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.

TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has entered a new partnership with West Yorkshire Police, reinforcing a joint commitment to road safety and reducing fatalities and serious injuries across the county. The collaboration arrives amid concerning road safety figures, with 51 deaths and 1,210 serious injuries recorded on West Yorkshire’s roads in 2025.

The two organisations will work together to highlight the essential role tyres play in road user safety. Drivers will be encouraged to perform routine checks on tyre pressure, tread depth and overall condition. The initiative also supports West Yorkshire Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from the county’s roads.

West Yorkshire Police becomes part of a growing network of over 260 organisations partnering with TyreSafe to promote safer motoring and enhance public understanding of tyre safety. A rising number of police forces now recognise tyre safety as a vital component of their broader road safety efforts.

As the sole point of contact between a vehicle and the road, properly maintained tyres are critical for braking, steering and grip, especially in difficult conditions. TyreSafe advises road users to check their tyres monthly and before long journeys, helping identify pressure, tread and condition issues before they become safety risks. This partnership marks another significant step in TyreSafe’s mission to reduce tyre-related incidents and improve road safety across Britain.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “We are delighted to welcome West Yorkshire Police as a TyreSafe partner. The fact that 51 people lost their lives and more than 1,200 suffered serious injuries on West Yorkshire’s roads in 2025 is a stark reminder that there is still so much work to do. Road safety requires a collective effort, and partnerships such as this are incredibly important. By combining the reach and expertise of West Yorkshire Police with TyreSafe’s specialist knowledge and campaigns, we can help ensure more road users understand the simple but crucial role their tyres play in keeping themselves and others safe.”

Inspector Claire Gray, Roads Policing Support and Proactive Intercept Team Inspector for West Yorkshire Police, said, “Every death and serious injury on our roads has a devastating impact on families, friends and communities. We are committed to working with partners to make West Yorkshire’s roads safer and to support the Vision Zero ambition. Vehicle safety is an important part of that work, and tyres are fundamental to a vehicle’s ability to stop, steer and maintain grip. We are pleased to be working with TyreSafe to help raise awareness and encourage road users to take responsibility for checking and maintaining their tyres.”

Hankook Tire has completed a significant expansion of its European manufacturing facility in Rácalmás, Hungary, marking the company's first production of truck and bus tyres on the continent. The new line, representing an investment of EUR 540 million, is scheduled to commence operations in October and has been configured to deliver more than 800,000 units annually. The first pre-production tyre from these facilities was officially unveiled at the ongoing IAA Transportation exhibition.

Previously, Hankook supplied European commercial vehicle customers exclusively from plants in Korea and China. The Hungarian line substantially reduces delivery distances, strengthening supply reliability and cutting lead times. Logistics-related carbon dioxide emissions also decline as lengthy transport routes from Asia are partially eliminated. Europe represents roughly 45 percent of Hankook's worldwide sales, making it a critical market for the tyre maker.

The Rácalmás site has received approximately EUR 856 million across three earlier expansion phases since 2007, with the third stage finishing in spring 2015. It now produces as many as 17 million tyres yearly for passenger cars, SUVs and light commercial vehicles. The fourth phase added the truck and bus tyre line and has seen around 66,000 square metres of production and support buildings constructed since 2024. More than 450 local jobs are being created. Globally, Hankook operates eight plants with capacity for up to 100 million tyres annually and employs about 20,000 people.

Designed as a highly automated facility, the new line relies on automated logistics systems, autonomous guided vehicles and real-time tracking to manage material flow and warehousing, while automated testing ensures consistent quality. Sustainability guided planning and operation through energy-efficient systems, optimised supply infrastructure and modern process controls that lower energy and water use. The plant earned ISCC PLUS certification in 2023. Production will initially centre on 22.5-inch truck and bus tyres, gradually broadening as capacity and approvals allow.

Jongho Park, President and COO, Hankook Tire Europe, said, “The expansion of our European production plant with a new line for truck and bus tyres is yet another key milestone for Hankook in Europe. The central location of the facilities in Hungary and their proximity to the core European markets is a key locational advantage. It will enable us to supply our European customers with premium commercial vehicle tyres even more reliably and quickly, and to respond to their needs with the greatest possible flexibility.”

