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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Shalva Akhvlediani, Director of Tegeta Green Planet, took part in a training course titled ‘Circular Economy and Sustainable Business Models’, organised by the UN Global Compact Network Georgia on 17 September. He presented his organisation’s practical experience in applying circular economy principles and sustainable business models to the participants.

Tegeta Green Planet serves as Tegeta Holding’s environmental arm and operates as an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) organisation in Georgia. It focuses on collecting and recycling specific waste streams, including used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries. Its work is grounded in circular economy principles, aiming to improve waste management, convert waste into resources and lessen environmental harm.

The UN Global Compact Network Georgia delivered a 10-hour training course across 16 and 17 September, designed to give businesses practical knowledge about circular economy principles and sustainable business models. Participants explored core circular economy concepts, ways to integrate them into business operations, modern waste management approaches, circular business models and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for products and materials. Giorgi Berechikidze, Environmental Manager at the UN Global Compact Network Georgia, led sessions on these main topics, offering practical approaches to circular economy, waste management and LCA.

International perspectives were provided online by Anders Ladefoged, a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and representative of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP), who discussed European circular economy standards, and Dr Silke Megelski, a circular economy advisor at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), who presented the Circular City Lab approach and deposit return system pilot experiences in Georgia. The course concluded with certificates for participants, supporting the spread of practical knowledge and resource-efficient, sustainable, circular business models.

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Dr Gerard Nijman of KraussMaffei Extrusion has been honoured with the 2026 Fernley H. Banbury Award, a prestigious international accolade bestowed by the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The award, which annually celebrates exceptional scientific and technological advances in rubber processing, was formally presented on 28 September at the Global Polymer Summit in Louisville, Kentucky, US.

Dr Nijman's career has been marked by groundbreaking contributions to rubber rheology, mixing and multiplex extrusion technologies, along with silica compound processing for the tyre sector. During the 1990s at Vredestein, he pioneered novel mixing methods and multiplex extrusion for tyre manufacturing. His work on silica compound processes provided a foundation for innovations such as Michelin's ‘Green Tyre’, while his rheology-based designs for extruder screws and flow channels established enduring industry standards.

The recognition reflects not only these specific technical achievements but also his distinguished career and lasting influence on rubber processing, having successfully bridged the divide between scientific research and industrial application throughout his professional life.

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Goodyear has unveiled its 2026 UltraGrip winter tyre portfolio for Europe and the broader EMEA region, targeting drivers who face cold temperatures, snow, ice and slush. The lineup comprises three products tailored to different vehicles, climates and driving requirements: UltraGrip Performance 3, UltraGrip Ice 3 and UltraGrip Arctic 2. The 2026 range builds on the existing product family through added sizes and SKUs, widening vehicle fitment coverage across the region, while also introducing an update to the UltraGrip Arctic 2.

Collectively, the range addresses everyday winter driving as well as severe icy and harsh winter conditions. Every tyre features winter-specific tread designs, rubber compounds and construction technologies engineered to support grip, braking and stability in cold-weather environments. The portfolio is available through authorised Goodyear retailers and partners across EMEA, subject to regional specifications and stock availability.

The portfolio is organised into three categories. Winter standard tyres, intended for variable winter conditions, deliver strong snow and wet-road performance while retaining dry-road control, suiting regions where temperatures frequently fall below 7°C and drivers regularly meet rain, snow, slush and ice. Goodyear expanded the UltraGrip Performance 3 with 66 new coverage SKUs, bringing that range to 344 SKUs and providing the widest coverage available through a single winter tyre tread pattern. Winter ice tyres focus on ice and snow performance in demanding conditions while remaining capable on wet and dry cold-temperature roads, aimed at regions with harsh winters and temperatures frequently below 0°C; the UltraGrip Ice 3 gains 18 new SKUs for a total of 130.

Winter studded tyres emphasise ice performance and control on snow-covered roads for Nordic and other extreme winter regions. As Nordic winter tyre regulations evolve, Goodyear enhanced the UltraGrip Arctic 2 to meet the latest Traficom A+ requirement applying to all newly produced studded passenger car tyres from 1 January 2027. That range now comprises 122 SKUs, including seven additional SKUs added in 2026.

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TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has added Fortix to its roster of Commercial Partners, strengthening its long-running efforts to promote safer tyres and wheels throughout the automotive and road transport industries.

Fortix, a Crane Electronics brand, contributes specialist knowledge in torque management built on over 50 years of engineering heritage. Both organisations share a commitment to educating the industry on why the correct torque must be applied when wheels are swapped and why fasteners require proper tightening afterwards.

Wheel installation plays a critical role in keeping vehicles safe, making adherence to manufacturer-specified torque values essential whenever a wheel is taken off and put back on. The tie-up also coincides with the start of October's National Tyre Safety Month, the yearly campaign stressing that well-maintained tyres are fundamental to safety on the roads. During this year's push, Fortix will emphasise torque literacy and the consequences of getting it wrong for a vehicle's safety and performance.

Fortix manufactures digital torque equipment for the aftermarket, serving roadside recovery, fleet servicing and bus depot operations, among others. Its product line features the AMWrench digital torque wrench and the Fortix Tool Connect Bluetooth app, which logs torque readings as they happen. Through the partnership, Fortix will feed its torque management know-how into TyreSafe's broader wheel safety programme, with joint educational and awareness initiatives planned to deepen understanding of safe wheel fitting and correct torque application.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “We are delighted to welcome Fortix as a TyreSafe Commercial Partner. Their longstanding expertise in torque management complements TyreSafe’s work to promote safer tyre and wheel practices. When a tyre or wheel is replaced, there are a number of important considerations beyond the tyre itself. Ensuring that wheels are correctly fitted and that wheel nuts are tightened to the appropriate torque is an important part of the process. This partnership provides a valuable opportunity to raise awareness of that message and share practical information with those involved in maintaining and servicing vehicles. We look forward to working with Fortix and supporting their activity in raising awareness of the importance of correct torque.”

Sean Gynane, Sales Director, Fortix, said, “We’re very pleased to be joining TyreSafe as a Commercial Partner. There is a clear connection between TyreSafe’s work to promote tyre and wheel safety and our own focus on raising awareness of the importance of correct torque. Torque is an important consideration whenever wheels and other critical fasteners are removed and refitted, but it is an area where greater awareness and understanding can make a real difference. We’re looking forward to working with TyreSafe to share information and promote good practice, particularly around the importance of following the correct torque specifications and ensuring wheel nuts are properly secured.”

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