The European tyre and rubber industry has welcomed the European Parliament’s vote on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), describing it as a step towards greater clarity in sustainability efforts.

The sector has been actively addressing the Regulation’s objectives even before its formal proposal, notably through its involvement in the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR).

“Clear timelines and practical guidance are essential for our industry to comply effectively with the EUDR,” said Adam McCarthy, Secretary General of ETRMA. “We are eager to continue working with EU policymakers to find solutions that benefit the entire supply chain.”

In light of the extended implementation timeline, the industry plans to enhance its systems to ensure compliance. Key measures include expanding the mapping of smallholder farmers to cover a broader supply base, providing them with necessary support, and refining Annex I of the Regulation to avoid any unintended impact on circular economy practices.

The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) reaffirmed its commitment to embedding sustainable practices across the natural rubber supply chain. The association also pledged to support the sector’s competitiveness while ensuring a smooth transition to meet the Regulation’s requirements.

This initiative underscores the industry’s long-term dedication to promoting sustainability while aligning with the EU’s environmental goals.

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Citira, a Sweden-based company specialising in circular tyre management, has acquired Redpath Tyres Ltd, marking its first entry into the UK commercial and agricultural tyre segment and laying the foundation for a national UK footprint. The deal follows Citira’s earlier UK market entry this year through Tyrefix Group, combining Redpath’s local knowledge and strong reputation with Citira’s circular tyre management model, which covers retreading, rim refurbishment and fleet logistics and is already established in the Nordics and Poland. This acquisition represents a significant strategic step for Citira as it seeks to expand its presence across the United Kingdom.

Redpath Tyres, which has served Scottish customers for 52 years, operates from 11 locations and employs around 90 people. It will retain its own name and team, with Graham, Neil and Catriona continuing in the business and becoming shareholders in the Citira Group. The company’s longstanding local expertise and established customer relationships are expected to support Citira’s broader growth ambitions in the region.

Oliver Johnson, Head of UK, Citira, said, "Redpath Tyres has earned a strong reputation across Scotland through its reliability, service quality and close relationships with the fleets and farming community it supports. That reputation provides an excellent foundation for the next stage of growth. Following our entry into the UK earlier this year, this acquisition represents a deliberate first step into the Commercial (TBR) market and the beginning of our ambition to build a national network.”

Graham Redpath, speaking on behalf of the Redpath family, said, "We as a family have spent 52 years building this business and wanted to find a long-term stewardship that would continue to look after our people and customers. Citira’s plans for the business, and their track record with businesses like Tyrefix, gave me the confidence that this is the right home for the team and everything we’ve built. I’m glad our family gets to stay involved and invested as shareholders in Citira as the business grows as part of a bigger group.”

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Pirelli is preparing for the FIM Grand Prix World Championship's next round at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Lombok, Indonesia, for the Grand Prix of Indonesia. The circuit's aggressively textured surface delivers strong mechanical grip, but track temperatures exceeding 60°C can render it slippery, placing tyres under severe thermal stress. These conditions make Mandalika an ideal proving ground for new solutions.

For Moto2, Pirelli will offer two soft-compound rear tyres: the standard SC0, used by nearly the entire field in 2025 as development specification E0125, and the new F0515. The latter shares the SC0's compound but pairs it with a newly developed structure for greater stability and more consistent performance. To aid evaluation, each rider's maximum rear tyre allocation rises from eight to nine.

Front options for Moto2 comprise the standard soft SC1 and medium SC2. Over the past two seasons, every rider has selected the soft tyre for the race, as it provides superior grip in high temperatures. In the entry-level class, the soft SC1 and medium SC2 are available for both front and rear, with both solutions proving competitive throughout the season. Last year's Mandalika results reinforced this: Honda's Adrian Fernandez claimed pole on SC1s front and rear, while KTM's José Antonio Rueda won both the race and the title on SC2s.

Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Motorcycle Racing Director, said, “As at several rounds this year, also in Indonesia we will continue our Moto2 development work. After focusing on front tyre specifications at the most recent Grands Prix, we will introduce a new soft rear solution at Mandalika. With its highly macro-rough asphalt and temperatures that can exceed 60°C, the circuit places the tyres under severe thermal stress, making it a particularly valuable proving ground for testing new solutions.