Ho Taek Lim, Vice President and Managing Director of the plant in Rácalmás, said, “This expansion project was one of the largest industrial development projects ever undertaken at the site in Hungary. The new truck and bus tyre production facilities will transform the plant into a comprehensive production site of significantly greater complexity and with a higher level of automation.”

Continental has expanded its global ultra-high-performance tyre portfolio, covering sizes 18 inches and above, over five years and plans further growth. By late 2027, it will add over 650 new sizes across all lines for original equipment and replacement markets. This responds to demand for tyres suited to larger, heavier, more powerful and electrified vehicles, supporting profitable growth.

UHP tyres for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles now matter more to Continental and its customers. From 2020 to 2025, their share of global passenger-car tyre sales across all brands rose from 41 to 55 percent. Asia-Pacific leads at 70 percent, the Americas at 66 percent and EMEA at 43 percent. For the Continental brand, the share grew from about 49 to 62 percent.

The trend towards larger tyres links to vehicle market shifts. Cars are becoming bigger, heavier and more powerful, with SUVs increasingly common. Electric mobility is another weight driver, since batteries add considerable mass. Modern drivetrains also produce torque once associated only with high-performance sports cars. These changes demand more from tyres, which must support heavier loads while ensuring safety, efficiency and comfort.

UHP tyres combine high grip, short braking distances and precise handling with low rolling resistance and high mileage. Continental develops them mainly for wheel-and-tyre combinations of 18 inches and above, performance SUVs, premium sedans, sports cars and high-performance electric vehicles. It is expanding this range across major markets, adding over 650 sizes by the end of 2027, including secondary brands such as Semperit and Uniroyal.

This reflects growing vehicle market diversification, as manufacturers offer more variants and need tyres tailored to differing performance, efficiency and comfort requirements. UHP tyres must meet conflicting demands, balancing grip, braking, handling, rolling resistance, comfort and mileage, with rubber compounds playing a central role. Continental relies on simulations, laboratory analyses, bench tests and driving tests across varied conditions, with the High Performance Technology Center in Korbach driving manufacturing advances applied globally, where UHP tyres up to 24 inches are made.

Testing occurs at the Contidrom near Hannover, Arvidsjaur in Sweden and Uvalde in Texas, focusing on braking, handling, high-speed capability, comfort and durability. Collaboration with tuners ABT Sportsline and BRABUS, plus motorsport input through Hoosier, further advances development. The SportContact 7 exemplifies the segment, available from 18 to 24 inches and approved by Audi, BMW, BYD, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Porsche, Volkswagen and Zeekr, ranking top three in 27 of 29 international tests.

Edwin Goudswaard, head of Research and Development for Continental’s Tires group sector, said, “With our expanded UHP portfolio, we are responding directly to the increasing demands of modern vehicles. This enables us to offer our customers around the world even more tailored solutions for safety, efficiency and driving dynamics. As modern tyres become larger, heavier and more powerful, tyres are becoming even more critical. They are no longer simply the vehicle’s connection to the road, but a key prerequisite for safety, efficiency and driving dynamics. The UHP segment clearly demonstrates how capable modern tyres need to be. The art lies in combining conflicting requirements at the highest level, and that is precisely what sets our tyres apart.”

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced that a car equipped with its ADVAN flagship tyres claimed overall victory at the 2026 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) Round 8 in Germany on 12 September. The ADVAN racing tyres delivered the grip and durability required to succeed in the demanding endurance event.

The winning entry was the No. 77 BMW M Motorsport car, fielded by Schubert Motorsport. It started from the front row, took the lead early and stayed with the front-runners throughout. After moving back ahead on lap 24, it resisted heavy pressure from closely pursuing rivals and crossed the line just 0.308 seconds clear of the second-place finisher.

This season marks the first collaboration between Yokohama Rubber and BMW M Motorsport in almost 40 years. The No. 77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, featuring ADVAN’s ‘Red in Black’ livery, has been consistently competitive, winning Rounds 3 and 8 while finishing second in Rounds 6 and 7.

Following Round 9 on 13 September, the car leads the NLS Speed Trophy standings, awarded for the most points across all classes. The ‘Red in Black’ entry will seek to secure the trophy and the series title in October’s final round.