Premium tyre manufacturer Hankook Tire’s associate brand Laufenn is celebrating 10-year milestone of the brand’s presence in Europe.

The brand started with passenger car tyres since 2015 and added commercial vehicle treads to its portfolio five years later. Laufenn today boasts market presence in over 100 countries, offering passenger car tyres in 341 sizes along with a commercial vehicle portfolio of 18 sizes. Hankook intends to boost marketing expenditures in order to raise awareness of its Laufenn brand. In addition, a new generation of passenger car treads for the summer and winter will soon be introduced. Laufenn will increase its market share and supply original equipment tyres to a European automaker in 2025, in addition to its current offering in the passenger car replacement market. Laufenn has also been an official sponsor of the UEFA Europa Conference League since the 2021/22 season, further emphasising its position in strategically important sales markets.

Laufenn first made its foray into the market with performance and touring summer tyres for passenger automobiles. The X Fit Van summer tyre for SUVs and passenger vehicles, as well as the i Fit, the first winter tyre for SUVs and passenger cars in Western and Central Europe, came next. The i Fit ICE, a studded winter tyre for passenger automobiles and SUVs, marked Laufenn's entry into the Northern and Eastern European markets over the ensuing time frame. All-season tyres are now part of the range in addition to summer and winter tyres. Laufenn unveiled the improved summer tyres S FIT EQ+ and G FIT EQ+ in 2020. Laufenn's total market share in Europe has increased fourfold since its launch.

Laufenn is also commemorating a significant milestone in the commercial vehicle tyre industry: the company has been providing truck, bus, and trailer treads throughout Europe for five years. In 2025, the 18 sizes that are now available in the commercial vehicle portfolio will be expanded to include additional sizes, beginning with the trailer tyres LF95 and LR02, which are 265/70 R19.5.

In an effort to further innovate the truck market, Laufenn is this year launching ‘Laufenn365’, a new digital platform that will make it easier to resolve unintentional damage claims for the company's commercial vehicle tyres and provide clients with additional insurance against unforeseen expenses. Initially, this platform will be available in the United Kingdom. Laufenn intends to reach further European markets with its smart product and tyre warranty. The launch of another affiliate brand, Optimo, is a recent illustration of Hankook's strategic brand growth. Optimo serves a market niche with increasing demand for passenger automobiles and enhances Hankook's sibling and premium brands.

Jongho Park, President and Chief Operating Officer, Hankook Tire Europe, said, “With our associate brand Laufenn, we offer tyres that deliver excellent value for money without compromising on safety, reliability and quality. Customers benefit from the many years of experience of the Hankook brand and get a product that meets the highest standards. This allows us to create a win-win situation in every respect.”

Jang Hyuk Moon, Vice President – Marketing Department, Hankook Tire Europe, said, “Laufenn has established itself as a strong associate brand to Hankook with a steadily expanding portfolio and growing international presence. The brand will continue to focus on quality and customer relationships in order to further build on its success.”

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TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has launched its annual Tyre Safety Month by cautioning UK motorists that confidence in their vehicles’ stopping ability may be misplaced. Research indicates that although 83 percent of drivers feel fully in control of stopping distances, merely 6 percent know the additional distance required to halt in wet conditions at motorway speeds.

The study reveals that 94 percent of drivers underestimate how sharply stopping distances grow in rain, with many erring by substantial margins. This mismatch between perceived and actual risk spans every UK region, pointing to a nationwide problem involving driver awareness and vehicle preparedness.

In response, TyreSafe advises routine tyre checks, especially before seasonal shifts and heavier rainfall. Motorists are urged to remember the ACT principle – air pressure, condition and tread depth – and to act before they react.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “Many drivers and riders believe they are in control – but that confidence is often misplaced. Stopping distances in wet conditions can be far greater than expected, and tyres play a critical role in that equation. If your tyres are not properly maintained, your ability to stop safely is significantly reduced – no matter how confident you feel behind the wheel.”

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has secured a second extension of its company reorganisation, with the Gothenburg District Court approving a further three-month period lasting until 27 November 2026. The company has been under reorganisation since 27 February 2026, when the court initially granted the process. An earlier extension had already pushed the deadline to 27 August 2026 before this latest decision.

