Jinyu Completes Vietnam PLT Project

Jinyu Completes Vietnam PLT Project

Chinese tyre maker Jinyu Tire Group has completed the passenger car tyre project in Vietnam as part of its strategy to return to the passenger vehicle tyre market. The group fully commissioned the plant, which can manufacture 10 million high-performance semi-steel radial tyres annually, in a ceremony on 15 April.

Launched in January last year, the project is an expansion of Jinyu’s existing truck & bus tyre production facility in Tay Ninh province, which currently produces two million TBR tyres annually. By the second half of 2026, the factory should be scaled up to full capacity. The company expects to produce 10 million TBR and 10 million PCR tyres annually across all of its production facilities once the initiative goes into full-scale production.

After a five-year hiatus to concentrate on the development of TBR tyres, Jinyu is making a triumphant comeback to the passenger vehicle tyre market with this landmark project. The facility has a testing unit, a technical R&D centre and automated manufacturing equipment. In order to guarantee that operations are traceable and controlled, the factory additionally uses intelligent management systems like MES, RDM and LIMS for real-time data collecting and analysis.

Chang Xianxu, Chairman, Jinyu Tire, said, "The successful completion of the PCR project in Vietnam is another breakthrough for Jinyu Tire in multiple dimensions such as high-end tyre manufacturing, technology research and development, production management and international operation capabilities. This also serves as a strong testament to Jinyu Tire’s unwavering commitment to the development and application of rubber tyre technologies and services, with the mission of delivering optimal value and experience to its customers. Upon full-scale production, the project is expected to reach an annual capacity of 10 million high-performance passenger and light truck (PLT) tyres by the second half of 2026. By then, Jinyu Tire will possess a dual production capacity of 10 million units each for TBR (Truck and Bus Radial) and PLT tyres, enabling the company to better serve and meet the needs of its global customers, while helping its global partners achieve greater business scale. This reflects a deep embodiment of the company’s core value – ‘Common Interests Above All Else’.”

Kumho Tire USA Pledges $25,000 To TIA Scholarship Programme Over Five Years

Kumho Tire USA Pledges $25,000 To TIA Scholarship Programme Over Five Years

Kumho Tire USA has announced a significant contribution to the Tire Industry Association’s Tire Industry Scholarship programme, which operates in collaboration with the University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF). Over the next five years, Kumho will donate USD 5,000 annually, resulting in a total pledge of USD 25,000 aimed at supporting the next generation of professionals in the tyre and automotive service sectors.

This scholarship programme provides USD 2,500 awards to students who are pursuing higher education or vocational training directly related to the tyre and automotive service industry. By administering these funds through the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, the programme seeks to build a stronger talent pipeline for the industry through educational support.

Kumho Tire now joins a growing list of member companies from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) that have chosen to back this scholarship effort. The programme was first established in November 2025, and Kumho’s commitment reinforces the collective drive to invest in future workforce development.

Ed Cho, CEO, Kumho Tire USA, said, "Our five-year pledge to the TIA Scholarship programme reflects KUMHO's broader commitment to developing and supporting the next generation of tyre industry professionals. We are proud to invest in education and help provide greater opportunities for the future workforce who will shape our industry."

Dick Gust, CEO, Tire Industry Association, said, "Kumho Tire USA's generous commitment is a powerful investment in the future of our industry. By supporting the Tire Industry Scholarship programme, they are helping to build a stronger, more skilled workforce and opening doors for the next generation of industry professionals."

Dunlop RoadSmart IV Wins MOTORRAD Road Tyre Test With All-Condition Mastery

Dunlop RoadSmart IV Wins MOTORRAD Road Tyre Test With All-Condition Mastery

The Dunlop RoadSmart IV has emerged as the top performer in the latest road tyre test conducted by renowned German publication MOTORRAD. This premium sport touring tyre received high marks for its outstanding handling characteristics and its ability to deliver balanced performance regardless of weather or road surface conditions. The victory adds to Dunlop’s growing list of independent testing successes this year, following a similar overall win for the SportSmart mk4 in an earlier sport tyre comparison.

