Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) has unveiled the new R273 Ecopia regional tyre for the steer position and the Duravis M705 tyre for mixed fleet vehicles in pickup and delivery (P&D) and last-mile delivery (LMD) fleets at the recently concluded 2025 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition. The company also demonstrated its new servicing Dispatch Solution, a fleet tool meant to decrease downtime and improve tyre communication and information for servicing events.

The Bridgestone R273 Ecopia is the second regional truck tyre with ENLITEN technology in the company's lineup. The improved tread compound and design of the R273 Ecopia are intended to lessen shoulder wear and increase removal mileage. Compared to its predecessor, the new casing's better four-rib design and reduced rolling resistance compounding result in increased fuel efficiency. Later this year, the tyre will be made available to fleets in six initial sizes: 295/75R22.5, 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 285/75R24.5, 12R22.5 and 295/80R22.5.

The Bridgestone Duravis M705 is the first to use ENLITEN technology in LMD and P&D tyres and is intended for mixed fleets with a wide tyre size arrangement. With sidewall protection and an upgraded casing that adds durability and improves retreading efficiency while keeping sustainability in mind, the all-position tyre offers performance improvements. In order to enhance wear over the Bridgestone M724, the Duravis M705 is made with 3D sipes and a mixed tread pattern. The Duravis M705, which has been designated a Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF), is intended to give fleets excellent performance and traction during the winter months. In the second half of 2025, the Bridgestone Duravis M705 will be offered in the following sizes: 215/75R17.5, 225/70R19.5 and 245/70R19.5.

Apart from the two new tyres, Bridgestone also debuted the company’s new Service Dispatch Solution. This web-based tool seeks to increase efficiency and productivity. Automated technician deployment and comprehensive tracking of images, papers and digital event data are vital elements. Bridgestone fleet customers provided input for the new solution, which represents a fundamental change in the way the business handles its digital products. Bridgestone’s Service Dispatch Solution highlights the company's dedication to providing fleets with user-friendly tools and improving the customer experience.

Steve Hoeft, President – Commercial Truck Group, Bridgestone Americas, said, “The new R273 Ecopia and Duravis M705 with ENLITEN technology demonstrate how Bridgestone continues to push to enhance our product performance with our goal toward sustainability in mind. These tyres reflect our approach of using real-world data to not only enhance performance for our fleet customers but also to infuse environmentally friendly practices into our industry.”

Atturo Tires and TMV Group have won three international awards at the 2025 Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) for their ‘Atturo Andy' campaign.

The campaign featured a fictional tyre salesman and was launched nationally across digital channels. It went on to win top honours in three major categories: Best Automotive Online Video Campaign, Best B2B Online Video Campaign and Best Mobile Online Video Campaign. The campaign – with its focus on driving brand recognition through humour, humanity and a distinct visual style – resulted in 140 percent increase in web traffic, 100 percent growth in ‘Where to Buy’ dealer inquiries and +35 percent lift in unit sales, according to Atturo.

Michael Mathis, President, Atturo Tires, said, “These awards recognise what we already knew: Atturo Andy isn’t just a character – he’s a force. We set out to create something that stood apart from industry clichés, and thanks to TMV Group’s creativity and deep category insight, we delivered work that was not only different but effective.”

Joe Morden, Managing Partner at TMV Group, said, “Creative only works when it’s backed by brave clients. Atturo trusted us to go big – to build something that was smart, strategic and completely unexpected. That trust turned into three international awards.”

Bridgestone is planning to cut jobs at two factories in northern Spain in response to a negative shift in the European market and the growth of non-European goods.

According to a Reuters report quoting local union UGT, the business intends to lay off 546 workers at two plants in Cantabria and the Basque Country in northern Spain that produce tyres for tractors, other farm vehicles, buses and trucks. The report adds that UGT and other unions have declared their intention to call for a strike at the two facilities, but they have not given any specifics.

The company's local unit, Bridgestone Hispania, employs 2,800 people at the moment, according to UGT. Bridgestone stated that it has to modify its production capacity in light of the current market conditions, which are marked by inflation, uncertainty and regulatory changes, says the report.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has expanded its FLAME GUARD series of flame-retardant conveyor belts with the launch of the FLAME GUARD ECO, which offers improved energy-saving performance. This is in line with the company’s medium-term management plan for fiscal years 2024–2026 –Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026) – and aims to solidify its leading share in Japan’s conveyor belt market.

FLAME GUARD ECO is aimed at coal transport lines at ports and thermal power plants, which need conveyor belts that are flame-retardant for fire safety. To enhance energy-saving efficiency, Yokohama Rubber created a new rubber compound utilising technology acquired during the development of its ECOTEX conveyor belts, which have reached world-class power-saving performance. As the belt moves over the rollers, this lessens rubber deformation, which is a component in energy loss. Power usage and running resistance are thereby decreased. FLAME GUARD ECO reduces energy expenses and its environmental effect by lowering carbon dioxide emissions while simultaneously improving operational safety by combining flame resistance and energy economy.

With its self-extinguishing safety feature, the FLAME GUARD series provides flame retardancy with improved wear resistance, resistance to heavy oils and resistance to medium and high temperatures, making the belts suitable for a variety of operating requirements. The FLAME GUARD ECO variant also reduces resistance during roller passing for increased efficiency.

Apollo Tyres Ltd has launched the Vredestein Superpasso Pro competition-ready road bicycle tyres. This is the first model in the company’s all-new range of high-performance bicycle tyres scheduled for launch throughout the coming year.

The Superpasso Pro was developed using Apollo Tyres' cutting-edge ‘TriComp’ technology in Europe, which combines several rubber compositions for the tread and sidewall to maximise rolling resistance, puncture prevention and traction in both wet and dry situations. While the tyre's shoulder is composed of a softer composition to improve cornering grip at all speeds, the centre of the tread features a tougher compound to reduce rolling resistance and to prevent penetration. The new Superpasso Pro achieves a 14 percent improvement in rolling resistance, a 23 percent increase in puncture resistance and an eight percent weight reduction when compared to its Vredestein predecessor.

For TLR tyres, the new ‘Active Control’ technology offers a novel design that substitutes a bridging gap for the conventional overlapping centre join. Because of this development, the tyre is lighter and quicker, offering better control, better feedback and unwavering comfort. In order to increase puncture resistance and provide consumers the assurance that they can go farther, the Vredestein tyre also has a reinforced breaker layer. As part of a business collaboration with Apollo Tyres, the Dutch professional cycling team BEAT Cycling Club has put the Superpasso Pro through a rigorous testing process. Three sizes of the new Vredestein tyre are available: 700x25C, 700x28C and 700x32C. Both tubeless-ready (TLR) and tube type choices are available.

Nic Knippers, Division Head – Vredestein Two Wheel Tyres, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “The Superpasso Pro represents a significant leap forward in tyre technology, offering cyclists a product that excels in both performance and durability. With its innovative design and advanced materials, it delivers unmatched speed, comfort and reliability for cyclists of all levels.”

Thijs Zonneveld, Sportive Director, BEAT Cycling Club, said, “As a team that consistently pushes the limits of performance, we’ve been thoroughly impressed by the Superpasso Pro. The advancements in rolling efficiency, grip and durability have been evident in both race-day conditions and intense training sessions, and we’re excited to continue using it in competition.”