Continental is increasing its use of recycled materials in tyre manufacturing, with more facilities now using polyester fabric made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. This initiative has raised the recycled content in several tyre lines by an average of thee percent. Depending on the tyre size, up to 15 PET bottles can be used in a single tyre, conserving valuable resources.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle – this trio is key to more sustainable tyres “, says Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle – this trio is key to more sustainable tyres. Wherever possible, we use recycled materials while maintaining our highest quality standards,” says Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires. “Our polyester yarn made from recycled PET bottles is just as strong as conventional polyester yarn. This shows that sustainability, performance, and safety go hand in hand at Continental.

The company’s ContiRe.Tex technology, unveiled in late 2021, processes PET bottles that would otherwise go unrecycled. These bottles are spun into high-performance polyester yarn without intermediate chemical treatments, producing materials robust enough to meet the demands of tyre manufacturing.

Since 2022, this technology has been used on a limited scale at Continental’s tyre plants in Lousado, Portugal, and Otrokovice, Czech Republic. Recently, facilities in Korbach, Germany, and Sarreguemines, France, have also adopted recycled PET in series production.

Ambitious sustainability goals

The transition to sustainable materials aligns with Continental’s broader sustainability strategy. The company aims to increase the proportion of renewable and recycled materials in its tyres to over 40% by 2030. By then, all new car and light truck tyres are expected to feature high-performance polyester fibres made entirely from sustainable PET.

At present, an average passenger tyre contains 15–20 percent recycled and renewable materials. By 2050, Continental plans for all its new tyres to be made from 100 percent sustainable materials.

Turning waste into high-quality materials

Continental’s use of recycled PET is part of a broader effort to replace raw materials with sustainable alternatives. Textile fabrics made from recycled polyester enhance the strength, flexibility, and durability of tyres, with performance matching that of materials derived from crude oil.

In addition to recycled PET, Continental is exploring other sustainable materials, including bio-based and chemically recycled PET. Agricultural by-products, such as rice husk ash, rubber from dandelions and recycled rubber, are also being tested for future use.

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ZC Rubber presented its comprehensive tyre portfolio at the China International Tire Expo (CITEXPO) 2026 in Shanghai, featuring an integrated display of its five core brands: WESTLAKE, GOODRIDE, TRAZANO, CHAOYANG and TIANLI. The exhibition booth was organised to cover a wide range of applications, including passenger car, commercial vehicle, agricultural and off-highway segments. Prominently featured were large-format TIANLI agricultural tyres alongside commercial vehicle offerings, effectively illustrating the extensive scope of the manufacturer’s production capabilities.

Beyond product displays, the company utilised the event to emphasise its expanding global footprint. Attendees were given insights into ZC Rubber’s international business network, strategic brand partnerships and ongoing initiatives in sustainable manufacturing practices. Throughout the expo, the company engaged in extensive dialogues with customers and industry stakeholders from diverse markets, addressing specific product inquiries, regional market demands and potential avenues for future collaboration.

The expo participation underscored ZC Rubber’s commitment to strengthening its worldwide presence across multiple dimensions, from manufacturing and branding to market development. Moving forward, the company reaffirmed its dedication to collaborating with international partners to adapt to changing global market requirements and to pursue emerging business opportunities.

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Hankook Tire has secured a three-year agreement to serve as the official tyre supplier for the RC2, RC3 and RC4 classes of the Kroon-Oil Belgian Rally Championship. Already the exclusive tyre provider for the FIA World Rally Championship and numerous other international series, the company continues to leverage motorsport to validate its high-performance competition tyres.

This new Belgian commitment expands Hankook’s rally portfolio following its Global Partner status with the FIA, while distribution will remain with Kronos Tires to ensure operational continuity. Celebrating its 85th anniversary, the South Korean manufacturer operates across 160 countries with eight production facilities. Its global motorsport footprint now exceeds 70 events, where it supplies tyres or provides team support, reinforcing its technological credentials.

Xavier Schene, Director General of RACB Sport, said, “Throughout 2027, 2028 and 2029, tyres for the RC2, RC3 and RC4 classes in the Kroon-Oil Belgian Rally Championship will be supplied exclusively by Hankook. For competitors, these tyres offer an attractive solution from a competitive perspective as the Korean manufacturer has been the exclusive tyre partner of the FIA World Rally Championship since 2025. From next season onwards, this will also give WRC drivers the opportunity to use Belgian Rally Championship events as test rallies in preparation for WRC events. Hankook tyres are also used in the Junior ERC.”

