Bridgestone Corporation is a key contributor to the smooth running of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, supplying a range of tyres, automotive services, and performance products. As an official worldwide partner, Bridgestone is committed to enhancing the experience of athletes, staff, fans, and visitors throughout the Games.

Bridgestone Tyres Keep the Fleet Moving

As the official tyre supplier, Bridgestone is equipping over 1,000 vehicles in the Paris 2024 fleet provided by Toyota. This includes the new Bridgestone Turanza 6 and Alenza 001 tyres, featuring the company’s advanced ENLITEN technology. ENLITEN optimises performance, durability, and sustainability through cutting-edge materials and design. This focus ensures Bridgestone delivers premium tyres that meet customers’ evolving needs and the future mobility landscape, particularly electric vehicles (EVs).

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are powerful platforms that unite and inspire people worldwide through emotion and performance,” said Laurent Dartoux, Management Board Chair and Group President, Bridgestone Europe Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA). “The objectives of the Olympic and Paralympic movements closely align with Bridgestone’s mission, ‘Serving Society with Superior Quality’, and our vision to create a more sustainable world for future generations. Through our support for Paris 2024, we promote and demonstrate our shared values to our employees, communities, and customers.”

Bridgestone also supplies high-performance motorcycle tyres for over 20 motorcycles supporting road course events, including a prototype Kawasaki hydrogen motorcycle. Additionally, over 36 Bridgestone-owned Speedy and First Stop service centres will be on call during the Games to maintain the fleet and service athletes’ and visitors’ vehicles. These centres will provide tyre checks and related services for the nearly 3,000 cars operating at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speedy will also offer glass repair and replacement services.

Prioritising Road Safety for Paris 2024 Drivers

Bridgestone promotes road safety through an e-learning module for the nearly 4,000 volunteer drivers piloting the Paris 2024 fleet. The training highlights the crucial role tyres play in vehicle safety and performance and offers tyre care tips for maintaining proper inflation and checking tread depth.

“Bridgestone has driven innovation for nearly a century, and we continue to build on that legacy today through advanced tyre technologies and beyond,” added Dartoux. “We are proud to support Paris 2024 athletes and operations with products, services, and solutions where our technological know-how can help. It demonstrates our commitment to more sustainable premium performance because what matters is that we enable all people to perform at their best for generations to come.”

Collaboration for Sustainable and Accessible Transportation

Bridgestone, in addition to supporting the 100 percent electric Toyota fleet, is providing tyre fitments for a significant portion of Toyota’s hydrogen-powered and inclusive mobility offerings. This collaborative effort includes supplying tyres for 500 hydrogen-fueled Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), two hydrogen-powered FCEV buses, and 250 Toyota zero-tailpipe emission electric Accessible People Movers (APMs) that will transport athletes, staff, and fans during the Games. APMs are specifically designed for people with physical disabilities and feature Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 tyres for a comfortable ride and low rolling resistance, maximising fuel efficiency.

Bridgestone is also supplying over 600 bicycles for alternative, non-motorised transportation. Partnering with Decathlon, a French sporting goods manufacturer and Official Partner of Paris 2024, these bicycles will be available across venues and the Olympic and Paralympic Village for athletes, volunteers, and staff for convenient and efficient transportation. After the Games, Bridgestone will partner with the City of Paris to donate approximately 500 bicycles to local community organisations.

High-Performance Sports Equipment for Olympians and Paralympians

Bridgestone’s innovation and premium performance extend beyond tyres, with a presence at the Paris 2024 men’s and women’s golf events. Bridgestone is providing approximately 3,500 high-performance golf balls for use on the practice range, supporting numerous professional golfers using Bridgestone golf balls who have qualified for the Olympic Games.

Bridgestone’s commitment extends to the Paralympic Games, where adaptive athletes from the United States and Japan use Bridgestone rubber and equipment during competitions. Bridgestone engineers have leveraged their tyre and rubber technology expertise to explore applications for various paralympic sports. These innovations include using Bridgestone tyre rubber for gloves, wheelchair hand rims, prosthetic running blades, spike plates, and wheelchair tyres.

Bridgestone’s work with global athletes aims to inspire people of all backgrounds and abilities to overcome challenges and chase their dreams. As Team Bridgestone brand ambassadors, Bridgestone partners with 40 Olympians, Paralympians, and aspiring athletes.

Bridgestone’s support for the Olympic and Paralympic Games aligns with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, which embodies eight core values: energy, ecology, efficiency, extension, economy, emotion, ease, and empowerment. The E8 Commitment guides Bridgestone’s efforts to create a more sustainable world.

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Vaculug, Europe’s largest independent retreader producing high-quality OTR and truck retread tyres for fleets across the UK and Europe, has expanded its UK presence by acquiring Tyrefair in Kinross, Scotland.

This strategic acquisition extends the company's award-winning service further north, ensuring Scottish customers receive the same high-quality OTR and truck retread tyres Vaculug has supplied for 75 years. Since the purchase, the Kinross location has already grown by 25 percent, with an ambitious target to double its business within a year and then double it again.

This move is a key part of Vaculug's 2026 growth strategy, focused on strategic acquisitions that enable better, faster and more sustainable customer service. The acquisition reinforces Vaculug’s long-standing environmental mission, marking a new chapter of sustainable growth with a strengthened Scottish operation.

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Nokian Tyres is expanding its US presence through a new nationwide partnership with American Tire Distributors (ATD). This agreement provides Nokian access to ATD’s vast network of over 110 distribution centres, serving roughly 80,000 customers.

The collaboration will efficiently supply tyre shops with Nokian’s complete product lineup, enabling dealers to broaden their inventory. Both companies bring 90 years of experience and a shared dedication to innovation, safety and sustainability. This partnership will offer drivers more choices, supported by Nokian’s award-winning Tennessee factory and ATD’s technology-driven logistics.

