Goodyear Tire & Rubber agreed to sell its Dunlop tyre brand rights in Europe, North America and Oceania to Sumitomo Rubber Industries for USD 701 million as part of its transformation strategy.

The Akron, Ohio-based company said in a statement that the deal includes USD 526 million for the brand and intellectual property, USD 105 million in transition fees, and about USD 70 million for inventory. Subject to regulatory approval, the transaction is expected to close by mid-2025.

Goodyear will continue manufacturing and selling Dunlop consumer tyres in Europe through at least December 2025 under a licensing agreement. Following this, the company will supply Sumitomo with 4.5 million tyres annually for five years under an offtake agreement.

The tyremaker will retain rights to use the Dunlop trademark for commercial lorry tyres in Europe and motorcycle tyres in Europe and Oceania. In 2023, Dunlop generated USD 755 million in total sales, with USD 532 million from consumer tyres, USD 201 million from commercial tyres, and USD 22 million from other speciality products.

"This is another important milestone as we continue to execute against our Goodyear Forward transformation plan. We are optimising our portfolio and reducing leverage to drive sustainable and substantial shareholder value creation," said Mark Stewart, Goodyear Chief Executive Officer and President. "Not only does the transaction deliver significant value for our shareholders, it better positions Goodyear to enhance our focus on the growth of our core brands."

The company expects no material impact on operating income through the transition period. After that, segment operating income may decrease by approximately USD 65 million annually during the offtake agreement term before any mitigating actions.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is serving as lead financial adviser, with Barclays Plc as financial adviser and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP as legal counsel.

Goodyear employs about 71,000 people and operates 54 manufacturing facilities across 21 countries.

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Bridgestone India has joined hands with Sagest (Society for Environment and Agricultural Sustainability) to launch the Nutritional Fruit Orchard Project in Sulawad Village, Madhya Pradesh. This women-led project improves nutrition, fosters livelihood possibilities and supports environmental sustainability. With the help of Bridgestone staff and locals, the orchard, which spans four acres, is home to more than 1,300 fruit trees of more than 15 species. It is grown using sustainable practices.

With a 96 percent survival rate in its first year, the project has enabled women to run a nursery with 1,000 saplings and turn garden waste into organic compost and insecticides, encouraging environmentally responsible farming and generating extra revenue. The ladies who are in charge of the orchard will have a reliable source of income once it is completely developed. By assisting households in growing 251 kitchen gardens, the programme also improves nutrition in Sulawad by guaranteeing that locals have access to fresh, homegrown produce. Frequent training sessions have improved environmental consciousness and community ownership.

This unique project demonstrates multi-stakeholder collaboration – Bridgestone and Sagest lead implementation, the local panchayat provided land, women manage daily operations and a nearby government school assists. By combining environmental conservation, rural development and women’s empowerment, the initiative serves as a replicable model for sustainable corporate-community partnerships.

Hiroshi Yoshizane, Managing Director, Bridgestone India, said, “True sustainability goes beyond business – it’s about empowering communities and protecting the planet. This project shows how women-led, community-driven action can create long-term impact on nutrition, livelihoods and the environment. It’s not just about planting trees; it’s about planting hope, resilience and a better future. This initiative beautifully demonstrates how community-driven, women-led environmental action can improve nutrition, generate income and protect the planet – all at the same time.”

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JK Tyre & Industries, one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the country, has announced the appointment of Sylvain Sagot as Director – Quality.

Sagot comes with over three decades of experience in quality assurance, process excellence and operational leadership in the automotive and tyre industry. A French national, he began his career as a Quality Engineer at Michelin Netherlands in 1991.

In 2004, he worked with Renault as a Supplier Development Consultant and went on to grow to the ranks of Supplier Performance Manager for the Renault Nissan Alliance. He also worked with Alstom and Gajah Tunggal, one of the biggest tyre manufacturers in Southeast Asia as QA General Manager & TBR Plant Head in Indonesia for over three years.

