at over 100 races across the continent.

Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd. (ZC Rubber) has announced the launch of its groundbreaking 5G Smart Factory project, aimed at enhancing efficiency and innovation in tire manufacturing. This initiative leverages cutting-edge 5G technology to transform traditional production processes and address emerging industry trends.

The Chinese automaker Zeekr relies on Continental’s tire expertise for the original equipment of its Zeekr 001. The tire manufacturer has received original equipment approval for the electric sedan. It runs on 22-inch PremiumContact 6 tires right from the factory. The tire is specially designed for dynamic and responsive handling while providing safety and comfort. Electric vehicles such as the Zeekr 001 in particular benefit from these properties.

In the 2024 financial year, the Semperit Group increased its EBITDA by 21.1% to EUR 84.9 million and turned its earnings after tax into a profit of EUR 11.5 million, compared with EUR –17.1 million loss in the same period of the previous year. With stable revenues of EUR 676.6 million (–0.8%), the EBITDA margin increased by 2.3 percentage points to 12.5%, mainly due to the cost-cutting program initiated as early as 2023.

The Michelin e.Primacy All Season tire is up to 25% more efficient than two leading competitor products, providing up to 20 more miles of battery range and saving you a tank of gas annually2,4. By using the GreenPower Compound, the tire is designed to help reduce energy consumption during everyday use and delivers long-lasting mileage.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers introduce a sulfur diimide reagent that enables the installation of amine groups at specific locations in the polymer chains. This step is crucial because it sets the stage for the subsequent backbone rearrangement. This chemical reaction reorganizes the polymer backbone, breaking down the rubber into soluble amine-functionalized materials that can be used to produce epoxy resins.

The researchers showed that their two-step process works very well. In a test with a model polymer, they broke it down significantly, reducing its molecular weight from 58,100 g/mol to about 400 g/mol. When they applied the method to used rubber, it broke down completely in just six hours, turning it into a soluble material with amine groups that could be used to manufacture broadly useful materials like epoxy resins.

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC has announced a recall of 1,185 R123 Ecopia radial commercial trailer tires, size 295/75R22.5, due to a manufacturing defect that could potentially lead to tire failure and increase the risk of a crash.

The recall affects tires manufactured at Bridgestone’s LaVergne, Tennessee plant during the 35th week of 2024. The defect involves the incorrect application of one of the three stabilizer ply belts, which may cause the tires to exhibit an overly convex tread shape when fully inflated. This condition can result in premature and irregular wear in the center of the tread, compromising the tire’s performance and safety.

H.B Fuller reported that net revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 was $789 million, down 2.7% versus the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Organic revenue increased 1.9% year-on-year, with pricing increasing 0.2% and volume increasing 1.7%. Foreign currency translation decreased net revenue by 3.4% and acquisitions/divestitures decreased net revenue by 1.2%.

TotalEnergies Corbion and Benvic have come together to drive the adoption of sustainable Luminy® PLA-based compounds. This collaboration will expand the use of plant-based solutions in durable applications such as automotive, healthcare and medical, cosmetics packaging, appliances, and electric & electronics.

Magna Tyres introduces the M-CRANE, a next-generation mobile crane tire designed to meet the evolving demands of construction and industrial operations. Built on a legacy of performance, the M-CRANE delivers superior strength, endurance, and efficiency, redefining what operators can expect from their crane tires.

Bridgestone Corporation has developed a cutting-edge Tire and Road Wear Particles (TRWP) vehicle collection method to understand the environmental impact of TRWP. These particles result from the friction between the tire and the road surface, which is essential for a safe, comfortable journey. TRWP consists of a mixture of tire tread and road pavement materials. Bridgestone is actively conducting various research activities to understand the particle size distribution, dispersion behavior, and environmental impact of TRWP, as well as to develop efficient collection methods. Through these efforts, the company is committed to both understanding and reducing TRWP generation.

TechnoBiz is set to host the “Synthetic Rubber 2025” conference at RG Royal Hotel from May 9-10, 2025. This specialized event will focus on the latest advancements in synthetic rubber technology, processing, and markets. The conference aims to provide rubber product manufacturers with insights into new opportunities and improvements in product quality.

University of Sherbrooke researcher utilizes advanced VHF testing machine for rubbers & elastomers. C-Therm Technologies is hosting a free webinar featuring Dr. Vincent St-Onge, a Research Professional at the University of Sherbrooke. Dr. St-Onge is the coordinator of the PYRIDINE (“polymer big data interface”) project and specializes in the advanced thermomechanical characterization platform for polymers (PYRIDINE – ATMCP).