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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Continental marked a major milestone on 22 May 2026 during opening ceremonies for the second expansion phase of its Rayong plant in Thailand. The development includes growth for the Passenger and Light Truck Tires division and the start of radial production for motorcycle tyres.

The Rayong motorcycle tyre facility operates with fully in-house manufacturing, from rubber compounds to finished products, using modern equipment. All processes adhere to Continental’s global quality and control standards, enabling production of both radial and diagonal tyres with capacity for future expansion. A high degree of automation and automatic monitoring systems eliminate manual errors while maintaining strict quality checks at every step.

Continental’s Rayong production serves diverse riding styles, including sport-touring and adventure touring segments, with popular radial and diagonal tyre models already in production. In March 2026, the plant received IATF certification, meeting international automotive standards that guarantee continuous quality processes and supply reliability for original-equipment customers.

The expansion also reflects Continental’s sustainability commitment, with solar energy supplying about 13 percent of the plant’s electricity needs. Additionally, the project has created new jobs, strengthening the regional economy.

Christoph Ettenhuber, Head of Business Field Motorcycle Tires, Continental, said, “By expanding our facility in Thailand, we are strategically strengthening our global production structure for Continental Motorcycle Tires. Together with our established operations in our Korbach plant in Germany, we are laying the groundwork for a faster, more flexible response to market demands. Rayong is a key component of our international motorcycle tyre strategy and underscores our clear commitment to growth and state-of-the-art production processes. For our customers, this means premium quality made by Continental – no matter which continent they’re on or which roads they travel."

Sahil Agrawal, Head of Manufacturing Operations in Rayong, said, “Quality is our top priority – for our original equipment customers as well as for end consumers. Our system captures every detail: all tyres are fully traceable at every production step. Online monitoring systems such as automatic scales, profilometers and camera systems ensure that every component is within specification limits. Automation – from the green tyre spray system to automatic tool management – enables us to achieve maximum quality levels while creating an ergonomic and safe working environment.”

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Bridgestone Corporation has once again been selected as a constituent of several globally recognised environmental, social and governance (ESG) indexes, including the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World Index, the FTSE4Good Index Series, the MSCI Selection Indexes, the FTSE JPX Blossom Japan Index, the FTSE JPX Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index, the MSCI Japan ESG Select Leaders Index and the MSCI Japan Equity ESG Select Leaders Index.

The Japanese tyre giant’s continued inclusion in these rankings serves as a concrete and objective embodiment of its corporate mission to serve society with superior quality. Company leadership views the ability to sustain such ESG initiatives over many years as a distinct organisational strength.

Regarding the Dow Jones indexes, Bridgestone has been selected for the Best-in-Class World Index for four consecutive years since 2022, which recognises the top 10 percent of sustainability leaders among 2,500 major global companies. The firm has also maintained a place in the Best-in-Class Asia Pacific Index for 16 straight years since 2010.

In the FTSE Russell assessments, Bridgestone has achieved eight consecutive years of selection for the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2018, alongside the same duration for the FTSE JPX Blossom Japan Index. The company has also been included in the FTSE JPX Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index for five consecutive years since 2021. For MSCI, Bridgestone has secured three straight years of selection for the MSCI Selection Indexes since 2023 while receiving the highest AAA rating in the MSCI ESG Ratings for three consecutive years.

The company has additionally earned high marks from the international non-profit CDP, receiving an A minus rating in both Climate Change and Water Security for 2025, marking six consecutive years at the leadership level. Bridgestone also obtained an A rating in the Supplier Engagement Rating for the seventh time. Key initiatives behind these recognitions include the expansion of its sustainability business model towards carbon neutrality and a circular economy, actions supporting nature positive goals such as sustainable natural rubber and water resource management, a comprehensive due diligence system based on Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles for human rights and environmental risk and global policy execution guidelines.

Bridgestone places sustainability at the core of its management, aiming to implement and evolve its unique business model across the entire value chain from production and use to renewal and raw materials. These efforts link business operations directly to the realisation of carbon neutrality, a circular economy and a nature positive world.

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Tegeta Green Planet and Shine Energy, both affiliated with Tegeta Holding, have launched a joint educational initiative to raise environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility among young people. The project addresses modern challenges such as environmental protection and sustainable development.

Company representatives are visiting schools across Tbilisi to hold informational meetings, presentations and workshops. The programme begins with presentations, followed by interactive games and activities designed to help students retain the information. At the end of each session, participants receive symbolic gifts and prizes as motivation.

Tegeta Green Planet focuses on teaching students the principles of specific waste management, including how to properly handle used tyres, batteries and oils. The sessions explain why proper waste management is essential for environmental protection and how it connects to the circular economy. Meanwhile, Shine Energy educates young people on the importance of energy, its everyday use and why developing renewable and sustainable energy resources is crucial.

The initiative is not limited to schools. In the near future, both organisations will expand their efforts to universities, aiming to broaden awareness about environmental protection, waste management and energy efficiency. The ultimate goal is to foster environmentally responsible attitudes among the younger generation, helping build a more sustainable and conscious society.

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Zeon has been recognised as a Supplier Engagement Leader in the 2025 Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA) conducted by CDP, a United Kingdom-based international environmental nonprofit organisation. This achievement represents the first time the company has received the highest possible rating in this assessment.

The evaluation measures how corporations address climate change within their supply chains, focusing on responses to the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire across five critical areas. These include governance, emissions targets, Scope 3 emissions management, risk management and overall supplier engagement strategies.

Zeon earned the top rating for its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through supplier collaboration, a group-wide initiative, alongside continuous dialogue maintained via procurement activities. Guided by its philosophy of contributing to planetary preservation and human prosperity, Zeon remains committed to sustainable management. The company reaffirmed that it will continue working with suppliers and other stakeholders to tackle climate change and meet societal expectations.

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