The global tyre industry has evolved on all fronts.  Tyre manufacturers faced a constant trade-off between meeting productivity goals and increased requirements from the customers and new regulations. Hauvala and his colleagues realised that tyre manufacturers could no longer do everything by themselves in the changing market environment: to design tyres, tyre factories and manufacturing processes in a way that would support the new demands for efficiency. Instead, they should be able to concentrate on their core business. “We had a great vision with true market potential, plus an attractive option to reform the tyre industry,” said Hauvala.

‘We’, that is a key founding team of twelve tyre technology professionals. Hauvala uses the plural form throughout the interview, pinpointing the obvious fact that you cannot change the industry alone. “It is all about ‘collaboration’,” Hauvala stresses.

In 2011, the tyre industry, well known for its strict conventions, was however not ready and waiting for a changemaker. It took long before tyre manufacturers accepted the new service concept and realized its potential business value. “It was the depth of our expertise that convinced the first customers. The fact that we knew the tyre industry from inside out and could provide the whole package under one roof,” Hauvala says

Today, Black Donuts is an established and recognised technology house providing innovative solutions for tyre manufacturers. The concept of turnkey solutions has remained as the company’s key strategic principle. Elaborating the solultion provided by Black Donuts, Hauvala, said, “We are a full-service technology house providing the entyre solutions for designing, building, and running a smart and sustainable tyre plant with maximized productivity and best-in-class products.”

The company’s customer portfolio includes 20 out of the top 25 tyre manufacturers, which a glaring sign of competence and an option to reform the industry. “You need references to be convincing. And you need a network of partners sharing your vision of a brighter future for making it happen,” Hauvala says.

Changes And Challenges In Tyre Production

In last ten years, according to Hauvala, tyre manufacturing has witnessed the diverse challenges, including complex product mixes, shorter product runs, and the pressure for faster deliveries – a myriad of different demands affecting day-to-day factory operation. “ Things are changing at an accelerating pace, and there are no signs of slowing down. From the tyre manufacturers’ perspective, the operational environment has become complicated,” thinks the Black Donuts CEO.

Focusing on core competencies is a clear industry trend. Other operations outside manufacturing high-end products are increasingly being outsourced – aligned with Black Donuts’ original business idea.

Nevertheless, all players regardless of their area of specialization benefit from partnering with a company that understands the entire sector. In the era of ever-tightening cost and efficiency targets, choosing a partner to lead and actualize major investment projects, such as setting up a new factory, has become a mainstream option. “Tyre manufacturers desire a proven and effortless end-to-end service, provided by professionals, whose core competence is to plan and manage investment projects,” he says.

Assuming total responsibility for the production design, ramp-up, and material handling, Black Donuts controls that every detail in the production aligns with the customer’s goals. A shortened payback time creates concrete extra value for the customer. Hauvala says, “Our finetuned processes and advanced technology tools enable a smooth ramp-up. The reduced time-to-market generates faster and greater ROI.”

The rise of automation is another key trend in the tyre manufacturing. Black Donuts helps tyre manufacturers improve productivity and take the required technology leaps towards smart factory efficiency. The company has developed its own MES concept that gives multiple benefits for tyre manufacturers, such as improved insight and the potential for full traceability of tyres in production. The new plant concept also enables a remarkable decrease in stock levels and factory manning. “ In our latest factory design plans, the required manning is only half of the level in the first plans ten years ago,” tells Hauvala.

Also, the end-customer demands are higher now than a decade ago, forcing tyre manufacturers to rethink their business models to live up to the growing expectations.  In the concept of Black Donuts, the manufacturing process is optimized, flexible and efficient despite the increased number of simultaneous products and sizes in production. “With us, the manufacturing process gets new flexibility that enables shorter delivery times,” Hauvala promises.

The Rise Of New Brands

During the past decade, the tyre industry has witnessed a geographic change. The number of brands in the market is growing, just like in any other industry offering low-involvement consumer products. Established international brands get new challengers from local manufacturers offering good quality for moderate prices. “ The interest in tyre production raises its head particularly in the countries of fast economic growth with own raw material sources,” says Hauvala.

Black Donuts has developed a tailored turnkey service for the industry newcomers. It covers the entire solution from A to Z for designing, building and running a tyre plant. “We step in on day one and work hands-on with the customer throughout the process from feasibility study to the market entry. Or beyond, keeping the production and products always in the frontline of tyre technology,” explains Hauvala.

Today, Black Donuts is a genuinely international company with customers on almost every continent except Australia, where there is no domestic tyre manufacturing. “ We don’t have any borders in our minds, but the whole world is our market area. We are fully open to all directions,” says Hauvala.

Quality Leap In Tyre Development

According to Hauvala, a quality leap is the single biggest change in tyre development, driven by a continuing high-performance trend and technological advances. “ The quality of tyres is remarkably higher today,” adds Hauvala.

