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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Celebrating a remarkable 30-year alliance, FC Internazionale Milano and Pirelli have reaffirmed one of the most enduring partnerships in global football. This significant milestone underscores a relationship built on shared values of excellence, tradition and a profound passion for sport.

To commemorate this occasion, a special-edition PIRELLI cap has been released. Limited to just 1,995 units – a direct nod to the year the partnership began – this collector’s item merges the iconic symbols of both brands. The cap features the Pirelli logo prominently on the front, accompanied by the Inter crest on the side. A distinctive Biscione motif extends elegantly across the design, seamlessly uniting the identities of both institutions. The number 30 is also featured, highlighting the three decades of continuous collaboration.

This exclusive accessory is now available for purchase online and at Inter Stores Milano, including the Castello and San Siro locations. More than just merchandise, the cap serves as a tangible symbol of a deep and historic bond between two legendary names.

The celebratory product will also be prominently featured during a symbolic sporting weekend. It will be showcased both at the Netherlands Grand Prix and during Inter’s Serie A match against Udinese on 30-31 August, linking two major events that reflect the partnership’s dual commitment to elite football and high-performance motorsport.

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The 2024 Qingdao Economic Achievements were announced recently, celebrating the city's top corporate performers and emerging leaders. Among the honourees were MESNAC Co., Ltd., named 2024 Qingdao Model Enterprise, and Chen Haijun, General Manager of Qingdao Highway IOT Technology Co., Ltd., who received the 2024 Qingdao Economic Rising Star award.

MESNAC earned its recognition by achieving substantial growth in both revenue and profit over the past year. The company has reinforced its position as an industrial leader by driving innovation in intelligent manufacturing and supporting Qingdao’s identity as a global rubber industry hub. Through its focus on digitalisation, platform-based strategies and global expansion, MESNAC continues to elevate both its own operations and the broader sector.

As head of Highway IOT, Chen Haijun has steered the firm to the forefront of the Industrial Internet revolution. The company is known for pioneering RFID intelligent tire technology and has contributed to multiple international and national standards. Its solutions are now deployed across a range of industries – from lithium battery production and logistics to rail transit – showcasing a versatile and growing impact on technological modernisation.

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India's tyre industry has warned that steep new US tariffs could severely damage the country's export momentum to its largest overseas market, as manufacturers face duties of up to 50 percent compared with lower rates for regional competitors.

The Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) stated on Wednesday that the tariff increases place Indian exporters at a significant disadvantage compared to rivals from China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia, which continue to benefit from substantially lower duties.

Under the new structure, Indian tyre exports will face tariffs of 50 percent on most categories and 25 percent on specific segments, the industry body said.

The United States accounts for 17 percent of India's tyre exports across more than 170 countries. In the financial year 2024-25, India's total tyre exports exceeded INR 250 billion for the first time, with the US market contributing over INR 43 billion.

"The Indian tyre industry has invested over INR 280 billion in recent years to expand both greenfield and brownfield capacities to meet rising domestic and global demand. Hike in US tariffs will severely constrain the ability of Indian manufacturers to sustain export momentum established in the last few years, particularly since the US is our largest export destination," said Arun Mammen, Chairman of ATMA.

The industry is already grappling with competitive pressures from inadequate government support schemes, ATMA said. The current RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products) rates for tyres stand at 1.3 per cent and 0.8 per cent under Advance Authorisation, which is well below the three per cent offered under the previous MEIS (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme).

ATMA has called for RoDTEP benefits to be increased to four percent and extended to tyre exports under Advance Authorisation. The association also seeks to raise duty drawback rates to 10 percent from the current 3.6 percent, arguing that existing rates fail to offset duties on imported raw materials ranging between 7.5 percent and 20 percent.

The sector faces additional challenges from a domestic natural rubber shortage, forcing manufacturers to import nearly 40 percent of their requirements for this critical raw material. ATMA has urged the government to permit duty-free imports equivalent to the demand-supply gap, citing recent customs duty exemptions on raw cotton imports as precedent.

"Developing an export market requires years of sustained effort and investment. While the Indian tyre industry has the resilience to explore new geographies, this is a time-consuming process. Immediate policy support will be critical to ensure that India does not lose ground in a highly competitive global market," Mammen added.

The association has also emphasised the need for enhanced research and development incentives, alongside advanced manufacturing support, to strengthen the sector's long-term global competitiveness.

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Chinese tyre manufacturer targets 3.3 million all-steel radial tyres annual capacity

Sailun Group, a global leader in tyre manufacturing, will invest USD 239 million to expand production at its newly acquired Shenyang facility, aiming for an annual output of 3.3 million all-steel radial tyres and 20,000 tonnes of off-road tyres.

The Shanghai-listed company stated that the project would be implemented through Sailun Xinheping (Shenyang) Tire Co., Ltd., which it acquired from Bridgestone Corp. earlier this year through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sailun (Shenyang) Tire Co., Ltd.

Of the total investment, USD 177 million will be allocated towards construction costs, with the remainder allocated for working capital and interest expenses during the 18-month construction period, the company stated in a regulatory filing.

To fund the expansion, Sailun Shenyang will inject up to USD 73 million into Sailun Xinheping, raising the subsidiary's registered capital from USD 174 million to a maximum of USD 246.8 million.

The project is expected to generate annual operating revenue of USD 461 million and a net profit of USD 32.4 million upon completion, representing a net profit margin of 7.02% and an investment payback period of 5.6 years, according to company projections.

Located in Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone in northeastern China's Liaoning province, the facility will target both domestic and international replacement and original equipment manufacturer markets.

"Shenyang, located in Northeast China's industrial hub and close to major automobile manufacturers, is favourable for tyre industry development," the company said in its announcement.

Sailun stated the expansion will optimise production capacity and strengthen supply capabilities. The close proximity of the Xinheping and existing Shenyang plants is expected to create operational synergies and lower costs.

The investment remains subject to approval from relevant national authorities. The company warns that changes in market conditions, the financing environment, policies, and economic outlook could affect the project timeline and targets.

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