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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Bridgestone India has expanded its retail network in Assam with the opening of two new Bridgestone Select Stores in Guwahati. The inauguration ceremony was led by Rajiv Sharma, the company’s Executive Director of Sales and Marketing. One of the newly established outlets, Kamrup Tyres, is situated at 89 No. Dadara Gaon Panchayat, Damdama-Kulhati Road, while the other, The Wheelz Shoppe, is located near the Jaiswal Weigh Bridge on NH-37 in Boragaon.

These Bridgestone Select Stores are conceived as comprehensive destinations for tyre and wheel care. They are designed to provide customers with not only premium products but also professional advice, state-of-the-art equipment and services that prioritise safety, comfort and enduring vehicle performance. This expansion reflects the company’s strategic response to the increasing regional demand for dependable and superior tyre solutions. The new locations aim to serve as convenient hubs for passenger vehicle owners in the Guwahati area, offering a full spectrum of tyre-related services under one roof.

Motorists visiting these stores will have access to Bridgestone’s latest premium tyre offerings. This includes the Turanza 6i, which incorporates ENLITEN technology to deliver enhanced comfort, greater efficiency and compatibility with electric vehicles. Also available is the Dueler All-Terrain A/T002, a tyre renowned for its reliable performance on both regular roads and more challenging off-road terrains.

The establishment of these two outlets underscores Bridgestone India's ongoing commitment to growing its customer-focused retail presence. Through this initiative, the company continues to bring its globally recognised tyre solutions and services closer to motorists across the country.

Sharma said, “Assam continues to be an important market for Bridgestone. The opening of these two Select Stores in Guwahati reflects our commitment to offering customers easy access to premium products and trusted services. Our focus is on building long-term relationships by delivering safety, quality and a consistently good experience.”

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Formula 1 is set to resume on-track action in Bahrain for the second pre-season testing session, beginning 18th February and running through 20th February. This three-day event marks the final opportunity for teams to evaluate their cars ahead of the championship opener, building on the data gathered during the previous week's running.

A significant change for this test is the expanded tyre availability from Pirelli. While the initial session was restricted to the three hardest compounds, teams have now selected 24 sets from the full range of five dry-weather options. They are also permitted to carry over any tyres used for nine laps or fewer during the first test. An analysis of team selections reveals varied strategic approaches. The C3 and C2 compounds emerged as the most popular choices, requested by 10 of the 11 teams. Mercedes was the exception, opting to remain solely with the hardest compounds.

McLaren, Ferrari, Racing Bulls, Audi and Haas broadened their selection by including the C4. In contrast, Red Bull, Alpine, Williams and Aston Martin leaned towards softer specifications. The Visa Cash App RB squad confined its choices to the C2, C3 and C4, whereas Alpine and Williams also incorporated the softest C5 compound. Aston Martin adopted a unique strategy, selecting exclusively the three softest options: the C3, C4 and C5. Notably, incoming team Cadillac distributed its requests across the entire spectrum, making it the only entrant to secure at least one set of every dry compound.

Daily running is scheduled from 10:00 to 19:00. To aid identification, Pirelli has implemented a special colour-coding system for this test. The C1 and C2 compounds will feature white logos, the C3 and C4 will display yellow and the C5 will be marked with red. To differentiate the two compounds sharing the same colour, the harder of the pair will incorporate a distinctive chequered flag pattern on its sidewalls. Consequently, the C2 and C4 will be the only compounds without this additional decoration, bearing only the standard Pirelli and P Zero logos.

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Continental has unveiled the Conti Hybrid HT 5, a new trailer tyre that completes its fifth-generation hybrid tyre family designed specifically for regional freight transport. This launch provides fleet operators with a fully coordinated tyre solution for steering, drive and trailer axles, all engineered to handle the rigorous demands of distribution transport. These operations often involve a challenging mix of inner-city manoeuvring, highway cruising and occasional light off-road driving.

The new Conti Hybrid HT 5 was developed to address the specific pressures of daily regional logistics, including frequent stop-and-go traffic, navigating tight urban streets and managing variable load weights. According to Hinnerk Kaiser, Head of Product Development for Bus and Truck Tyres at Continental, this tyre model integrates safety, operational efficiency and robustness to support dependable and economical fleet performance under fluctuating conditions. The trailer tyre delivers a 15 percent increase in mileage over its predecessor, the Conti Hybrid HT 3+, leading to fewer replacements. For a fleet operating 80 trailers covering 110,000 kilometres each annually, this translates to saving roughly 32 trailer tyres per year, along with reduced labour, storage and procurement costs.