Manfred Sandbichler, Senior Director, Hankook Motorsport, said, “Naturally, we are very pleased and proud that Hankook will become the exclusive tyre partner of the Kroon-Oil Belgian Rally Championship for the next three seasons in RC2, RC3 and RC4 classes. The BRC is one of the strongest national rally championships in Europe and will provide an excellent showcase for the performance and quality of our asphalt competition tyres.”

 “As BRC Promoter, we are delighted that a global tyre brand such as Hankook has committed to becoming the exclusive tyre supplier of the Kroon-Oil BRC. The competitive package of the tyres is an important asset in this respect and will help us keep costs manageable for our teams,” said Stevy Courteyn on behalf of BRC Promotion.

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Doublestar Tire emerged as a standout exhibitor at the 21st China (Shanghai) International Tire & Wheel Expo (CITEXPO), which commenced on 2 September at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. The event, recognised as a premier professional gathering in the Asia-Pacific region, attracted over 400 international exhibitors displaying the latest industry innovations. Among them, Doublestar distinguished itself with a portfolio focused on high differentiation and added value, capturing significant attention from attendees.

In response to varied overseas requirements, the tyre manufacturer presented a comprehensive product range addressing commercial and passenger vehicle applications. For the commercial sector, the flagship TBR tyre D902 was engineered with an abrasion-resistant compound and an advanced tread design. This configuration ensures stability and longevity under high-temperature, long-haul conditions, offering fleet operators a balance of dependable performance and economic efficiency.

The passenger vehicle lineup featured the EV95 SAFORT tyre, a specialised product for new energy vehicles incorporating the company’s proprietary ‘Safort’ support technology. This innovation addresses critical new energy vehicle demands, including reduced rolling resistance and minimal noise levels. The exhibition also included additional differentiated products, underscoring Doublestar’s commitment to understanding and fulfilling evolving consumer preferences through targeted engineering.

Throughout the expo, the company’s booth drew sustained interest from domestic and international buyers, with the overseas sales team outlining technical benefits and application-specific advantages. These interactions led to substantive discussions and positive indications for prospective partnerships. Looking ahead, Doublestar intends to persist in developing safer, more energy-efficient tire solutions, reinforcing the competitive standing of Chinese tire manufacturers in the global marketplace.

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BendPak has announced that all current models within its Ranger line of wheel balancers and tyre changers now feature ETL certification as a standard offering. This independent validation, conducted by Intertek Testing Services, confirms that the equipment complies with applicable UL and CSA safety standards for both the United States and Canadian markets. The certification rigorously covers electrical, pneumatic and mechanical safety requirements, ensuring robust operator protection and adherence to workplace compliance regulations.

The achievement of this certification was the result of an extensive 18-month internal project focused on comprehensively redesigning critical components. The initiative mandated sweeping upgrades across the equipment's electrical architecture, structural framework and both mechanical and pneumatic systems to meet the stringent criteria. Every aspect of the machines was scrutinised to ensure they could withstand the demands of the certification process.

Throughout the development cycle, a primary emphasis was placed on mitigating operator risks inherent in daily tire service tasks. Engineers systematically assessed potential hazards, including pinch-point dangers, moving parts, electrical and fire risks and high-pressure systems. When existing configurations fell short of the required benchmarks, teams implemented complete redesigns, replaced substandard parts and integrated new protective safeguards to address these vulnerabilities.

Following these extensive modifications, each piece of equipment underwent a battery of rigorous tests to verify its safety and performance prior to final approval. The certified lineup includes models such as the DST30PX, LS45DS, RB30T, DST2420X, R745, R980XR, R76ATR, R980DP, R80EX and R26FLT. These certified units are now clearly identifiable by the ETL mark displayed on their product labels.

Jeff Kritzer, President and CEO, BendPak, said, “The end result is not just a certification mark. Certification represents a fundamentally higher level of product engineering, component quality, mechanical and electrical safety, durability and overall North American compliance, giving customers confidence that their Ranger equipment is built to the highest standards.”

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