Bridgestone India has expanded its Flagship Select Store network with the opening of four new Select outlets in Hyderabad. With these new outlets, the company has taken its tally of stores in Hyderabad to 46 with an aim to transform the tyre buying and servicing experience by addressing the evolving needs of Indian consumers.

The Bridgestone Select Stores, which are supported by a robust premium network, offer an engaging and instructive experience that enables consumers to choose tyres with knowledge. To assist consumers get the most out of their tyres, the business also gives demos so they can see the impact that each service offers. At the moment, Bridgestone has a strong dealer network of 3,200, which includes 820 Bridgestone Select stores in India. Bridgestone India operates a few select storefronts in important cities including New Delhi, Ghaziabad, Bangalore, Kolhapur, Chennai and Hyderabad. The Select shops are designed to address a long-standing demand for a more intelligent tyre retail structure.

Hiroshi Yoshizane, Managing Director, Bridgestone India, said, “Hyderabad is an important market for us, and we’re proud to expand this pioneering concept of Select stores in the city. Bridgestone is committed to provide superior products and services to customers in line with its mission of serving society with superior quality. At Bridgestone, we’ve consistently led in enhancing customer experience, and these stores will help customers in Hyderabad to make informed tyre choices tailored to their needs. It also offers our dealers a unique, differentiated format to drive more walk-ins. As tyres are the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road, the store is designed to offer customers premium products, services and an elevated buying experience through its exclusive network.”

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Dr Suttipong Angthong, Secretary-General of the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC), attended the Royal Ceremony of the First Ploughing of the Season on 13 May 2026 at Sanam Luang ceremonial grounds.

Representing the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand, the ancient rite officially opened Thailand’s new rice-growing season, a centuries-old tradition meant to encourage and strengthen the spirit of farmers nationwide. Dr Angthong joined ambassadors and heads of international organisations in witnessing the sacred ceremony, which underscores agriculture’s profound importance to the Thai way of life.

Although focused on rice cultivation, the event carries significant weight for the natural rubber sector. Thailand remains the world’s leading producer and exporter of natural rubber, and the day served as a reminder of the dedication required to sustain that global position. Dr Angthong used the occasion to engage with international partners, reaffirming a shared commitment to agricultural workers’ welfare.

For the rubber industry, which supports millions of families and forms a cornerstone of the Thai economy, the ceremony symbolises a hopeful beginning for all who toil on the land. Dr Angthong expressed gratitude for the invitation and noted that the unity displayed by the international community highlights a collective responsibility to support sustainable growth and prosperity in agriculture.

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Hankook Tire’s iON Race compound faces its most demanding test of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season this weekend as the championship’s sole tyre supplier arrives for the 2026 Monaco E-Prix. The double-header Rounds 9 and 10 of Season 12 take place on 16 and 17 May around the 3.337-kilometre Circuit de Monaco, where the specialised tyre must handle everything from tight hairpins to high-speed tunnel blasts.

The Principality’s layout features 19 turns and dramatic elevation shifts, creating a constantly changing environment for the rubber. Drivers emerge from the shaded Sainte-Dévote ascent into direct sunlight along Beau Rivage, then brake heavily for the Grand Hotel Hairpin before accelerating through the tunnel towards the harbour. Each lap subjects the iON Race to alternating low-speed loads and high-frequency thermal spikes, demanding consistent response across its entire operating range without a single moment of mechanical sympathy.

With two full race days on consecutive dates, teams cannot rely on track evolution alone to manage tyre behaviour. Shifting grip levels between Saturday qualifying and Sunday’s race, compounded by changing light conditions around the circuit, force every squad to prioritise repeatability. Hankook has engineered the iON Race to deliver stable warm-up and predictable thermal control, allowing drivers to execute energy management strategies even when braking zones and cornering loads vary lap by lap.