In the test, MOTORRAD fitted three road focused tyres to a BMW R 1300 GS using the specific sizes of 120/70 R19 at the front and 170/60 R17 at the rear. The RoadSmart IV secured first place overall in the road tyre category, demonstrating class leading wet performance while also tying for the best results in the dry sub category. This achievement marks the second time in half a decade that this particular tyre has claimed top honours in a MOTORRAD test.

Testers were especially impressed by the tyre’s precise dry handling and the clear feedback it provides to the rider. They observed that the RoadSmart IV turns in more easily than its rivals, making it highly recommended for motorcycles that tend to have sluggish steering behaviour. On the BMW test bike, the tyre felt stable rather than unsettled, excelling with high cornering speed, solid grip at maximum lean angle and extremely accurate feedback. In wet conditions, the tyre offered easy manoeuvring ability through fast cornering sequences, with its precise communication clearly signalling the limits in a user-friendly manner.

MOTORRAD summarised the RoadSmart IV as an incredible all-rounder that combines excellent handling with top performance in all conditions, even suggesting that riders on a GS could use it to annoy superbike riders. Thanks to its strong showing on both dry and wet surfaces, the tyre also earned the magazine’s coveted Kauftipp, or purchase recommendation, award.

Roberto Finetti, Marketing Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “This result for RoadSmart IV reinforces our goal to deliver a perfect balance of outstanding dry performance and exceptional wet grip and precise handling, even after several thousand kilometres. We’re proud to see it recognised once again as a benchmark in the sport touring segment.”

JK Tyre And WIAA Join Forces To Champion Women In Motorsport Through Themed Car Rally

JK Tyre And WIAA Join Forces To Champion Women In Motorsport Through Themed Car Rally

The JK Tyre - WIAA Women's Car Rally to Valley 2026 took off on 28 March from NSCI, Mumbai, with a flag-off ceremony led by Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) Chairman Nitin Dossa and JK Tyre officials. Over 200 women participated, decorating their vehicles around themes like cancer awareness, gender equality and women’s empowerment before driving towards the Novotel Imagicaa hotel in Khopoli.

Families and supporters gathered at the start, creating a festival-like mood as participants wore themed attire. The rally follows a Time-Speed-Distance format, rewarding precision and teamwork over speed, with contestants navigating hilly roads for about 125 kilometres to the finish.

Organised by the 107-year-old non-profit Western India Automobile Association, which advocates for safe mobility, road safety, environmental sustainability and policy change, the event has become a platform celebrating womanhood and resilience. This year’s edition reinforced the global road safety messages of #CommitToLife and #BeSafeBeStrong.

JK Tyre has long supported women in motorsport through dedicated initiatives, and its continued partnership with the WIAA Women’s Car Rally reflects a belief that motorsport can drive meaningful change both on and off the road.

Srinivasu Allaphan, Director – Sales & Marketing, JK Tyre & Industries, said, “For over a decade, we have been committed to encouraging women’s participation in motorsport, and the JK Tyre–WIAA Women’s Car Rally to Valley stands as a testament to that vision. Now a marquee event, the rally celebrates the spirit of motorsport while championing important social causes. We are encouraged by the strong enthusiasm of the participants as we continue to build greater awareness around road safety.”

Enviro Representatives Resign From Infiniteria Board

Enviro Representatives Resign From Infiniteria Board

Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has announced that its representatives on the Board of Directors of the joint venture entity, Infiniteria Europe Sàrl, namely Ewa Björling and Fredrik Aaben, have made the decision to vacate their respective director positions. This move follows prior communications from Enviro regarding a broader strategic shift in its relationship with the joint venture.

Earlier, Enviro had already disclosed that it was initiating a corporate reorganisation process, which included the termination of the various agreements that had previously defined and governed the working relationship and collaborative framework between Enviro and Infiniteria. This fundamental restructuring of their partnership set the stage for further complications, as disagreements began to surface between Enviro’s board members and the other directors serving on the Infiniteria board.

Specifically, the differing viewpoints between these two groups centred on critical matters related to corporate governance standards and the internal functioning of the board itself. Due to the emergence of these unresolved conflicts, combined with the ongoing dissolution of their formal cooperation agreements, Björling and Aaben concluded that stepping down from Infiniteria’s board of directors was the necessary course of action, leading to their formal resignations.