Harm Voortman, Chief Executive of VMI Group, explains how his company is mobilising its resources to cut energy use and reduce emissions, together with other forms of pollution in its strategic drive to make the business more sustainable and environmentally responsible. Having just been awarded the prestigious EcoVadis Gold Award in recognition of the progress made already, VMI is determined to keep enhancing its own performance while helping customers worldwide achieve better sustainability.

A STRATEGIC INDUSTRY

Tyres are essential for the modern economy. That’s a simple fact of life because much of the global economy depends on motor vehicles, and all those vehicles run on tyres. Two billion tyres are made every year across the world, and a high proportion of these are built on tyre building machines designed, built and supplied by VMI.

There is, however, another side to this story of economic and manufacturing efficiency. Those two billion new tyres every year also translate into something like six million tonnes of microplastics. These highly polluting particles end up in the environment – much of it in the oceans of the world. This means that one of the essential drivers for the global economy is also a major contributor to pollution and environmental damage.

The big question for all of us is how can we maintain the benefits of the tyre industry while also finding ways to reduce the harms it causes. In other words, how can we make it transformationally more sustainable?

OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?

Sustainability is “not just a nice to have” it is an essential and non-negotiable requirement for every manufacturer and operator of automotive products.

Motor vehicles still largely use fossil fuels and require roads that must be built across the countryside, then constantly maintained and upgraded. Inevitably, this causes environmental damage.

Tyres are made from increasingly complex blends of materials, which are used to make the novel compounds required to meet the changing demands of the automotive industry. This requires a huge amount of energy and a continuous stream of raw materials.  

The move to electric vehicles (EVs), a key factor in making the industry more sustainable by reducing reliance on fossil fuels, also has one major disadvantage. EVs are often heavier than the conventional vehicles they replace. That leads to greater wear and tear on the road surface, generating a higher level of particulates that are harmful to the environment and to human health.

The need to make the entire industry less environmentally damaging, more efficient and sustainable is a challenge that every participant – car and truck manufacturers, energy companies and, above all, tyre builders – have no choice but to face. Here, as in so many other ways, VMI is leading the way.

COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION

VMI has become a strong and respected global player because it is an innovator. Many of the concepts that have transformed the tyre industry were developed by VMI, including ‘hands off, eyes off’ automation, advanced visions systems and now the use of AI to help eliminate errors and optimise production.

Yet perhaps the most important application for innovation today is in sustainability. Fresh ideas in this field lead to better environmental performance, assured regulatory compliance and to better commercial results as well. VMI believes that doing the right thing for the planet can also lead to the best outcome for shareholders.

The drive for enhanced sustainability has become a major focus for all VMI’s employees: one of its most striking features is how it involves everyone, at all levels and in all disciplines. This has become a personal goal, with every member of the wider VMI team committed to looking for new and better ways to reduce the environmental impact of their work.

At all times, the aim is to look for new methods that can deliver a real win-win to manufacturers and customers.

There is a continuing search for ways to use less energy in production, reduce waste and scrap, while eliminating errors – thereby cutting down on the amount of materials used. Reducing emissions and pollution also leads to business benefit, because less energy used means lower costs. Less scrap and waste leads to improved efficiency and, once again, cuts costs significantly.

Tyre manufacturers understand better than ever that commitment to sustainability is not just responsible, not just essential for regulatory compliance and being a good corporate citizen: it also ends up being good for shareholders through higher profits and better brand reputation.

KEY FOCUS AREAS FOR SUSTAINABILITY IMPROVEMENT

VMI’s policy focuses on four main areas of activity:

• Energy and emissions
• Efficient use of materials
• Eliminating errors and waste
• Whole lifecycle management

This strategic approach has delivered measurable benefits to VMI and also helps customers to improve their own performance. The positive impact on environmental performance is also now a matter of public record.

So how can other manufacturers learn from the approach taken by VMI? Let’s look at this in more detail.

