Dr William V Mars, PhD, PE, received the Herzlich Medal recently at the International Tire Exhibit and Conference (ITEC), the largest tyre manufacturing trade show and conference in North America.

The award is bestowed every alternate year to recognise a tyre industry pioneer whose career and accomplishments have improved the industry, lasting impacting tyre design, development and manufacturing. 

Receiving this medal is a pinnacle point in Dr Mars’ lifetime quest to improve how rubber products are designed and brought to market.

Dr Mars is an international leader in the failure mechanics of rubber, and his career has focused on applying experimental and computational mechanics in pursuit of better-performing rubber products. He is the author of the Endurica fatigue life solver – the world’s first commercially available and most highly-validated simulation for fatigue analysis of rubber. 

He is the founder and president of Endurica LLC, a firm whose solutions are used by 13 of the top 20 global rubber product producers. 

Dr Mars has over 30 years of experience developing testing and simulation methods in the rubber industry, including 16 years at Cooper Tire & Rubber Company. He earned his Honors BSME with Polymer Specialisation at the University of Akron and his MS and PhD degrees at the University of Toledo. He has also served as the Chief Editor of both Rubber Chemistry and Technology and Tire Science and Technology. He has over 60 peer-reviewed scientific publications and four patents in elastomer durability.

Medal presenter Bruce Meyer, Editor of Rubber News, noted his relationship with Harold Herzlich, whose career spanned decades in the tyre industry, decades more as an expert in tyre forensic cases and more than a couple additional decades as Technical Editor of Rubber & Plastics News. 

Herzlich served as the Founding Conference Chairman for ITEC and 10 subsequent ITEC conferences. “I worked with Harold for many years,” explained Meyer. “He truly was one of the good guys of the tyre industry. And that’s appropriate, because today we are honouring Will Mars, Founder and President of Endurica LLC. And I can say definitively that Will also is one of the good guys in our industry.”

“Harold Herzlich himself is retired, (but) he did serve on the committee tasked with choosing a winner from among the highly qualified nominees. I asked him to send along a message for me to share, and this is what he had to say: ‘‘Even though I had very limited contact with Will, I, like many technical people in the industry, was aware of, and depended upon, his very capable and generous contributions as Editor to the Rubber Division’s highly regarded Rubber Chemistry and Technology. Will went beyond his publication activities and contributed actual hardware and software capabilities that are already accelerating the industry’s innovation process worldwide.”

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Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd received the ‘Key Supporter of Saint Pantaleon Hospital’ award during the hospital's Semmelweis Day ceremony in Dunaújváros, Hungary. This recognition highlights the company's longstanding commitment to enhancing local healthcare quality through consistent contributions.

Marking a new tradition, this year's ceremony expanded beyond honouring healthcare workers to acknowledge institutional supporters. Hankook earned this distinction through multiple initiatives, including recent equipment donations for the paediatric ward and installation of a nurse call system in the surgical department. The company's support extends to previous years' projects such as ventilator procurement, maternity ward renovations, and pandemic-related protective equipment donations.

The award coincides with Hungary's annual Healthcare Day celebrations on 1 July, which since 1992 has honoured medical professionals nationwide. By recognising Hankook's sustained community involvement, Saint Pantaleon Hospital underscores the vital role of corporate partnerships in maintaining quality healthcare services.

Dr Örs Szilágyi, Director General of the Saint Pantaleon Hospital, said, “We are very grateful for the help and commitment of Hankook Tire Hungary. We are working together for a joint goal to improve continuously the standard of healthcare and thus create value for local citizen, help them in maintaining their health and in getting better. Hankook’s Corporate Social Responsibility sets an example to all. We are happy to award Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd as the first company with the ’Key Supporter of Saint Pantateon Hospital’ award.

Receiving the award from Dr Szilágyi on behalf of the company, Ho Taek Lim, Managing Director of Hankook Tire's Hungary Plant, said, “We are honoured to receive this recognition from Saint Pantaleon Hospital. At Hankook, we believe in long-term partnerships and consider the health of the people living here, our employees and their families to be our most important investment, which is why we intend to continue supporting local initiatives and institutions in the future.”

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Metso is strengthening its position in sustainable screening technologies by establishing a new manufacturing facility in Oradea, Romania. This strategic investment supports the company's growth plans by boosting production capacity and enhancing service capabilities for customers across Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.

The new centre will focus on manufacturing stationary screening equipment while expanding spare and wear parts supply, including rubber screening media. Expected to employ 70-80 people by 2026, the facility will improve regional customer support in minerals and aggregates markets where demand is growing.

