KENDA Europe has announced plans to expand its activities with the creation of a dedicated Powersports team, set to launch in January 2025. The initiative will be led by Shaun Jones, currently Segment Director for Trailer & Caravan, who will transition into his new role in the new year.

“I am honoured to take on this exciting challenge,” said Shaun Jones. “Expanding into the Powersports market presents incredible opportunities to serve our customers with an even broader product range. Motorcycles have been one of my passions for years, and I look forward to collaborating with our talented global teams to make a significant impact.”

Shaun will work closely with KENDA’s global Powersports teams based in Taiwan and the United States, alongside the European Specialty unit, to foster growth and innovation in this rapidly evolving market.

New leadership for trailer & caravan segment

In tandem with this development, KENDA Europe has named Peter van der Horn, the new leader of the Trailer and caravan segment. Peter, who will assume the role of Trailer and caravan OEM Regional Sales Manager, brings years of experience and a track record of dedication as Area Sales Manager for KENDA Europe’s Trailer and caravan operations.

“Taking on this new role is a privilege, and I look forward to continuing to serve KENDA’s trailer and caravan customers with the excellence they’ve come to expect,” said Peter van der Horn. “This is an exciting time for KENDA Europe, and I’m thrilled to take part in its growth.”

Strategic expansion

The formation of the Powersports team is part of KENDA’s broader strategy to strengthen its presence in Europe. KENDA offers innovative tyre and wheel solutions to meet diverse market needs.

KENDA Europe will provide further updates on its Powersports plans in early 2025.

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Liberty Tire Recycling has placed community engagement at the forefront of its operational philosophy, recently demonstrating this commitment through a collaborative literacy project in Calhoun, Georgia. The initiative, undertaken with Keep Calhoun-Gordon Beautiful, targeted local third-grade classrooms by combining educational support with environmental consciousness. Company volunteers actively participated by reading to students, fostering direct connections that underscored the importance of literacy while simultaneously promoting broader ecological values.

The sponsorship and hands-on efforts from Liberty Tire Recycling’s Calhoun site reflect a strategic approach to sustainability that extends beyond traditional waste management. General Manager Pam Boling observed the enthusiasm and fresh perspectives of the young participants, reinforcing the company’s belief in investing in youth as a pathway to long-term environmental progress. This educational focus is designed to empower future generations with the knowledge necessary to advance sustainable practices in their communities.

Beyond the literacy event, Liberty Tire Recycling maintains a robust partnership with Keep Calhoun-Gordon Beautiful that includes sponsorship of biannual recycling drives and tire amnesty programmes. These efforts are instrumental in diverting waste from landfills, enhancing recycling education and fortifying local sustainability infrastructure. The collaboration exemplifies how corporate entities can actively contribute to environmental stewardship through targeted, community-based actions.

Liberty Tire Recycling asserts that achieving meaningful sustainability goals requires active collaboration with local organisations and residents. By supporting grassroots environmental awareness, educational development and community trust, the company aims to inspire lasting change. Such initiatives illustrate a model where business and community interests align, working together to build a cleaner, more sustainable future through localised impact and shared responsibility.

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Apollo Tyres Ltd has reinforced its dedication to the historic vehicle segment by extending its partnership with the 1000 Miglia for the ninth year running, with its Vredestein premium brand serving as the event's Official Tyre Partner.

The 2026 edition of the renowned Italian endurance rally, celebrated as ‘La corsa più bella del mondo’ (the most beautiful race in the world), saw over 300 vintage automobiles traverse the legendary thousand-mile circuit between Brescia and Rome. The challenging route wound through picturesque towns and mountain passes, strictly adhering to eligibility rules that required participants to be models manufactured before 1957, mirroring the original competitions from 1927 to 1957.

Vredestein’s visual presence was prominently established across the rally's entire infrastructure, from the competitive stages to the paddock and hospitality zones, further cementing the brand's strong association with European classic motoring traditions. The competitive credentials of the brand were highlighted by former Formula 1 drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Robert Doornbos, who piloted a Siata and an Austin Healey respectively, both fitted with Vredestein Sprint Classic tyres.

