Sailun Group Co. plans to invest USD 93.48 million to double its truck tyre production capacity in Cambodia, betting on growing demand in North America amid ongoing trade tensions.

The Shanghai-listed company said in a statement that the Chinese tyre maker will boost annual production of all-steel radial tyres by 1.65 million units at its CART Tire Co. facility in Sai Jaeng City. The expanded operation is expected to generate USD 244.73 million in annual revenue and USD 47.12 million in net profit.

The board, led by Chairwoman Liu Yanhua, approved the expansion plan at a meeting on January 6. The project allocates USD 61.18 million for construction and USD 32.30 million for working capital, funded through a capital increase at Sailun’s Hong Kong subsidiary.

Construction will take nine months, after which CART Tire’s total capacity will reach 21 million semi-steel radial tyres and 3.3 million all-steel radial tyres annually. The facility currently produces nine million semi-steel radial tyres, with an additional 12 million semi-steel and 1.65 million all-steel tyre capacity.

The investment comes as tyre manufacturers seek to diversify production bases outside China to navigate trade barriers and reduce geopolitical risks. Cambodia has become a preferred destination due to its lower labour costs and favourable trade status with major markets.

The expansion will be executed through a structured capital injection involving Sailun’s subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Singapore before reaching CART Tire in Cambodia.

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Pirelli has selected Phillip Island, host of the 2026 Australian Grand Prix and the final edition there before the event moves to Adelaide's new street circuit in 2027, to debut the F0604, a new hard-compound development rear specification for Moto2 designed to offer greater resistance to wear at the most severe circuits.

The alternative rear option will be the medium D0922, which every rider used at the 2025 event when Diogo Moreira set a new all-time lap record on it, and which also appeared at the past two German Grands Prix. Compared with the standard SC1, the D0922 has a different structure and compound, slightly softer and sitting between the soft and medium options to improve stability and performance consistency.

To help teams and riders evaluate the new F0604 specification, the rear slick allocation for the weekend will increase from 9 to 10 tyres per rider, adding one extra rear tyre. Riders will also have the standard soft SC1 and medium SC2 front options, with every rider choosing the SC1 for last year's race to excellent effect.

In Moto3, riders can choose between the standard medium SC2 and the development hard C1096, both already included in the 2025 Australian Grand Prix allocation. Almost every rider selected the rear SC2 for last year's race, usually pairing it with a medium front, and the same front specifications in different sizes will be available in the entry class.

Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Motorcycle Racing Director, said, “Some circuits present a tyre manufacturer with a particularly severe challenge, whether because of their layout, the asphalt or the temperatures that can arise. From this perspective, Phillip Island has been an absolute benchmark for many years: an extremely demanding circuit, capable of putting tyres to the test and driving us to keep improving the performance of our products. In a sense, it has been an adversary, one that commands respect and, precisely because of the scale of the challenge, pushes you beyond your limits. Added to all this is the unique appeal of a circuit that has retained its distinctive identity over the years. That is why we will be sorry not to race here anymore: Phillip Island is an ideal proving ground for tyre development, and its characteristics are precisely why we chose the circuit for the debut of the new F0604 rear tyre for Moto2. This solution has been developed to provide greater resistance to wear, going beyond the level already achieved by the D0922 and further broadening the range of options available to us for tackling the circuits that place the greatest demands on tyres.”

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Linglong Tire convened 120 European dealers in Milan from 10 to 13 October for its European Partner Conference, where CEO Lingkun ‘Andy’ Zhou and Vice President Yongchao ‘Aaron’ Xu outlined the company's latest developments, fiscal performance and future strategy. Zhou noted that despite a difficult and volatile market, Linglong achieved sales growth in the first half of 2026, crediting close cooperation with its European distribution partners.