The Romanian production hub complements Metso's existing global manufacturing network, which includes facilities in France, Brazil, India, South Africa and China. This expansion reinforces Metso's commitment to delivering efficient, localised solutions while supporting customers with faster service and optimised screening technologies.

Jouni Mähönen, Vice President of the Screening business line, said, “This investment is a continuation of our regional strategy implementation. A new centre in Romania will improve responsiveness to meet customer needs, answer to growing demand in growth markets and strengthen our ability to deliver tailored screening solutions efficiently.”

Adrian Wood, Vice President, Central Region Screening business line, said, “Customer proximity is at the heart of our service philosophy. Through this investment, we enhance our ability to serve customers by being faster and efficient. We will be able to be more flexible, allowing us to meet regional specifications and needs while also ensuring strong service capabilities through integrated screening media production.”

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Michelin has once again been recognised by ADAC, Germany's leading automobile association, as the industry leader in reducing particle emissions from tyre abrasion. This marks the second consecutive time Michelin has received this distinction, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable mobility. Recent ADAC tests on 160 tyre models revealed that Michelin tyres emit 26 percent fewer particles than the premium competitor average, building on similar results from a 2021 study, where Michelin outperformed rivals by 28 percent. Notably, Michelin's closest competitor emitted 20 percent more particles per kilometre and per metric tonne transported.

These findings highlight Michelin's dedication to innovation, delivering tyres that balance longevity, safety and minimal environmental impact. The company has focused on reducing tyre abrasion – a key contributor to road transport emissions – for nearly two decades. Between 2015 and 2020, Michelin’s advancements led to a five percent reduction in wear emissions, preventing an estimated 100,000 metric tonnes of particles from entering the environment.

The issue of tyre abrasion has gained regulatory attention, with the Euro 7 standard, enacted in July 2024, setting strict limits on particle emissions for tyres sold in Europe. This regulation aims to curb the 500,000 metric tonnes of tyre and road wear particles generated annually across the continent.

Michelin continues to invest heavily in R&D, allocating EUR 786 million in 2024 alone, to further mitigate abrasion through advanced materials and optimised tyre design. Recent innovations, such as the MICHELIN Primacy 5 (14 percent fewer emissions than its predecessor) and the CrossClimate 3 Sport (23 percent reduction compared to the Pilot Sport 5), demonstrate tangible progress. Additionally, Michelin’s BioDLab—a collaboration with CNRS and the University of Clermont Auvergne—focuses on studying particle biodegradation to develop eco-friendly solutions.

By combining cutting-edge research with sustainable design, Michelin aims to further reduce emissions while maintaining high safety and performance standards, reinforcing its role as a pioneer in environmentally responsible tyre technology.

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Continental has launched an educational initiative highlighting how rolling resistance-optimised tyres can enhance efficiency and sustainability in commercial vehicle fleets. The campaign, anchored by a dedicated website, provides fleets with interactive tools, videos and data-driven insights to demonstrate how strategic tyre selection impacts total operating costs.

While many fleet operators traditionally prioritise mileage-optimised tyres for their longer tread life, Continental emphasises that rolling resistance plays an increasingly critical role – especially with tightening EU emissions standards and the logistics sector’s shift towards greener transport. Tyres influence not just direct costs (around two percent of fleet expenses) but also fuel consumption, toll fees and CO₂ emissions, affecting up to 31 percent of total operating expenses.

The campaign compares Continental’s fifth-generation tyre lines – Conti Eco, Conti Hybrid and Conti EfficientPro – in various applications, showing how low rolling resistance can reduce fuel use by up to 2,105 litres per vehicle annually. For a 150-truck fleet, proper tyre selection can yield over EUR 300,000 in yearly savings. Continental’s calculations, based on VECTO and its proprietary LODC (Lowest Overall Driving Costs) tool, illustrate these benefits for long-haul and regional transport scenarios.

Beyond tyres, Continental integrates digital solutions like ContiConnect and retreading services (ContiLifeCycle) to further optimise fleet efficiency. Customers like Remondis, a German waste management firm, report tangible benefits, including lower fuel consumption, extended tyre life and proactive maintenance through digital monitoring.

With this initiative, Continental aims to help fleets balance economic and environmental goals, proving that rolling resistance-optimised tyres are not just a compliance measure but a strategic tool for cost savings and emissions reduction in modern logistics.

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