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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Pirelli P Zero has made a prominent return to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, reinforcing its status as a leading choice for premium manufacturers. The 2026 edition features numerous high-performance vehicles equipped with tyres from the revitalised P Zero family. This widespread adoption underscores the range’s appeal, supported by over 300 homologations secured for the latest products across diverse vehicle types that prioritise performance, safety and driving enjoyment. The complete renewal of the P Zero line, initiated in 2023, is now showcased as original equipment on many contemporary models.

The festival highlights several bespoke applications, starting with the Ferrari Luce. For this model, Pirelli engineered a custom P Zero E tyre, merging high performance with over 55 percent bio-based and recycled materials in a record-setting 24-inch format. The semi-slick P Zero Trofeo RS appears on the Bentley Supersports, Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and BMW M2, while the Pagani Utopia Roadster adopts this tyre alongside the Cyber Tyre system, enabling direct communication with vehicle electronics.

The luxury electric segment is represented by the Rolls-Royce Spectre and Jaguar Type 01, both utilising P Zero Elect tyres with diameters reaching 23 inches. The P Zero Trofeo RS is also fitted to the Koenigsegg Sadair's Spear megacar and its LEGO Technic replica, the latter achieving a record of 111 kilometres per hour on the Goodwood Hillclimb.

All P Zero tyres share a technological foundation rooted in motorsport, serving as Pirelli’s primary testing ground. The company’s participation in over 350 racing events annually, including Formula 1, facilitates the transfer of innovations like virtual development processes to road tyre production. This continuous cycle ensures the P Zero range remains at the forefront of tyre technology for both track and street applications.

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Titan International, Inc. has officially introduced the new Titan ForestEDGE tyre line, engineered to meet the severe demands of contemporary forestry work. This release broadens the company’s existing forestry portfolio, positioning the ForestEDGE as a dependable and economically conscious alternative alongside its established Goodyear Logger Lug series. The tyre is specifically tailored for critical machinery including skidders and feller bunchers.

Engineered with a heavy-duty steel-belt package, the tyre resists damage from rocks, stumps and debris, while a specialised rubber compound promotes even tread wear and extended service life. Backed by Titan’s extensive engineering and field-testing heritage, the tyre offers boots-on-the-ground reliability. This combination of rugged construction and proven performance provides a practical option for fleet managers aiming to balance productivity with reduced operating expenses.

The ForestEDGE line is now available for ordering through authorised dealers in sizes 30.5L-32 and DH35.5L-32. Additionally, the 24.5-32 size is currently open for pre-orders, with shipments expected to begin in the third quarter of the calendar year.

Matt Werstein, Product & Engineering R&D Manager – OTR, Titan, said, “Forestry environments are often extreme. With the Titan ForestEDGE, we set out to provide a tyre that not only stands up to some of the worst conditions but also helps boost productivity and lower total operating costs. After extensive field testing, we're confident that the ForestEDGE line delivers the durability and value operators need to keep their machines moving.”

Andrew Hogan, Director – Pricing and Product Strategy, Titan, said, “Forestry work is demanding, not just on people but also on equipment and tyres. We worked closely with customers and dealers to understand where current solutions were falling short. The ForestEDGE is the result: a tyre line that’s tough, dependable and built around the realities of modern forestry work.”

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Kumho Tire U.S.A. is addressing the evolving demands of the American automotive market, where light trucks, including pickups, SUVs and crossovers, now represent 80 percent of new vehicle sales. As this segment continues to expand, the complexity of selecting the appropriate tyre has increased for owners. In response, Kumho is promoting its Road Venture family, which utilises a straightforward nomenclature and clear performance tiers to guide consumers towards the optimal choice for their specific lifestyle and driving requirements.

The Road Venture series is comprised of four specialised models, each engineered for a distinct driving environment. These include the highway-focused HT, the versatile AT52 for all-terrain use, the RT for enhanced off-road capability and the MT71, which is designed for maximum traction in mud-terrain conditions. This structured approach allows drivers to easily navigate the selection process based on their primary usage patterns.

Engineered predominantly for paved surfaces, the new Road Venture HT is an all-season highway-terrain tyre that prioritises a quiet, comfortable ride and dependable performance in diverse weather conditions. It holds the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for severe winter service and is backed by a limited treadwear warranty of 75,000 miles for P-metric sizes and 50,000 miles for LT-metric sizes, aligning its durability with higher-priced competitors.

For those requiring a compromise between on-road civility and off-road exploration, the Road Venture AT52 offers an all-terrain solution that manages dirt and gravel while maintaining low noise levels. It also carries the 3PMSF rating and comes with a 55,000-mile warranty for P-metric and 50,000 for LT-metric sizes. Bridging the gap between all-terrain and mud-terrain tyres, the new Road Venture RT provides rugged-terrain traction without forfeiting on-road refinement, supported by a 50,000-mile warranty. The lineup culminates with the MT71, featuring aggressive tread blocks and stone ejectors for superior grip in mud and rocky environments, catering to serious off-road enthusiasts.

Carolina Wagner, Vice President – Marketing, Kumho Tire U.S.A., said. "Tyres are one of the most important safety components on any vehicle, yet many consumers find the tyre shopping process overwhelming because of the sheer number of options available. Our Road Venture lineup was designed with a simple naming structure and clear performance distinctions to help drivers confidently choose the tyre that best fits their lifestyle and driving needs, whether they spend most of their time on the highway, explore trails on weekends or tackle demanding off-road terrain."

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., in collaboration with the Surat Thani branch of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), hosted an educational seminar for natural rubber farmers in June 2026. The event took place in Surat Thani province, where the company’s local processing subsidiary, Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd., (YTRC) is based. Fifty farm households participated in the session, which represented the 11th such gathering since the programme began in 2020. Following the lectures, Yokohama Rubber distributed fertiliser, developed with RAOT’s technical input, to all attendees at no cost.

This initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Yokohama Rubber and the RAOT in January 2020, aimed at providing economic assistance to Thai growers and improving supply chain traceability. The seminar forms a core component of the company’s farmer-support activities under that agreement, organised regularly through the local YTRC office to ensure alignment with Yokohama Rubber’s sustainable procurement policy.

The curriculum covered soil nutrition, proper fertilisation methods, contamination prevention, workplace safety, health management and farm operations. Guest representatives from local government agencies, the police and a regional hospital delivered presentations on legal employment practices, human rights protections for foreign and ethnic minority workers, transportation safety and occupational health measures to prevent tapping-related injuries.

Participant feedback from post-event questionnaires indicated heightened awareness of systematic cultivation techniques and quality assurance. Farmers acknowledged previously haphazard fertilisation practices and gained a clearer understanding of contamination risks through direct engagement with the processing subsidiary. Several attendees expressed intentions to share their newfound knowledge with tappers, while others voiced appreciation for a tire manufacturer’s grassroots involvement, thereby deepening mutual trust. As a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber continues to implement its revised procurement policy supporting small-scale suppliers. The company remains committed to publishing further initiatives under its sustainability motto, ‘Caring for the Future’, addressing social challenges through business operations.

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