Linglong Tire hosted its second Chinese fan event with Chelsea Football Club early this year in Chongqing, reinforcing its role as the club’s global tyre partner. The gathering attracted a wide range of guests, partners and media, who joined Chelsea icon Gianfranco Zola for an engaging experience. Located in central China, roughly 1,500 kilometres west of Shanghai, Chongqing is a dynamic metropolis of 32 million people and a vital commercial hub, reflecting the progressive spirit both Linglong Tire and Chelsea embody.

Linglong Tire’s Vice President, Guo Kuntao, inaugurated the event by reviewing key milestones of the partnership, established in 2024. He emphasised the natural alignment between the two brands, noting shared commitments to innovation, excellence and high-quality standards. Attendees then enjoyed various interactive opportunities, such as taking digital photos with virtual backgrounds featuring Chelsea stars and Stamford Bridge, collecting autographs from Zola and participating in digital football matches. Throughout the event, Linglong highlighted its newest tyre products, underscoring that safety and quality remain central to its development philosophy.

The celebration culminated in a public viewing of Chelsea’s Premier League match against Brentford, where fans united in song and cheered the team’s comfortable 2-0 home victory. By organising ‘The Famous CFC’ event in Chongqing, Linglong Tire not only showcased its international brand strength but also deepened its influence in the Chinese market, creating lasting impressions among fans and potential customers. Moving forward, the company plans to expand such activations to additional cities across China, further energizing its sports marketing initiatives and supporting the growth of football culture nationwide.

Zola said, "It is an honour for me to represent Chelsea Football Club at the Linglong Tire event today. This collaboration reflects Chelsea's commitment to fans worldwide, particularly in strengthening relationships with the passionate fan community in China. Many thanks to Linglong Tire for supporting the club. I hope everyone has a wonderful time in Chongqing."

Kuntao said, "We take this opportunity to sincerely thank the fans for their love for Chelsea and their trust in Linglong Tire. In the future, we will continue our efforts to strengthen the passion and joy of football through further events."

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Demonstrating its advanced SUV tyre technology to North American customers, Hankook Tire took part in the prestigious King of the Hammers off-road race in California’s Johnson Valley on 6 February. This gruelling event, which challenges drivers across desert, rock and mud, is a major North American motorsport spectacle, annually drawing over 500 teams, 80,000 spectators and millions of online viewers.

For the competition, Hankook equipped the vehicles of drivers Joel Dulac, Justin Dulac and Jacob Pacheco with its extreme-terrain Dynapro MT2 tyre. This model is engineered to provide exceptional traction, grip and durability on severe off-road surfaces. Its specialised tread pattern enhances performance on mud and gravel, while a robust V-shaped sidewall design offers protection against sharp rocks and obstacles. The tread block design also ensures stable control and comfort across both on- and off-road environments.

The Dynapro series represents SUV tire technology already validated in major North American motorsports. At last year's King of the Hammers, drivers Dulac and Pacheco achieved outstanding results using the Dynapro MT2, and at the 2024 Antigo Off-Road National, Michael Funk earned a podium finish with Dynapro tyres. Beyond performance, the tyre’s innovative design has been globally recognised, winning a Red Dot Design Award in 2020.

Hankook Tire is actively strengthening its North American market presence through innovation and its premium unified brand. Beyond sponsoring teams at events like King of the Hammers, the company engages customers at major automotive exhibitions such as the SEMA Show and Overland Expo. It further amplifies its technology-driven brand image through partnerships in sports and entertainment, including its role as an Official Tire Partner and Founding Partner of the US-based Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) presented by SoFi.

Looking forward, Hankook intends to solidify its global market leadership by leveraging performance data from its involvement in over 70 motorsports events worldwide, such as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and the FIA World Rally Championship. This strategic use of real-world racing insights will advance the development of its core ultra-high-performance tire technologies.

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Nokian Tyres has launched its ‘Carve the Corners’ contest, offering hockey fans in United States and Canada a chance to win a trip to the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. The promotion runs from 6 February to 20 March. Entrants can visit a dedicated page on the company’s website for their opportunity to win an all-expenses-paid experience. This includes airfare, lodging and tickets to the semifinal games in Zurich, Switzerland, on 30 May. One winner will be randomly selected from each country, each receiving a trip for themselves and a guest.

The tournament itself, for which Nokian Tyres is an Official Sponsor for a two-year period, takes place from 15 to 31 May. It is the world’s largest annual winter sports event, featuring 64 games where 16 top national teams compete for the World Champion title, captivating millions of viewers. Beyond the grand prize, the contest page allows participants to predict the tournament’s overall winner and leading scorer, and also provides information on Nokian Tyres products.

The company is promoting the campaign extensively. Efforts include social media outreach on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Threads, where followers can find competition updates, driving tips and hockey-related content. Nokian Tyres is also working with its network of tyre dealers and hockey media across both countries to raise awareness. This broader campaign involves dealer showrooms, podcast discussions and various grassroots channels. Additionally, a separate contest is available exclusively for tyre dealers, offering them a chance to win tickets to the championship, promoted through the company’s dedicated dealer communications.

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MRF Limited reported a 15 per cent rise in consolidated total income for the third quarter ended 31 December 2025, supported by stronger demand across original equipment and replacement segments.

Total income rose to INR 81.75bn, compared with INR 70.99bn in the corresponding quarter a year earlier. Consolidated profit before tax increased to INR 9.17bn, up from INR 4.24bn a year earlier, after providing for an exceptional item of INR 0.77bn related to the new Labour Code.

Provision for tax during the quarter stood at INR 2.25bn. Consolidated net profit more than doubled to INR 6.92bn, compared with INR 3.15bn in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

The company said both original equipment and replacement sales were robust during the quarter, aided by higher demand following the reduction in goods and services tax rates. Rural demand also improved, supported by good and widespread monsoons.

MRF said demand momentum from lower GST rates was expected to continue into the fourth quarter. Original equipment manufacturers were also expected to raise production levels, driven by higher anticipated sales and lower channel inventories.

The company said increased government spending on infrastructure, announced in the Union Budget, was positive for commercial vehicles and, in turn, the tyre industry. It also noted that trade agreements under discussion with several countries, including the European Union and the United States, could create export opportunities in the future.

The board of directors declared a second interim dividend of INR 3 per share, representing 30 per cent on the face value of INR 10, for the financial year ending 31 March 2026.

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TVS Srichakra Limited has approved a capital investment of up to INR 21 billion to expand manufacturing capacity at its Unit 2 facility in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand.

The decision was taken by the board of directors at a meeting held on recently, the company said.

The investment will be directed towards capacity addition at the existing plant, which currently has an annual production capacity of about 9.2 million to 9.5 million tyres. Capacity utilisation at the unit stands at roughly 80–85 per cent.

The proposed expansion is expected to raise capacity by about 40–45 per cent and is scheduled to be completed in the first half of the 2027–28 financial year.

The company said the investment would be funded through a combination of internal accruals and debt. The expansion is intended to meet growing demand for the company’s two-wheeler and three-wheeler tyres.

TVS Srichakra disclosed the development under Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s listing regulations.

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