This enhanced distribution capability ensures that consumers will have greater access to a full spectrum of high-performance tyres, meeting diverse driving needs and conditions. The alliance strengthens both brands' market positions by combining premium products with an unparalleled delivery system, ultimately improving service for dealers and drivers alike across the country.

Chris Ostrander, SVP, North America, Nokian Tyres, said, “The partnership with ATD enables us to reach more tyre shops and more drivers than ever before. ATD’s robust distribution network, customer service and responsiveness strengthen our agility to serve both new and existing customers.”

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has announced a new webinar series designed to advance the circular economy for end-of-life tyres (ELTs) in collaboration with the Tire Recycling Foundation. Titled ‘The Road to 100% Tire Circularity: ELTs Going Full Circle’, the initiative aims to foster the development of scalable and profitable markets for recycled tyres. The series will launch in September 2025 and continue through February 2026.

Hosted by John Sheerin, USTMA’s Senior Director of ELT Programs, each session will convene industry experts, recyclers and state policymakers. Their discussions will focus on the latest research and real-world applications that transform waste tyres into valuable resources, thereby diverting them from landfills and generating environmental, industrial and economic benefits.

The programme will explore three of the most promising markets for end-of-life tyres. It begins on 23 September 2025 with a session on tyre-derived aggregate (TDA), examining its use in civil engineering projects like structural fill and stormwater management. A subsequent webinar on 30 October 2025 will cover the growing market for moulded and extruded products made from recycled rubber.

A significant portion of the series will be dedicated to rubber-modified asphalt (RMA), a material known for creating longer-lasting and more sustainable roadways. An introductory session on 20 November 2025 will review the overall performance and benefits of RMA. This will be followed by two regional deep dives: one on 14 January 2026, focusing on practical applications in Midwestern states like Michigan and Ohio, and another on 28 January 2026, exploring its adoption in Southern states including Kentucky and Georgia. The series will culminate on 24 February 2026 with a capstone session providing a comprehensive overview of grant and funding opportunities available to support the growth of these ELT markets.

This initiative addresses a critical need. While tyres are one of the most recycled products in US, and stockpiles have been reduced by 94 percent over the past three decades, the generation of end-of-life tyres continues to outpace their consumption in recycling markets. The webinar series is presented as a strategic pathway to bridge this gap by promoting innovative and sustainable end-use applications.

Those interested in shaping the future of tyre management are encouraged to register for any or all of the webinars through the USTMA website. Attendees will receive a resource kit after each session to help facilitate further discussion and action.

Anne Forristall Luke, President & CEO, USTMA, said, “We view these webinars as a crucial opportunity to connect key leaders across the country and show them that sustainability and economic growth go hand-in-hand. By showcasing proven applications and providing the tools to act, we can collectively turn ELTs from a waste challenge into an economic engine.”

Sheerin said, “As we look to expand ELT markets and unlock the full environmental and economic potential of end-of-life tyres, collaboration is essential. And no one can do it alone. State DOTs, regulators, recyclers and manufacturers must work together to help grow ELT markets through targeted investment, supportive policy and continued research.”

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Continental is accelerating its commitment to sustainability by integrating a growing proportion of renewable and recycled materials into its tyre manufacturing. The company’s current average of 26 percent is projected to rise by several percentage points within the year, with a strategic goal of reaching at least 40 percent by 2030. A central pillar of this initiative involves rethinking the sourcing of two essential components: rubber and resins.

Rubber is a fundamental material, constituting up to 40 percent of a modern high-performance tyre’s weight. Continental utilises a complex blend of up to 100 different raw materials, engineered into numerous customised rubber compounds for each tyre. The portfolio includes both natural rubber, prized for its durability and resistance in critical areas like truck treads, and synthetic rubber, which enhances braking performance and rolling resistance in passenger vehicles. The company is now progressively replacing conventional fossil-based synthetic rubber with more sustainable alternatives. This includes synthetic rubber derived from used cooking oil and pyrolysis oil from end-of-life tyres, sourced from certified partners like Synthos and TotalEnergies Cray Valley.

Complementing rubber, specialised resins are vital for optimising a tyre’s performance characteristics. These resins help fine-tune the balance between elasticity and resilience, which directly improves wet grip, abrasion resistance and energy efficiency. Continental is incorporating circular resins, also certified under the ISCC PLUS standard, which originate from renewable feedstocks like vegetable oil or used cooking oil.

Furthermore, the company is adopting sustainable alternatives for key additives. For instance, it is the first tyre manufacturer to use a certified biocircular version of the antioxidant TMQ. Produced from waste materials such as recycled cooking oil, this additive achieves a carbon footprint over 30 percent lower than its conventional counterpart.

To systematically track and scale the use of these sustainable materials, Continental employs a mass balance approach. This method allows fossil-based, renewable and recycled feedstocks to be mixed in production while accurately attributing the sustainable content to the final product. This system provides verifiable documentation and enables Continental to continuously increase its use of certified materials across its entire tyre range.

Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires, said, “We’re closing the loop: Continental is ramping up its commitment to a circular economy and mapping out its path for the future. Innovative solutions enable us to use more sustainable raw materials, such as synthetic rubber made from used cooking oil or resins based on certified renewable feedstocks originally derived from vegetable oil.”

Matthias Haufe, Head of Material Development and Industrialisation at Continental Tires, said, “The mass balance approach enables us to efficiently manage the complexity of the raw materials portfolio and track how these raw materials are used at multiple production sites in a wide range of markets. In this way, we can steadily increase the share of renewable and recycled materials in our tyre production – and transparently document the progress we make.”

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