Black Donuts’ customers get access to the latest technology, the smartest innovations, and the most advanced materials. All the best-in-class product qualities, such as superior performance, lowest rolling resistance and a quiet ride, are at hand. Within the past ten years, the debate about tyre qualities has increasingly shifted to the total environmental impact of the tyre. Parallel to tightening regulations on emissions and rolling resistance, tyre manufacturers are being pushed to enhance the use of biomaterials in tyre compounds and to minimize waste.

“The tyre industry has made remarkable progress in reducing waste, yet compared to many other industries, the use of biomaterials is still in its infancy,” Hauvala admits. He anticipates new regulations to emerge concerning the recyclability of tyres.

In-Built Sustainability

Improvements in tyre manufacturing and development have accelerated over the last decade, spurred by the sharpened focus on environmental issues. The demands for sustainability now concern the entire industry from products to production.

At Black Donuts, sustainability is a strategic driver. The company not only contributes to sustainability in its own operations but also supports its customers and partners in the move. “The ideas of circular economy are inherent in our business philosophy. All our solutions focus on manufacturing excellence and resource efficiency, optimizing biomaterial use, minimizing emissions and maximizing recyclability,” says Hauvala.

Enjoying a comprehensive view of the tyre industry, Black Donuts has a great opportunity to improve overall branch sustainability. The company runs several major investment projects that aim at making the tyre industry greener – one tyre at a time, like Hauvala says.  “All our most important development projects support a more sustainable tyre industry.”

Recently, the company developed a new stud concept that remarkably reduces the negative side effects of safe winter driving. The new, patented technology tackles the environmental challenges of studs, such as road wear, pollution, and noise. Revealing a bit of the company’s future aspirations, Hauvala reports that Black Donuts is also developing a high-end winter tyre for electric cars, doing research in biomaterials, and investigating the usability of recovered carbon black received from an integrated pyrolysis solution. “We are getting closer to zero-emission factories, although it will require dedication, engagement, and collaboration,” Hauvala concludes.

Future-Proofing The Industry

Today, Black Donuts employs over 60 professionals with skills that cover all areas of tyre manufacture and tyre technology. During the 10-year journey, the company has grown, reinforced its skills and recruited new talents from areas outside its original core competences. Hauvala praises the employees for making it possible to celebrate such a significant milestone. “Our team is exceptional. We have great people from diverse backgrounds, working together for a common goal and inspiring each other to make a difference,” says Hauvala proudly.

Although the company has rapidly grown, it has managed to preserve the flexible and agile corporate culture from the early days. In a recent employee survey, team spirit was named as the strongest motivator. “Team spirit is our internal source of power and a strong pillar supporting the whole business.”

According to Hauvala, every team member at Black Donuts shares the same value-adding commitment and passion to help customers and to make the tyre industry an exemplary branch that considers the generations to come. He encourages all players in the industry to prepare for the future, starting today. “ We know the best practices, future challenges, and opportunities in the tyre industry. For us, it is quite simple to evaluate if a tyre business is future-proof or not. Is yours?” (TT)

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Cooper Tires is strategically reinforcing its all-season tyre portfolio across passenger cars, sport utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles to meet the growing demand for versatile, year-round driving solutions. This expansion addresses the practical needs of drivers who encounter fluctuating road and weather conditions throughout the year.

Leveraging over a century of tyre manufacturing expertise, the company has broadened its all-season range to deliver reliable, balanced performance and durability tailored for real-world driving across the EMEA region. The enhanced product line now achieves an 89 percent market coverage rate for key European vehicles, ensuring a wide array of suitable options for customers.

The comprehensive portfolio includes the Cooper All-Season for cars and SUVs and the Cooper All-Season Van for light trucks. Both ranges carry the 3PMSF symbol, signifying certified winter capability. The passenger car and SUV line incorporates 3D blading technology for effective braking, an optimised footprint for even wear and extended tread life and a robust carcass for stable handling. This range comprises 84 SKUs, spanning sizes from 14 to 20 inches, and is engineered to be electric vehicle ready.

Specifically developed for commercial use, the Cooper All-Season Van emphasises strength, high mileage and reliability for daily fleet operations. Its deep treads and high-density siping enhance all-season braking, while a reinforced casing supports heavy payloads and demanding work environments. This van-specific line includes 18 SKUs, covering 15- to 17-inch diameters, and is also EV-ready. This strategic investment underscores Cooper Tires’ commitment to delivering its characteristic toughness and straightforward dependability through a versatile all-season offering in the region.

Ben Glesener, Senior Technology Director Product Development Consumer EMEA, said, “Cooper is focused on doing what really matters for drivers – delivering dependable tyres with strong coverage, proven performance and real‑world durability. Backed by more than 100 years of heritage and a renewed investment in product and brand across Europe, our all‑season portfolio is designed to give customers confidence all year round, whatever the road or the season.”

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Goodyear executed its largest-ever endurance operation at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a feat defined by 188,747 kilometres driven, 377.5 million wheel revolutions, and 44 cars competing across the LMGT3 and LMP2 classes. The Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres delivered relentless performance, supported by over 120 experts and a stock of 8,000 tyres that sustained racing throughout the entire week.