“The F0515 development specification, which will make its debut this weekend, uses the same compound as the standard SC0 but pairs it with a newly developed structure designed to deliver greater stability and more consistent performance. Completing the rear allocation will be the standard SC0, successfully used by almost the entire field in 2025, when it was introduced as development specification E0125. Having both solutions available will allow a direct comparison over the course of the weekend and enable us to gather valuable data to support the next stages of development.”

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Webfleet, Bridgestone's advanced fleet management solution, has expanded its partnership with Mobito, a connected vehicle data intelligence platform. The agreement positions Mobito as a commercial partner and exclusive reseller for selected Webfleet connected vehicle datasets.

Mobito aggregates and transforms vehicle data into actionable intelligence for businesses, cities, road authorities, infrastructure operators and technology providers. Through this collaboration, organisations gain easier access to data supporting applications such as transport and traffic analysis, urban planning, mapping and road condition monitoring.

Jan-Maarten de Vries, President of Fleet Management Solutions at Bridgestone, with George Cambanis, CEO and Co-Founder of Mobito

The shared datasets are aggregated and anonymised in compliance with applicable data protection laws. Governance measures protect privacy and prevent identification of individual drivers, vehicles or fleet customers. Existing Webfleet Data Solutions customers will experience uninterrupted service, with Webfleet continuing to provide underlying datasets and support delivery while account management transitions progressively to Mobito.

Jan-Maarten de Vries, President – Fleet Management Solutions, Bridgestone, said, “Connected vehicle data has the potential to provide valuable insights beyond the individual fleet, helping organisations better understand how transport networks are being used. Mobito brings specialist expertise in applying mobility data to real-world challenges, helping organisations make more informed mobility decisions.”

George Cambanis, CEO and Co-Founder, Mobito, said, “Through this expanded relationship, we can leverage the high-quality data from Webfleet across a growing range of enterprise and public-sector location intelligence applications. Our ambition is not only to make the data more accessible but to embed it more deeply into customer workflows and combine it with other mobility datasets. This way we can generate new intelligence around areas such as EV performance, road safety and strategic delivery corridors.”

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JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. has been conferred the Mahatma Award for Community Initiatives 2026, recognising its sustained community development and social welfare efforts. This marks the fourth consecutive year the company has received the honour, reaffirming its commitment to creating meaningful, sustainable impact across communities.

B S Dagar, Vice President of IR, EHS and CSR at JK Tyre, received the award at a distinguished ceremony. The event was graced by prominent dignitaries, including Rajya Sabha member Dr Santrupt Mishra, Konkan Railways CMD Santosh Kumar Jha and Amit Sachdeva, known as the CSR Man of India, who presented the award.

The company's CSR programmes primarily target communities surrounding its manufacturing locations, addressing local needs while enabling long-term socio-economic development. Under its Sarthi initiatives, JK Tyre runs programmes spanning livelihood, education, healthcare, water conservation and rural development. During FY2025-26, these efforts benefited over 130,000 people, bringing their cumulative reach beyond 1.5 million lives. Specific interventions include Shiksha Sarthi for education, Arogya Sarthi for healthcare, Ajivika Sarthi for sustainable livelihoods through skill development, Jal-Vayu Sarthi for water conservation and environmental priorities and Vikas Sarthi for rural development.

Founded in 2021, the Mahatma Award recognises organisations, leaders and changemakers driving meaningful social impact towards a more sustainable and equitable future. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's legacy and values, it celebrates exemplary efforts creating positive change across communities and society. Instituted by the Mahatma Foundation with the Aditya Birla Group and Liveweek Group, the award honours impactful and responsible initiatives across the private, public and development sectors.

Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries, said, “At JK Tyre, our commitment to the communities we operate in is an integral part of our journey towards responsible and sustainable growth. Receiving the Mahatma Award for the fourth consecutive year is a matter of great pride and reinforces our belief in creating impact that is meaningful, inclusive and enduring. This recognition belongs to our CSR teams, implementation partners and the communities who have been an integral part of these initiatives. We remain committed to deepening our efforts and contributing towards building stronger and more empowered communities.”

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