In its ruling, the District Court noted that Enviro has submitted a draft reconstruction plan and secured the necessary financing for it. The court also found that the company has taken other required measures, leading it to conclude that exceptional grounds exist to justify continuing the reorganisation beyond the ordinary timeframe.

Enviro now plans to ask the court to order plan negotiations and schedule a plan hearing as soon as possible. At that hearing, affected parties will be placed into groups and permitted to vote on whether to adopt the reorganisation plan. Details of the hearing date and participation instructions will be announced via press release and the company's website. Unless plan negotiations are ordered earlier, a reorganisation may last at most one year, or 15 months from the initial decision in such cases.

Fredrik Aaben, CEO, Enviro, said, "The District Court's decision gives us the opportunity to continue the intensive work of completing the company reorganisation. We have taken several important steps forward and are now working purposefully to establish a strong and long-term sustainable Scandinavian Enviro Systems. The strong interest in Enviro's technology persists, both with regard to licensing and other forms of collaboration. We are firmly committed to completing the reorganisation and building a strong industrial company based on our world-leading technology.”

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Continental has launched the Conti HSR 5 EP steer tyre and Conti HDR 5 EP drive tyre, expanding its Generation 5 regional haul lineup. Engineered for regional fleet operations, both products target greater mileage, better fuel economy and longer casing life, aiming to lower fleets’ total cost of ownership.

The tyres suit routes marked by frequent stops and starts, urban and suburban travel and changing road surfaces. Their advanced tread patterns and latest compound technology seek a balance among wear performance, rolling resistance and retreadability while supporting year-round operation.

For the steer position, the Conti HSR 5 EP uses a new five-rib tread pattern and optimised footprint to improve wear and promote even treadwear. With Continental’s Generation 5 compound, it offers an estimated 22 percent mileage gain over its predecessor while keeping rolling resistance low for fuel efficiency.

The Conti HDR 5 EP drive tyre combines an open shoulder design, enhanced stone-trapping resistance and better cut-and-chip protection to preserve casing integrity and retread potential. It delivers an estimated 19 percent removal mileage improvement over its predecessor while maintaining fuel-saving rolling resistance. Both tyres are available from October 2026 in key regional haul sizes, with more sizes planned during 2027.

Shaun Uys, Vice President Marketing and Sales, Truck Tires US, said, "Regional fleets continue to face mounting pressure to improve operating efficiency while controlling costs. The new Conti HSR 5 EP and Conti HDR 5 EP were developed to help fleets go farther on every tyre investment through increased removal mileage, lower fuel consumption and enhanced casing life."

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The DUNLOP Group is restructuring its sustainability management to more closely align business strategies with sustainability initiatives, aiming to achieve sustainable corporate value growth. As part of this effort, each business division will establish a Divisional Sustainability Promotion Committee under the umbrella of the existing Sustainability Promotion Committee, which oversees company-wide efforts. This change is intended to accelerate the integration of business strategies and sustainability measures.

The newly formed divisional committees will discuss and decide on sustainability policies designed to create business opportunities and drive growth within their respective divisions. They will also monitor progress towards division-specific targets under the Long-Term Sustainability Targets, known as ‘Driving Our Future Initiatives’, and share relevant information. Progress updates will be reported to the Sustainability Promotion Committee, strengthening company-wide monitoring.

Chart of sustainability management structure

In addition, a cross-divisional Sustainable Natural Rubber (SNR) Subcommittee will be launched to manage and reduce risks and create opportunities in the natural rubber supply chain. Natural rubber is a natural capital resource on which the Group’s business significantly depends and also has significant impacts. The subcommittee will address these issues from natural capital and human rights perspectives, based on the Sustainable Natural Rubber Policy.

The SNR Subcommittee will serve as a cross-functional body that concentrates and accelerates the Group’s various SNR activities. By aligning with biodiversity and human rights initiatives and taking a mid- to long-term approach, it will pursue sustainable natural rubber through efforts such as supporting natural rubber farmers and collaborating with external partners.

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