Sagot in his last role was the International Truck Trailer Quality & Product Safety Director at Carrier, where he spent over a decade.

JK Tyre & Industries believes that Sagot with deep expertise in supplier development, quality management systems, product safety, and OEM partnerships in large-scale manufacturing environments, will further strengthen its global operations.

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  - Jitendra Pancholi July 04, 2025 19:47 PM

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Nynas, with its strong commitment to innovation and product sustainability, recently commissioned an independent study to evaluate the environmental impact of its products across four key application areas: transformer oils, lubricating greases, tyres and bitumen binders. Conducted by Future Earth Analytics, LLC, the research revealed that many Nynas products deliver significant sustainability advantages, often surpassing industry performance benchmarks.

The study highlighted several environmental benefits across different applications. In transformer oils, certain Nynas products improve cooling efficiency and energy transmission, reducing energy losses during operation. For tyres, specific Nynas tyre oils contribute to lower rolling resistance, which helps decrease fuel consumption in vehicles. In lubricating greases, the use of naphthenic base oils reduces reliance on lithium – a resource-intensive material – while also cutting energy consumption during production. Additionally, Nynas’ strategic location near bitumen customers minimises transportation distances, thereby lowering associated emissions.

The findings underscore a substantial environmental impact: had customers opted for alternative products instead of Nynas’ offerings in 2023, an additional 740,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions would have been generated. This saving is equivalent to avoiding the consumption of five million barrels of oil.

To assess these benefits, researchers employed a dual analytical framework combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Net Energy Analysis (NEA). This approach allowed for a detailed comparison of energy savings and emissions reductions across different lifecycle phases, such as cradle-to-gate and use-phase impacts. By focusing on stages where variations occur, the study provided a quantitative evaluation of how choosing Nynas products can lead to measurable energy and emissions savings compared to market alternatives. The results reinforce Nynas’ leadership in delivering sustainable solutions that support a lower-carbon future. 

Marika Rangstedt, Sustainability Manager, said, “The beneficial effects are true not only for our recent circular or renewable products, but also for many of our traditional products. We are leading the way in sustainability and setting new standards for product related environmental responsibility within our industry.”

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Westlake Performance Tyres, a brand of ZC Rubber, has teamed up with German motorsport team Red Bull Driftbrothers as the new official supplier and tyre partner. The company will supply its Westlake Sport RS tyres for the team’s two 1,000 hp BMW M4s.

Munich marketing agency die agentour was the driving force behind the collaboration. The Red Bull Driftbrothers and ZC Rubber have a long-term cooperation that benefits both parties in many ways. Giving the team tyres will help with technical advancements based on driver Elias Hountondji's input, among other things. The collaboration will also help ZC Rubber spread the word about the Westlake brand throughout the European market. Demonstrating the products' and technologies' performance and quality in harsh environments is also a clear signal to the European OEM and replacement market.

This year's ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring marked the debut of the new collaboration. The Red Bull Driftbrothers created a stir among the record-breaking audience when they performed a display drift in their recently tyred BMW vehicles during the pre-race of the renowned race. The Westlake Sport RS tires were especially taxed by the high track temperatures.

Henry Shen, Deputy General Manager, Zhongce Rubber Group (ZC Rubber), said, “We’re proud to be the tyre partner of Red Bull Driftbrothers. Their trust in WESTLAKE, especially the performance of our SPORT RS on the demanding drift circuit, is a powerful endorsement. This partnership is built on a shared drive to push boundaries, and we’re excited to support their passion with our technology on the global stage.”

Elias Hountondji, driver and engineer of Red Bull Driftbrothers, said, “We are very excited about the partnership with Westlake Performance Tyres and ZC Rubber. Tyres are crucial for our sport. They have to withstand extreme abuse while providing a consistently high level of grip right to the end. The Westlake Sport RS is the perfect choice for this. It is extremely stable across the entire temperature range and the entire tread depth. Even with a very low tread pattern, you still have complete confidence as a driver.”

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