Sinochem subsidiary Guilin Lanyu Aviation Tyre Co., Ltd. has obtained China Civil Aviation Technical Standards Approval (CTSOA) for its domestically produced large aircraft radial tyres, marking a significant breakthrough for China’s aviation industry.

The approval, issued recently by the Central and Southern Regional Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, covers both main and front tyres designed specifically for China’s C919 aircraft programme.

This development represents the first time domestic civil aviation radial tyres will be equipped on Chinese-manufactured large passenger aircraft, signalling China’s growing self-reliance in critical aviation components.

The tyres feature advanced specifications, including a rated speed of 235 miles per hour and an overspeed landing capability of 250 miles per hour. They also incorporate a corrugated anti-puncture structure to enhance safety during flight operations.

Industry analysts note the remarkably swift certification process, with Guilin Lanyu securing the airworthiness certification just six months after project initiation. This demonstrates the rapid advancement of China’s civil aviation manufacturing capabilities.

Leading tyre manufacturer JK Tyre & Industries Ltd launched its ‘JK Tyre Steel Wheels’ in Farrukhnagar, Haryana, as part of its targeted expansion into rural India, focusing on places with a population of 100,000 or less.

The centre displays the whole line of JK Tyre products across all segments and is intended to serve as a one-stop shop for all tyre-related requirements. Best-in-market prices, industry-leading warranties and value-added services like wheel balance and tyre replacement are all available to customers. Notably, the business also provides non-truck tyres with a fast claim service. This retail growth is in line with JK Tyre's strategy goal of enhancing its last-mile presence and meeting the rapidly increasing demand in India's rural and semi-urban areas.

Over the following three months, the rural expansion initiative will be implemented in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana. Later this year, the programme will be expanded with a national rollout. Through strategic partnerships, JK Tyre is enabling local businesses to oversee and expand these centres in their areas as part of the rollout. These partnerships provide prospective entrepreneurs a chance to connect with JK Tyre's wide nationwide distribution network, encouraging independence, generating jobs locally and stimulating economic progress at the local level.

Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., said, "Our Rural expansion programme will help us to reach the interiors of the real Bharat that are economically vibrant but often under-served. We are not just building retail points; we are also enabling entrepreneurship and access. These centres will offer our full range of tyres and will act as vital touchpoints for our brand, delivering consistency, convenience and confidence to a fast-rising consumer base across India’s heartland.”

German tyre major Continental will shut down its tyre manufacturing plant in Alor Setar, Malaysia, by the end of 2025, affecting 950 workers.

The facility, which produces passenger cars, light truck tyres for the Asia Pacific market, and motorcycle tyres, has been operational since December 1979 and became a fully owned Continental subsidiary in May 2012.

Continental said the closure followed a comprehensive business review to safeguard its competitiveness in the Asia Pacific region. The company plans to optimise its product portfolio and manufacturing footprint in response to changing customer demand.

Despite the closure, the German tyre maker emphasised that Malaysia remains a key market in its Asia Pacific operations.

Continental will support affected employees, including career counselling, and help them find potential employment opportunities both within and outside the company, according to the statement.

The 133,000-square-metre manufacturing site is one of six Continental tyre plants in the Asia Pacific region. The company will continue to operate facilities in Hefei, China; Rayong, Thailand; Modipuram, India; Kalutara, Sri Lanka; and Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

NEXEN TIRE, the global tyre manufacturer, has reported exceptional financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, with revenues climbing to KRW 771.2 billion and operating profit reaching KRW 40.7 billion. The results represent a 13.7 percent year-on-year increase, setting a new quarterly record for the company and surpassing market expectations.

The South Korean tyre maker's strong showing comes despite ongoing industry challenges, with the company leveraging expanded production capacity and a focus on premium products to drive growth. The Czech plant's phase 2 expansion has significantly boosted output volumes, while increasing demand for larger 18-inch and above tyres has enhanced profit margins.

European operations emerged as the standout performer, generating KRW 316.5 billion in revenue—approximately 41 percent of NEXEN's global sales. The region has benefited from stable replacement tyre demand since late last year, with particular strength in seasonal products including winter and all-weather offerings.

"Despite continued exchange rate swings and uncertainties surrounding tariff policies, our long-term efforts in capacity expansion and brand building are now bearing fruit, allowing us to continue growing," said Travis Kang, Global CEO of NEXEN TIRE.

NEXEN's strategic supply of original equipment tyres to premium European automakers since 2016 has enhanced brand recognition, driving subsequent replacement tyre sales. Meanwhile, normalising freight rates have returned to comparable levels with the same quarter last year, helping reduce the company's freight-to-sales ratio despite persistently high raw material costs.

Looking ahead, the company plans to implement region-specific strategies to navigate economic volatility. In Europe, growth will centre around increased volume and expanded capacity, while the US operation will adopt flexible approaches to counter tariff measures. The Asia-Pacific region, particularly Japan and Australia, will see customer diversification efforts and enhanced local distribution.

NEXEN is also advancing a unified product strategy for both electric and conventional internal combustion vehicles, utilising artificial intelligence and virtual reality in its development processes. Recent in-house testing has validated the superior performance of its tyres across critical metrics including braking, noise reduction and ride comfort.

Kang added, "We will continue to strengthen our worldwide competitiveness by developing customer-focused product strategies and region-specific techniques."

CEAT, the RPG Group's flagship tyre manufacturer, reported a 14.3 percent year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue to INR 34.21 billion for the fourth quarter ended 31 March  2025. The company recorded a net profit of INR 987 million with an EBITDA margin of 11.5 percent.

On a standalone basis, the company's revenue stood at INR 34.14 billion, up 14.6 percent year-on-year, with an EBITDA margin of 11.6 percent and net profit of INR 1.004 billion.

"It was a very satisfying top line performance for the quarter and overall, for the year as we managed to deliver a double-digit growth across all key categories and business verticals. We crossed an important milestone of crossing INR 130 billion of revenue during the year," said Arnab Banerjee, MD & CEO of CEAT . "The Replacement segment delivered strong growth consistently during the year and OEM business delivered strong performance in Q4. We managed to deliver improvement in margins in Q4 versus Q3. We look forward to integrating the CAMSO compact construction business with CEAT in the current year."

The company's operating margins improved by over 120 basis points in the fourth quarter, largely driven by favorable revenue mix and cost control measures.

"Our operating margins improved in Q4 by over 120 bps, largely driven by favourable revenue mix and result of strong cost controls across the value chain," said Kumar Subbiah, CFO of CEAT Limited. "We incurred capex of INR 9.46 billion during the year largely in capacity additions that would prepare us well to deliver our growth plans in FY 26. During the quarter, we incurred INR 370 million towards voluntary separation of employees in one of our high-cost factories as part of our continuous effort to keep our manufacturing units cost competitive."