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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Giti Tire deepened its engagement with football supporters across Southeast Asia by serving as an Official Supporter of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026. The company brought its brand directly to fans through match-day activations staged in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, using the tournament as a platform to move beyond conventional sponsorship visibility.

Under the banner ‘Engineered for Every Journey’, Giti created stadium experiences that invited supporters to actively participate in the campaign. These included branded touchpoints, interactive fan activities and the Giti Match Day Photo Contest, all designed to channel the energy of Southeast Asian football into the brand’s promise. The strategy emphasised participation, user-generated content and shareable moments rather than passive logo exposure.

The tournament itself demonstrated the scale of regional football passion. Across 28 matches, including two play-offs, stadium attendance totalled 365,949. Digital reach proved equally significant, with ASEAN United FC’s social channels generating roughly 914.3 million video views, supported by country-specific content for Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. More than 11 million live views were recorded on ASEAN United FC’s YouTube and Facebook channels for audiences outside ASEAN, China and Korea. The final in Vietnam, where the host nation lifted the trophy, drew 37.6 million viewers on VTV6, including 32.7 million live.

For Giti, the combination of stadium attendance, digital engagement and broadcast reach offered multiple avenues to connect with football audiences. The campaign also linked football’s demands for confidence and performance under pressure with the reliability drivers expect from tires engineered for varied journeys and conditions. By pairing a major regional platform with locally relevant activations, Giti communicated its positioning in an environment already charged with passion and engagement.

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Michelin has issued guidance for motorcyclists as autumn brings cooler starts and slicker roads, with the tyre maker urging riders to adapt both their machines and their habits to the shifting season. Sabrina Sabel, a product technician for motorcycle tyres at Michelin and a seasoned racing rider, outlined measures covering pressure checks, compound behaviour, tread design and off-season storage.

Falling temperatures and unpredictable surfaces alter how a bike responds, making the tyre’s rubber blend and groove pattern central to preserving grip and stability. According to Michelin, riders should verify tyre pressures on a regular basis and adhere strictly to the figures supplied by the motorcycle manufacturer, particularly before any extended journey.

Sabrina Sabel, Product Technician for motorcycle tyres at Michelin

Modern touring rubber is generally formulated to deliver dependable grip from the outset, so deliberately warming tyres is unnecessary for most riders in ordinary autumn conditions. Compounds rich in silica help a tyre generate traction quickly when temperatures drop while also aiding performance on wet asphalt. Sabel noted that she rides gently for the opening kilometres, letting the tyres warm evenly through smooth braking and acceleration with the bike held upright, avoiding undue stress on the rubber.

Cold grip refers to a tyre’s capacity to hold the road at lower temperatures, a quality shaped by its compound, which may combine silica with other ingredients to balance traction, longevity and wet-weather ability. Touring tyres typically cover a wide operating range, whereas sport tyres favour higher-temperature performance, meaning riders should consider their fitted rubber and temper their style accordingly on chilly days.

Wet conditions make tread design vital for keeping rubber in contact with the road. Grooves and channels clear water from the contact patch, so adequate tread depth matters as seasons shift. Michelin’s Road 6 employs Water-Evergrip Technology, whose progressively opening sipes maintain water evacuation as the tyre wears, supporting consistent wet performance. The M+S marking indicates mud and snow suitability, relevant for adventure riders in mountainous regions; the Anakee Adventure 2’s pattern displaces mud and water while aiding braking and cornering feedback. The best choice depends on the bike, riding style, routes and personal preference.

For those storing a motorcycle, tyre care continues after the riding season ends. Michelin advises checking pressures before storage, periodically shifting the bike to prevent prolonged pressure on one section, and keeping tyres in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place away from sunlight, UV light, heat and chemicals such as petrol and solvents. For extended storage, manufacturer guidance on pressures and positioning should always be followed.

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ARLANXEO’s Changzhou EPDM facility in China has reached a cumulative production milestone of surpassing the one-million-tonne mark. The plant began operations in 2015 with a nameplate capacity of 160,000 metric tonnes per year and has steadily enhanced its manufacturing capabilities to serve evolving demand in the automotive, construction, infrastructure and industrial sectors.

The achievement stems from employee dedication and expertise, alongside the trust of customers and partners, and underscores ARLANXEO’s commitment to supplying high-quality Keltan EPDM solutions throughout China, Asia and globally. The company expressed appreciation to all contributors and said it looks forward to building on this foundation to create further value for customers and partners in the years ahead.

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Hankook Tire has signed on as an official partner of the Gulf Cup 2026, set to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 23 September to 6 October. The company serves as the tournament's exclusive official tyre brand partner, marking an expansion of its Middle East sports involvement from clubs and leagues to a national-team competition.

The 27th edition of the tournament is organised by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) and features eight national teams from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq and Yemen. Fifteen matches will take place across two Jeddah venues: King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium.

During the event, Hankook Tire will promote its unified global brand through media backdrops, LED advertising and giant screens before, during and after matches. The company will also pursue fan engagement via social media initiatives and interactive promotional activities, broadening its brand touchpoints across the GCC region.

Jongwoo Kim, Head of Hankook Tire & Technology's Middle East and Asia Division, said, "Our partnership with the Gulf Cup will provide an opportunity to broaden Hankook Tire's brand touchpoints across the GCC, expanding our sports marketing from club- and league-level partnerships to a tournament featuring national teams. Through sports marketing that resonates with local fans, we aim to strengthen Hankook Tire's brand presence across the Middle East."

Jassim Sultan Al Rumaihi, Secretary-General, Gulf Football Federation, said, "This partnership reflects mutual trust and a shared vision to further develop the Gulf Cup and strengthen its presence among fans and across the media landscape. It also demonstrates the Gulf Football Federation's commitment to attracting leading brands with an influential presence and an established position in the region, contributing to expanding the strategic partnership horizons of the tournament and enhancing its value across various levels.

“We are delighted to welcome Hankook Tire & Technology to the partnership family of 'Khaleeji Al Diyar Al Arabiya 27'. The company represents a globally recognised brand with an international presence and extensive experience in supporting sports and major events. We view this partnership as a valuable addition to the tournament's journey and as a strong contribution to our efforts to deliver an exceptional edition that reflects the stature and rich heritage of the Gulf Cup while further enhancing its broad commercial and fan appeal."

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