The tyres' exceptional consistency allowed teams to extend stint lengths significantly, saving precious time during pit stops. Most LMGT3 squads completed four stints, or forty laps, before changing rubber, while LMP2 entries routinely managed five. One LMP2 team notably kept a single set for 56 laps, covering 761 kilometres, a distance comparable to travelling from Le Mans to Monaco.

Pace did not diminish despite the high mileage, with the fastest LMGT3 car posting a 100-lap average 1.2 seconds quicker per lap than the previous year, marking the fastest Le Mans of the LMGT3 era. Goodyear’s off-track presence was equally robust, featuring the Goodyear Blimp, a new grandstand, a popular fan activation, a museum collaboration and the introduction of the Goodyear Passerelle.

Ahead of the race, Goodyear reaffirmed its commitment to LMGT3 through a joint announcement with the FIA and ACO, extending its exclusive supply into a fourth season in 2027 with a new tyre composed of 66 percent sustainable materials. The WEC now moves to the 6 Hours of São Paulo on 12 July, though many Le Mans teams will first compete at the European Le Mans Series’ 4 Hours of Imola on 5 July.

Stephen Bickley, Goodyear Endurance Program Manager, said, “When you look at the distances covered without compromising on pace, it underlines the consistency and reliability of our Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres throughout one of the toughest races in the world. It was a special Le Mans for us, felt through our fan activation, partnership renewal and icons old and new at – and above – the circuit.”

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Tegeta Green Planet recently conducted an educational workshop at AlterBridge University, focusing on sustainable development, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Extended Producer Responsibility system. The session provided students with essential knowledge regarding proper waste management and the environmental consequences of daily consumer choices.

Organised in partnership with Shine Energy, the event featured an interactive format that included a discussion segment, an engaging game and a concluding ceremony to recognise the workshop's top performers. This collaborative effort aimed to make the learning process both informative and participatory.

As a pioneering entity in Georgia, Tegeta Green Planet holds official authorisation from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the EPR framework. The organisation is actively involved in the circular economy by managing the collection, transport and recycling of used tyres, oils and batteries.

Throughout the workshop, students posed inquiries to industry experts and explored how personal actions influence ecological well-being. Attendees received symbolic gifts and certificates for their participation. This initiative is part of a broader educational campaign by the organisation to visit universities and schools throughout Georgia, with the ultimate goal of fostering environmentally conscious citizenship among the youth.

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The Tire Industry Project (TIP) has initiated a pilot study in collaboration with the Greater Paris Sanitation Authority (SIAAP) and the sustainability consultancy ERM to assess the potential of wastewater treatment plants to remove tyre and road wear particles. The research is being conducted at the Valenton wastewater treatment facility near Paris, which ranks as Europe’s second-largest plant and features advanced treatment technologies representative of modern municipal systems. This investigation is scheduled to continue through 2026.

In numerous urban centres globally, stormwater and road runoff are channelled into wastewater systems prior to being discharged into natural waterways. A clearer understanding of how effectively these treatment processes capture TRWP could guide the broader adoption of optimised wastewater management practices. Currently, systematic data quantifying the removal of these particles within treatment plants remains scarce, and this project aims to generate comprehensive, end-to-end evidence to bridge that knowledge deficit.

The study represents TIP’s first real-world application of a priority mitigation strategy identified in its white paper on addressing tire and road wear particles. Over the coming months, researchers will collect and analyse samples from key stages of the Valenton plant’s treatment cycle using advanced pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The findings are expected to estimate the total removal efficiency across the entire process and will be submitted to a scientific journal, with publication anticipated in early 2027.

The scientific understanding of TRWP is complicated by a lack of standardised methodologies, the variable nature of the particles and their transformation products, and the diverse environmental pathways they traverse. In response, TIP and its member companies have committed to advancing research on quantification, characterisation, environmental migration and potential impacts while collaborating with value-chain stakeholders to support science-based interventions. A 2024 TIP publication reviewed over 50 mitigation measures and prioritised nine based on upstream and downstream potential, employing a prevention, containment and removal framework.

That review also concluded that no single measure has been proven effective specifically for TRWP and that on-ground validation is essential. Moreover, the paper stressed that no universal solution exists, requiring coordinated, large-scale implementation across multiple actors, including the tyre, road construction and automotive sectors, as well as municipal authorities, academia and other public and private entities. The Valenton pilot thus marks TIP’s inaugural effort to test wastewater management’s real-world efficacy, uniting diverse stakeholders from both the public and private sectors in this critical research.

Larisa Kryachkova, Executive Director, TIP, said, “This pilot is an important step in going beyond understanding the subject in the laboratory to field-based evidence. We expect to identify best practices that can be applied far beyond this project, supporting TIP’s ambition to support science-based mitigation.”

Sabrina Guérin, Head of Innovation Department, SIAAP, said, “As the public authority responsible for wastewater treatment in the Paris region, SIAAP is committed to emerging science that protects waterways. By taking part in this TIP study, we will gain an early, science-based view of TRWP movement in solid waste. The findings can help inform and accompany future treatment planning and readiness for upcoming regulatory requirements.”

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