Global Marketing head Kai You introduced the upcoming ‘Linglong Hub’ dealer programme, which offers quantity-based unit bonuses and tailored marketing packages such as POS materials to support in-shop sales. Andreas Krause, Head of Research and Development in Europe, presented forthcoming products from the Linglong, Crosswind and Leao brands, available from spring 2027, including the all-season Dura Master Van 4S and Leao Nova Force Van 4S for vans and campers, alongside the flagship UHP Linglong Sport Master 2.

Guests then travelled to Villongo, northeast of Milan, for the official opening of Western Europe's first Linglong Tire Center, inaugurated by Zhou together with Sebino Pneus owner Gigi Pezzotta and Fintyre Sales Director Renato Paghera. The fully branded facility is seen as a benchmark for further centres planned across Italy and Europe. The day continued at the Alfa Romeo Museum, a Stellantis brand and key original equipment customer, ending with a gala dinner featuring live Italian music.

The following day, dealers tested the Sport Master 2 at the Balocco test site near Milan, a 550-hectare facility with over 80 km of track, using various Mercedes-Benz and AMG models before a race taxi ride with a professional driver. The event closed with dinner and a dance and music show at El Porteno, setting the stage for the 2027 conference in London.

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Infiniteria Europe and Aliapur, a French State-approved eco-organisation, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to pursue an agreement for supplying end-of-life tyres to two planned Infiniteria recycling plants in France. The MoU outlines intentions for a long-term supply arrangement in which Aliapur would furnish the end-of-life tyres needed to operate both facilities.

The agreement creates a framework for a secure, reliable and sustainable long-term supply chain and provides a foundation for continued development of both projects. Shortlisted sites are being assessed, with environmental impact studies under way. The partnership marks a significant milestone for the projects and reflects both companies’ shared commitment to recovering valuable secondary raw materials from end-of-life tyres, developing more circular industrial value chains and increasing tyre recycling capacity in France.

The collaboration combines Aliapur’s material recovery experience with Infiniteria Europe’s recycling solution development expertise. Both companies aim to build a strong long-term partnership supporting tyre recovery and recycling in France, and they look forward to further strengthening their collaboration as the projects advance through subsequent development stages.

Kajsa Ryttberg-Wallgren, CEO, Infiniteria Europe, said, “This MoU brings our two planned plants in France one step closer to realisation. They will form an important part of our broader ambition to build Europe’s leading business in circular tyre recycling, transforming end-of-life tyres into valuable resources for new uses.”

Mathieu Chardin, Managing Director, Aliapur, said, “Aliapur is proud to have been selected by Infiniteria Europe, an industrial company with proven expertise in tyre pyrolysis technology, as a strategic partner for the supply of raw materials to its future plants in France. This partnership also supports our commitment to France’s reindustrialisation and ecological transition, two priorities at the heart of the Government’s strategy for a more resilient, competitive and sustainable industry.”

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ETRTO held its 62nd General Assembly on 2 October in Nantes, France, drawing strong attendance from Full members and Experts, alongside the TNPF (Travaux de Normalisation des Pneumatiques pour la France) team, UNECE GRBP Chairman, a JATMA delegation and several Honorary members.

The Assembly approved a name change from European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation to European Tyre, Rim & Valve Technical Organisation while retaining the ETRTO acronym. It also endorsed all 80 Technical Subcommittee resolutions, set for inclusion in the 2027 Standards Manual and Engineering Design Information publications, and amendments to ETRTO Recommendations, due for free publication on the ETRTO website in five languages.

Christian Lerner (Continental) and Peter Roest (Apollo) were elected President and Vice President, respectively, for 2027. Presentations covered UNECE GRBP tyre regulatory trends and TNPF’s role in the French regulatory landscape, while Technical Subcommittee chairmen outlined activity highlights and future trends. ETRTO also demonstrated its new Data Portal, available for the Passenger Car tyre section from early 2027.

Appreciation was extended to Jérôme Barrand (Michelin, current ETRTO President) for organising the Assembly and to TNPF for hosting the Gala Dinner. The 63rd ETRTO General Assembly is scheduled for 1 October 2027.

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