Hankook continues to bridge racing innovation to road cars. Recent fan activations at Miami and Berlin displayed iON tyres fitted to Nissan and DS Automobiles’ latest EVs, demonstrating how motorsport-derived grip and consistency translate into everyday electric mobility. The Monaco double-header now serves as the next proving ground for that technology transfer.

Manfred Sandbichler, Senior Director, Hankook Motorsport, said, “Monaco presents a unique challenge where precision and consistency are critical from the first lap. With limited room for error, tyre performance needs to be predictable across a wide range of conditions. The iON Race is designed to support that consistency, allowing teams to manage performance effectively across both qualifying and race conditions.”

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Anyline, a global leader in mobile AI and intelligent data capture technology, has stepped in to help transform how aircraft tyre inventories are managed in New Zealand, supporting logistics firm B&H Worldwide with its mobile AI and data capture tools. The technology has been woven into B&H’s existing FirstTRAC platform, targeting the unique demands of aerospace supply chains where precision and tracking are essential.

Processing times for tyre-related stock tasks have fallen by 60 percent since the system went live. Error rates have dropped sharply, landing between 80 and 90 percent, while data accuracy now sits above 99 percent. The number of tyres handled per hour has also climbed by roughly 30 percent, with warehouse teams using mobile devices to log key tyre details directly on the floor.

New Zealand was chosen as the launch pad for the global pilot, setting a template for future rollouts across B&H’s broader network. The Anyline mobile and web software development kits feed a continuous stream of live data into FirstTRAC, covering stock checks, dispatch requests and bulk uploads. That real-time visibility strengthens compliance and creates a clear digital trail for high-value assets.

For Anyline, the project shows how AI can remove friction from manual logistics work, especially in aerospace where every part must be traceable. The next site already lined up is Melbourne, marking a clear step forward in B&H’s wider push towards digitised, resilient operations.

Christoph Braunsberger, CEO, Anyline, said, “We’re proud to support B&H Worldwide in transforming a highly specialised aerospace logistics workflow with AI. This implementation demonstrates how intelligent tyre data capture can improve speed, accuracy and traceability in safety-critical operations.”

Lee Hedges, Branch Manager, B&H Worldwide New Zealand, said, “This implementation represents a significant step forward in how we manage high-value, safety-critical inventory. By introducing real-time tyre scanning, we’ve improved accuracy, speed and traceability across our operations. For our customers, it means greater visibility, faster reporting and increased confidence in the integrity of their stock.”

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Continental has emerged as the dominant force in the 2026 independent European summer tyre tests, securing 13 outright wins and 19 podium finishes across 24 evaluations conducted by leading automotive publications and mobility organisations. The results span a diverse range of tyre segments and test conditions, reinforcing the German manufacturer’s reputation for consistent top-tier performance.

The company’s tyres excelled particularly in braking, wet grip and overall balance, showing reliability across vehicle classes from sustainable products to ultra-high-performance applications. Independent testers repeatedly highlighted Continental’s strong braking performance, high levels of wet adhesion and well-rounded driving behaviour, confirming its premium ambitions.

Among the standout achievements, the PremiumContact 7 was named overall winner in the Auto Zeitung UHP summer tyre test, praised for its balanced wet and dry handling. The SportContact 7 claimed first place in the Auto Bild sportscars UHP test, recognised for precise handling and shortest braking distances. Meanwhile, the UltraContact NXT achieved a leading position in the AvD summer tyre test, proving that sustainability-focused designs can deliver strong core safety performance.

Continuous development in tread design, compound technologies and tyre construction underpins these results, allowing a blend of safety, efficiency and driving dynamics. The 2026 test season ultimately demonstrates Continental’s ability to deliver reliable top-level results across a broad portfolio and a wide range of independent evaluations.

Andreas Schlenke, Tire Expert at Continental, said, “These results confirm the consistency of our product performance across different segments and test conditions. They show that our focus on braking, wet grip and overall balance translates directly into strong results in independent testing.”

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