ENERGY AND EMISSIONS

Improved energy efficiency does not usually make progress through a few big breakthroughs: instead, it’s the sum total of small improvements made to every stage of every process, and that involves the work of every employee in every department. From the design stage on, energy efficiency is a key factor in new concepts, but, at the same time, each team of engineers is accountable (and rewarded) for identifying ways in which their objectives can be reached more efficiently by using less energy.

This process starts very early. VMI sponsors educational programmes designed to build energy consciousness into future engineers from very early on and each team is empowered to scrutinise their processes critically to develop better methods. Above all, VMI and other responsible manufacturers use the regulatory system not as a painful duty to be obeyed but as a useful incentive for better performance.

Just as every employee has to be engaged in the drive for sustainability, VMI has taken the view that every supplier and partner also needs to be actively mobilised to enhance every aspect of sustainability performance. VMI’s vision is closely aligned with the EU’s adoption of the GHG Protocol’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 frameworks, which require manufacturers to account for their entire value chain emissions, not just those under their direct control.

Scope 1 covers direct emissions, Scope 2 includes indirect emissions from purchased energy and Scope 3 encompasses all other upstream and downstream indirect emissions, obliging manufacturers to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their entire value chain while driving sustainability across their supply chains.

By working actively with suppliers on every aspect of joint working, it is possible to enhance everything from component design, fabrication methods, transportation efficiency and even packaging to ensure progressive and measurable improvements. By making this not simply a ‘box ticking’ exercise but a mission that engages every participant, extraordinary improvements have been – and will continue to be – delivered.

EFFICIENT USE OF MATERIALS

One of the most important aspects of tyre design is the growing use of advanced new materials designed to reduce weight without any loss of tensile strength or safety performance, cut down on rolling resistance, reduce particulate emission and enable higher efficiency in operation. The rise of EV use is a key factor in driving this kind of research as EVs are often heavier, have different driving characteristics and are moving towards a self-driving future.

Every tyre manufacturer is now committing considerable resources into developing materials with precisely calibrated operating characteristics. They also need to deliver specialised tyres in smaller batches then before without waste, on time and efficiently enough to make a profit even from very short production runs.

VMI focuses on developing and testing new compounds in the lab without the need to rely only on trial and error. Lab testing is not a new technique – the VMI LAT100 tyre tread compound tester was first developed some decades ago – but use of advanced simulation software now means lab testing can be embedded within the tyre design and development process as never before. New compounds can be made, tested, evaluated, fine-tuned and tested all over again within (using a term borrowed from the software industry) a ‘DevOps’ approach to manufacture.

In this concept, there is no firm line between disciplines (design, build, test, core engineering…) because the entire end-to-end process is treated as an integrated whole. The tyre industry knows that new and higher performing, more sustainable compounds are a core requirement for staying competitive into the future. VMI’s integrated, lab-focused approach can fast-track new concepts and, used with new developments in continuous mixing and extrusion, this is a practical way to accelerate development without significant environmental impact.

ELIMINATING ERRORS AND WASTE

Tyre building, even with automated production systems, requires a complex blend of processes. In practice, it is as if a series of ‘just in time’ activities co-exist within a single factory with different machines, often supplied by different manufacturers, fabricating components, many of which are then moved to where the next process takes place.

There is huge scope for wastage in the average tyre factory as materials are loaded, unloaded, moved by truck or automated vehicle, put into storage until needed, then reloaded onto another machine, processed, stored again…

Innovators across the industry understand that the sheer complexity of this approach limits both the energy savings and emissions reduction that can be achieved – for the moment. Yet new technologies are being used today to make significant progress possible. Again, VMI has been a major innovator in this field as well.

OPEN SIDE BAR

There are many ways in which taking an integrated view of tyre building processes can bring greater efficiency with better sustainability performance to the whole process. VMI has taken aspects of its UNIXX single cell technology to deliver standalone solutions that can be used with a conventional TBM to streamline conventional methods, leading to greater efficiency, reduced footprint, drastically lower energy use and better sustainability performance.

