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.”

Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) has inked a title sponsorship deal with professional football team Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia. Hankook will be the club's official title sponsor for three seasons, starting in 2024–2025, as per the deal.

By forming a strategic partnership with Al-Ittihad, Hankook Tire hopes to bolster its international sports marketing initiatives. The corporation aims to further strengthen its position as a premium brand in the worldwide market by utilising the club's high profile. Throughout the sponsorship time, the club's official team uniforms, media interview backgrounds and in-stadium LED signs will all prominently display the worldwide Hankook brand emblem. In order to increase sales and brand recognition in the Middle Eastern region, which includes Saudi Arabia, Hankook Tire also intends to implement engagement-driven marketing efforts.

Al-Ittihad is one of the most prominent football clubs in Saudi Arabia, having been founded in 1927. Recently, with two games left in the 2024–2025 season, the squad secured their 10th Saudi Pro League title. Al-Ittihad's back-to-back AFC Champions League victories have further shown their dominance on the global scene.

Through a variety of well-known sponsorships, Hankook Tire keeps up its worldwide brand presence and strengthens its premium brand image among sports enthusiasts. The company is an official partner of prominent worldwide football properties, such as the German football team Borussia Dortmund, the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Europa Conference League and the coveted Ballon d'Or awards.

German premium tyre manufacturer Continental has inaugurated the Continental Premium Drive dealership in Karimnagar, Telangana, which also makes it the 10^th such facility in the state.

The dealership spread across 1,900 square feet offers a range of services such as wheel alignment, wheel balancing, tyre changing and nitrogen filling among others.

Samir Gupta, Managing Director – India and Head of Central Region Asia-Pacific, Continental Tires, said, "India continues to be a key growth market for Continental Tires, and expanding our retail footprint is another important step in our expansion journey. With our ‘In the Market, For the Market approach’, we are strengthening our commitment to deliver premium products and a seamless experience to customers across the country.” 

“With the new launch in Karimnagar, we aim to bring advanced tyre solutions and superior service standards to automotive customers in southern India. The southern market is strategically important for Continental Tires, and we are excited to accelerate our expansion in this region with several more CPD stores planned in the near future,” said Gupta.

Baddam Srinivas Reddy, Owner, 4 Wheelz and Tyres, said, "We are looking forward to strengthening our association with Continental Tires through the launch of the new Continental Premium Drive store. With this new store, we aim to offer customers high-quality tyre solutions and expert services under one roof. We look forward to building stronger customer relationships with the innovations and support of Continental Tires."

At present, Continental Tires has over 200 brand stores in the country as part of its strategy to be closer to its customers.

A colossal fire engulfed a significant portion of Kumho Tire's Gwangju manufacturing plant on 17 May 2025, forcing a complete halt in production and prompting authorities to issue a nationwide firefighting mobilisation order reported Korea Times. The company is South Korea’s second-largest tyre manufacturer.

The blaze, which began around 7:11 am local time, rapidly consumed factory buildings, with flames reportedly reaching heights of up to 100 metres.

The report further stated that by 5 pm on Saturday, approximately 70 percent of the plant's western section – an area roughly equivalent to five football fields – had been devastated by the fire. Firefighters concentrated their efforts on preventing the flames from spreading to the southern section of the facility, which is separated from the severely impacted western area. The National Fire Agency's had to deploy crucial personnel and equipment from neighbouring regions to help control the disaster.

What’s important to know is that about 400 on-duty workers were safely evacuated. However, one male employee in his 20s sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Additionally, two firefighters were injured during the ongoing efforts to control the blaze.

The local authorities suspect the fire originated from equipment used for heating raw rubber. Then there was the challenge about the estimated 20 tonnes of raw rubber stored at the factory, which is significantly hindering firefighting efforts.

This incident will not only have financial impact for Kumho Tire but also supply constraint for its major customers such as Hyundai Motor Corporation and Kia Corporation.

Last year, Kumho Tire reported sales of USD 3.21 billion and an operating profit of USD 431 million.

"With the fire now under control, we will soon be able to announce our estimated losses and outline plans for relocating our production lines," the report quoted a company official.

Japan's Yokohama Rubber said it had acquired a former tyre manufacturing facility in Romania for USD 35 million as part of its strategy to bolster production capacity for off-highway tyres in Europe.

The purchase of the plant in Drobeta-Turnu Severin through subsidiary Yokohama TWS Romania S.R.L. includes land, buildings and production machinery for manufacturing tyres used in mining and construction equipment, the company said.

The acquisition represents the latest move in Yokohama's expansion following its purchase of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co's off-the-road (OTR) business, as the Japanese firm seeks what it calls "Hockey Stick Growth" under its medium-term management plan running through 2026.

The facility spans approximately 200,000 square metres in Romania's Mehedinți County and will manufacture tyres for mining and construction machinery, sectors experiencing robust demand globally.

Yokohama's strategic push into off-highway tyres comes as the company looks to diversify beyond passenger car tyres and capitalise on infrastructure development and mining activity worldwide. The Romanian plant acquisition follows a broader industry trend of Asian tyre manufacturers expanding their European footprint to serve local markets more effectively.

The deal forms part of Yokohama's "Yokohama Transformation 2026" plan, which aims to strengthen the company's market position in the off-highway tyre segment whilst enhancing production and supply capabilities across all OHT categories.