This year’s event served as an ideal platform for the entire Vredestein Classic range, which successfully merges retro aesthetics with modern compound technology to ensure superior grip and safety. The comprehensive portfolio now includes the Sprint Classic, Snow Classic, Grip Classic and Transport Classic, each engineered specifically to meet the unique demands of vintage and classic automobiles.

Udyan Ghai, Head of Marketing, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “The 1000 Miglia remains one of the world’s most iconic celebrations of automotive heritage, and we were proud to return as Official Tyre Partner. The event reflects the spirit of the Vredestein brand, combining timeless design, engineering excellence and driving passion. Our Classic range is designed for enthusiasts who want authentic looks alongside modern levels of performance and safety, making the 1000 Miglia the ideal environment to showcase these tyres in action.”

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive electric racing tire supplier and official partner of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (Formula E), has launched a digital fan engagement initiative called ‘Make it Yours, Make it Race.’ The AI-powered helmet design campaign runs from June 8 to June 21, local time, during the brand’s final season as the series’ tire provider in Season 12. This marks a significant push into virtual fan experiences as the championship heads toward its concluding partnership year with Hankook.

The campaign represents a collaboration with Formula E and the DS PENSKE Formula E Team, utilizing Google Cloud’s infrastructure and advanced AI models, including Gemini, Nano Banana, and Veo. By moving activations beyond physical race venues, the tire manufacturer aims to offer global motorsport enthusiasts novel methods to interact with the racing ecosystem. The digital platform allows participants to craft personalized racing helmet designs, which are then submitted via Instagram with the dedicated hashtag #HKAIhelmet.

A public voting phase will determine the winner, with the final design officially announced on July 3 across Hankook’s social media channels. The victorious artwork will be prominently featured at the 2026 Hankook London E-Prix, where paper versions will be given to spectators and a full-scale replica will be exhibited at the Hankook Fan Village booth. The grand prize for the winning designer includes two Formula E VIP tickets, a driver-signed cap, a premium merchandise package, and a podium cap, with additional prizes for the runners-up.

This initiative is part of Hankook’s broader strategy throughout its four-season tenure with Formula E, which has included interactive Fan Village experiences showcasing the ‘iON’ electric vehicle tire lineup and the ‘iON Race’ tire. The company also supports the FIA Girls on Track program through lectures and workshops, reinforcing its commitment to nurturing future talent. These efforts collectively enhance brand visibility while deepening customer connections globally.

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Webfleet, Bridgestone’s advanced fleet management solution, has closed a strategic agreement with Volkswagen Group Info Services AG. The collaboration leverages OEM.connect, the company’s original-equipment telematics programme, to erase the need for physical device installations across Volkswagen Group brands. Operators running Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Škoda, Seat, Cupra or Audi models can now channel real-time machine data straight into the Webfleet ecosystem.

Once a compatible vehicle’s identification number is registered, the system activates full-service functionality in under an hour. This digital-first approach accelerates fleet onboarding while unlocking analytics that drive cost reduction, operational refinement and eco-friendly driving habits. Crucially, the interface does not discriminate by brand mix, granting unified oversight of diverse fleets through a single dashboard or companion application, regardless of whether units come from one marque or several manufacturers.

Among the practical tools now available to European customers are fuel-level surveillance, electric-battery tracking for range assurance, granular performance dashboards and early-warning mechanical alerts to curb unplanned stoppages. Every feature is accessible across the continent, giving mixed and single-brand fleets equal command over their daily logistics without legacy hardware barriers.

Jan-Maarten de Vries, President – Fleet Management Solutions, Bridgestone, said, “We always aim to make connecting vehicles to Webfleet as quick and easy as possible. Adding six Volkswagen Group brands to OEM.connect serves that goal perfectly. Fleet operators get immediate access to valuable data that helps them optimise their operations. This collaboration represents an important step in expanding our OEM.connect ecosystem, enabling fleets to adopt connected services faster and with less complexity.”

Lasse Schmidt van Hülst, Lead Sales & Key Account Management, Volkswagen Group Info Services AG, said, “Combining our vehicle data with Webfleet’s advanced fleet solutions supports the continued development of connected fleet services across Europe. By making vehicle data available through trusted partners, we are helping fleet operators improve performance while ensuring secure and compliant data use.”

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