The UNIXX Beltmaker, for example, cuts out the need for a separate calendering line with the massive energy use and huge space required. By using UNIXX Beltmaker, and considering use of continuous extrusion Strip Winding, it is possible not just to eliminate process stages but accelerate production and build smaller batches without damaging profitability. All this can be achieved with lower energy use, reduced emissions and much lower wastage.

CLOSE SIDE BAR

VMI introduced vision systems to measure the placement of materials as they enter a MAXX automated Tyre Building Machine (TBM). Now these increasingly advanced vision systems are being matched with emerging AI to improve other aspects of performance. This enables automated placing, use of pattern recognition and machine learning (ML) to deliver accurate cuts and AI algorithms to ensure higher efficiency in materials usage, leading to a major reduction in all aspects of wastage due to errors.

VMI, like other businesses in the wider industry, is investing heavily in specialised software development and management, with AI now forming a major part of its solutions.

Beyond the hype caused by GenAI, we can see that the combination of sensors, pattern recognition, ML and data analytics is a proven AI combination that delivers higher sustainability through reduced waste, scrap, rework and energy investment. The intelligence of each system is now greater than ever and the sustainability benefits are increasing in step.

WHOLE LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT

VMI moved from building standalone machines some years ago and now specialises in Production Platforms, which are designed to be updated regularly over an extended lifecycle. VMI tyre building machines are designed to operate at maximum efficiency over a very long lifecycle (between 10 and 20 years is normal), and the Platform approach adds value by making it easier to keep machines operating at best practice level. They are designed to make it easy for higher performance components, assemblies and upgrades to be retrofitted over the lifetime of the product.

The goal now is to make sure that the TBM at the heart of any production facility lasts for longer, continues to meet sustainability goals, remains highly efficient and is always at best practice level. Yet, that is not the whole story. VMI is also aware that end-of-life is part of the process as well and that all systems must be designed for safe recycling (including extended life for specific components) and environmentally responsible disposal.

End-of-life management has to be designed into a product from the very start. This is now a basic requirement for all VMI machines.

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

The tyre industry is essential for almost all aspects of economic life. The world economy runs on the road, and every vehicle runs on tyres. This simple truth means that every method we can find to improve performance in terms of efficiency and sustainability is a benefit to the world.

This is why the VMI approach matters. It was VMI that enabled the whole industry, not just the ‘Tier Ones’, to use the most advanced, automated systems in their daily activities. Others have followed – yet VMI’s pioneering work in creating and making available automated production systems, even to relatively small companies, has been transformational.

Today, MAXX for passenger tyres and MILEXX for trucks are in use worldwide and have made it possible for companies originating in China and India, for example, to challenge the biggest companies in the world, while many other countries have become major production hubs for the industry. VMI has had a permanent presence in China for almost 30 years and has important centres in India, Brazil, Thailand, US, Poland, Germany, Malaysia and, from the end of this year, in Mexico as well.

There is a clear roadmap to the future for the industry wherein we will see an increasing use of specialised software, including AI, to reduce human touch points still further, cut out errors and optimise quality. Further use of automation will reduce the need to move materials by hand and further cut wastage through optimised handling. We are already using hybrid systems, with UNIXX Beltmaker and Strip Winder, combined with MAXX TBMs to enable profitable, quality-assured building of small tyre batches.

The next step will be the use of single cell machines, in which ‘batches of one’ are the norm, with every stage of production taking place as part of the same process, cutting waste as close to zero as possible while driving down energy use and emissions still further.

The tyre industry remains at the heart of the world economy, but its very importance makes it essential for all of us who are shaping the future of this business to keep sustainability front and centre of our minds. VMI is proud of the way we combine innovation and care to deliver outstanding results for our customers, but there is still a lot of work to do, and we are already focused on the next steps.

Now and into the future: Sustainability is at the heart of our strategy.