Beyond durability, the tyre contributes to lower fuel consumption thanks to its optimised rolling resistance, a critical factor given that tyres can constitute more than half of a commercial vehicle’s operating expenses. This efficiency also brings environmental advantages by decreasing raw material use and cutting CO2 emissions throughout the production chain. The Conti Hybrid HT 5 excels in wet and cold conditions, achieving a B rating for wet grip on the EU tyre label. This performance stems from a new tread compound and a redesigned pattern featuring zigzag centre grooves and 2D pocket sipes, which maintain reliable traction even as the tread wears down. The design also ensures even pressure distribution for stable braking on slippery surfaces. Additionally, it holds a top A rating for external rolling noise, helping to reduce sound pollution.

With the arrival of the HT 5, Continental now offers a unified technological approach across all axle positions for regional transport. The Conti Hybrid HS 5 provides steering precision and comfort, while the Conti Hybrid HD 5 delivers strong traction and consistent braking for drive axles. The new HT 5 rounds out the lineup for trailer axles with its stability, rugged build and adaptable grip. All Generation 5 tyres share a focus on extended mileage and long-term performance, featuring an optimised casing suitable for multiple retreading cycles and embedded RFID sensors for digital tracking. The Conti Hybrid HT 5 will launch in March in sizes 385/65 R22.5 and 385/55 R22.5, with additional sizes expected by 2027. These tyres come ready for integration with the ContiConnect digital management system via pre-installed sensors.

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In the wake of the devastating floods that struck Punjab in August 2025, a strategic partnership between Bridgestone and ADRA India successfully restored educational infrastructure and learning continuity across 20 government schools in the Gurdaspur district. The natural disaster had inflicted widespread damage on school buildings, with sanitation systems rendered inoperable, while countless students lost access to textbooks, stationery and uniforms – essential items for classroom participation.

Working in tandem with the District Disaster Management Authority, local government bodies, School Management Committees and community stakeholders, ADRA India implemented a targeted three-month rehabilitation project from October 2025 through January 2026. The collaborative approach ensured that intervention efforts reached the most severely impacted educational institutions within a region where flooding had submerged over 324 villages, causing prolonged disruption to essential services including education.

The restoration initiative prioritised the repair and upgrade of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities across 12 government schools, directly benefiting approximately 697 children through renewed access to safe and functional toilets. Beyond infrastructure rehabilitation, the project distributed comprehensive education kits to 585 particularly vulnerable students, including children from daily wage worker families, migrant households, women-led families and historically marginalised communities. This intervention alleviated the financial burden on families already strained by disaster losses while enabling students to resume their education promptly.

Sustainability remained central to the project's design, with School Management Committees receiving orientation on routine maintenance of rehabilitated facilities to ensure their long-term functionality. Infrastructure repairs incorporated enhanced durability measures specifically intended to withstand potential future flooding, thereby strengthening the resilience of educational facilities in this disaster-prone region.

Dr Aaditya Sharma, IAS, SDM Dera Baba Nanak, said, “Following the floods that affected Dera Baba Nanak Sub-Division, several government schools suffered damage to essential infrastructure, particularly Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) facilities, resulting in disruption to the education of school-going children. The restored sanitation infrastructure has helped ensure a safe, hygienic and dignified learning environment for students, especially for girl students.”

Sudhir Kulkarni, Executive Director HR, Admin & CSR, Bridgestone India, said, “Bridgestone is committed towards Serving Society with Superior Quality. This inspires us to offer the best to the communities that we serve. Education is a critical pillar for communities, and this was most impacted by the floods. We have, in our humble way, contributed towards restoring some of the educational facilities in the Dera Baba Nanak block, thus safeguarding learning and well-being when vulnerable communities needed it the most.”

Imran Majid, Programmes Director, ADRA India, said, “In post-disaster settings like Dera Baba Nanak, children are among the most vulnerable. Restoring safe and functional WASH facilities in schools is not just about infrastructure, it is about protecting children’s health, dignity and right to learn. When sanitation and hygiene are compromised, the risks of illness increase and school dropouts become more likely, especially for girls. Through the School WASH project, we are ensuring that schools become safe, hygienic spaces again, enabling children to return, stay and thrive in their education.”

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