Continental has secured a global original equipment supply agreement for the new all-electric Renault Twingo. The latest generation of the compact vehicle is now being produced exclusively with the 18-inch Continental EcoContact 7 tyre as standard across all worldwide markets.

The selection of this specific tyre is underpinned by its superior performance on the EU tyre label, particularly regarding energy efficiency and rolling noise. These attributes are critical for electric vehicle applications, as low rolling resistance directly contributes to maximising the driving range per charge, while reduced noise emission ensures a more serene cabin environment.

The tyre’s exceptional energy efficiency stems from a novel rubber compound and the advanced Smart Energy Casing technology, which incorporates new materials to minimise internal friction. Efficiency is further amplified by an aerodynamically optimised sidewall, featuring a golf-ball-inspired ‘Aerodimple’ structure that reduces air turbulence and the energy required to maintain motion.

Furthermore, Continental has engineered the Silent Pattern tread design to specifically mitigate rolling noise. By meticulously calibrating the tread block spacing and angles to counteract low-speed urban frequencies, the tyre delivers a quieter experience for both passengers and surrounding communities. This tyre variant, size 205/45 R18 90H XL FR, has been homologated for the Twingo in numerous countries.

Bridgestone UK has been named Tyre Manufacturer of the Year at the 2026 TyreSafe Awards, recognising its sustained efforts to improve road safety and influence driver behaviour across the country. The honour specifically highlights the effectiveness of the company’s 'Be a Road Safety Hero' initiative.

Since its inception, that campaign has reached over 24 million individuals, combining public education, retailer participation and direct engagement to translate awareness into practical action. More than 25 nationwide events have been held at venues ranging from supermarkets to tyre retail sites, resulting in over 10,500 complimentary safety inspections. Those checks uncovered more than 1,200 separate issues, including roughly 200 tyres deemed illegal for road use.

Beyond these hands-on clinics, the programme has distributed extensive educational resources and maintained visibility through digital media and targeted public relations. Partnerships with groups like Sporting Bears have helped convey safety messages to enthusiast communities, while Bridgestone staff have collectively logged over 10,000 volunteer hours in support of the campaign’s objectives.

Helen Roe, Senior Manager – Brand, Events, Product & Digital Marketing, said, "While we're naturally delighted to receive this recognition, what matters most to us is the impact the campaign is having beyond the award itself. Our 'Be a Bridgestone Road Safety Hero' campaign was designed to encourage drivers to take simple steps that can make a big difference, and we're proud that the campaign is helping to identify potentially dangerous tyres and prompting drivers to take action. Tyre safety isn’t something any one organisation can tackle alone. That’s why we’ve worked closely with our retailers and partners to take this message directly to motorists in ways that are practical, visible and engaging. To have carried out over 10,500 tyre checks over the last couple of years, demonstrates the scale of the challenge but also the power of education and collaboration. We see this award not as the finish line, but as motivation to continue championing safer roads for everyone.

“We’d also like to recognise and congratulate TyreSafe, on their 20th year anniversary, for bringing together so many to collaborate on raising tyre safety awareness in the UK and for their continued work with government, police and emergency services to raise the profile of tyre safety nationwide. Ultimately, tyres carry lives. With an estimated 6.1 million illegal tyres still on UK roads, raising awareness remains critical. Regular tyre checks are a simple step that can make a real difference – for drivers and for everyone around them.”

Toyo Tires secured a dominant performance at the 58th SCORE Baja 500, with drivers Trey Gibbs and Gustavo Vildósola Sr. claiming victories in the Trophy Truck Spec and Legends classes, respectively. The championship-winning Open Country M/T-R tyres were instrumental in the success, particularly in the highly competitive Spec class, which boasted the largest field among the top five categories. Brent Fox added to the brand's success by finishing second in the Spec class, delivering a third podium finish for Team Toyo over the race weekend.

The second round of the 2026 SCORE World Desert Championship unfolded on a demanding 468.70-mile circuit through the northern Baja California peninsula. Driving the #215 Mason Motorsports / Toyo Tires / Ford Raptor, Gibbs achieved his maiden SCORE race victory with a winning time of 9 hours, 46 minutes and 7.59 seconds. This triumph extended Team Toyo’s remarkable winning streak in the Spec class to four consecutive years, a reign that began at the 2023 Baja 500. Fox secured the runner-up position in his #282 1Nine Industries / Ford Raptor, clocking in at 9 hours and 55 minutes to complete a one-two finish for the team.

In the Legends category, Vildósola Sr. returned to the top step of the podium behind the wheel of his #1L Mason Motorsports / Toyo Tires / Vildosola Racing / Ford Raptor. His winning effort, completed in 9 hours, 47 minutes and 56.17 seconds, marked his first victory of the season and extended his personal winning streak at the Baja 500 to five consecutive races, a run that started in 2022.

Looking ahead, Team Toyo aims to build on this momentum as the series progresses towards the Baja 400 in September. The brand’s legacy in the SCORE World Desert Championship remains extensive, with multiple victories across all major events. Notable wins include the San Felipe 250 on four occasions, the Baja 500 six times, the Baja 400 five times and the prestigious Baja 1000 six times, with a roster of accomplished drivers contributing to this storied record.

Gibbs said, “Winning the Baja 500 is something I’ve always dreamed of, and it still hasn’t fully hit me what my team and I accomplished over the weekend. Honestly, I don’t have the words to describe what this win feels like.”

Fox said, “Taking home second place in the Trophy Truck Spec class and completing the Baja 500 is something we’re really proud of. Thanks to Toyo Tires, we ran the entire race with no flats and zero issues.”

Stan Chen, Deputy Director – Consumer Marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp, said, “Congratulations to Trey Gibbs on earning his first SCORE race victory this weekend, and to Gustavo Vildósola Sr. on adding another win to his accomplished career. Our drivers have continued to set the standard in the Spec and Legends classes at the Baja 500, and we’re proud of this past weekend’s continued success.”

Tyres Europe has joined a broad coalition of industrial sectors calling on the European Union to adopt a more dynamic and forceful trade policy amid deliberations by the European Council on economic security, competitiveness and EU-China relations. The tyre industry contends that current frameworks are increasingly mismatched with the realities of a fast-moving global economy, where distortions rapidly transcend borders and sectors.

The sector underpins approximately 500,000 jobs across the Union and supplies essential products for passenger mobility, freight, agriculture and defence. Its viability depends on fair competition within deeply interconnected value chains, yet structural overcapacity, state-induced market distortions and unfair trading practices are simultaneously affecting multiple industries. These pressures cascade across supply networks, weaken investment incentives and progressively hollow out Europe's industrial base. Tyres Europe argues that only a coherent policy combining robust trade defence instruments with broader industrial resilience measures can effectively counter this erosion.

A critical challenge lies in the temporal disconnect between agile global supply chains and the slower pace of EU investigations and duty implementation. Tyre manufacturing routes can be reconfigured within months, allowing exporters to front-load shipments during probes and redirect production to alternative locations once tariffs are imposed. This leaves European manufacturers under sustained competitive pressure even after investigations conclude. Tyres Europe has therefore endorsed the Joint Industry Statement, which urges a more ambitious application of trade policy that reflects the fundamentally altered contours of global commerce.

The organisation supports enhanced resources for investigations, a more proactive deployment of existing instruments aligned with industrial objectives and exploration of additional WTO-compatible tools to tackle systemic state-induced distortions. It also advocates for strategic use of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation to address recurrent distortive patterns beyond isolated case assessments. Given that tyre manufacturing involves long-term, capital-intensive decisions with near-irreversible capacity loss, preserving a competitive domestic base is framed as both an industrial goal and a matter of strategic autonomy. As European leaders shape their response to a volatile trading environment, Tyres Europe urges them to ensure that trade defence evolves to safeguard fairness and the industrial capabilities underpinning prosperity and innovation.