The Tyre Recovery Association convened its Briefing Day 2026 at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Warwickshire, drawing more than 100 senior figures from the UK tyre recovery, retreading, retail and manufacturing sectors alongside national regulators, parliamentarians and trade bodies. The event served as a platform to press for meaningful reforms covering tyre recovery, green procurement and domestic circular resilience.

Tessa Munt, the MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, delivered a keynote address that attacked the enduring disconnect between government policy rhetoric and industrial reality. Drawing on her parliamentary work regarding end-of-life tyre exports to India and her engagement with Somerset businesses, she condemned official inaction and set out four priority areas for reform, criticising a reliance on superficial slogans while domestic capacity lies stranded.

The MP highlighted what she described as a double standard, noting that the Environment Agency imposes strict Digital Waste Tracking on compliant domestic operators while granting misplaced goodwill and deadline extensions to non-compliant overseas exporters. Before the rules were diluted, proof-of-arrival compliance stood at just 20 percent. She further noted that more than 150,000 tonnes of licensed UK recycling and remanufacturing capacity remains entirely idle while raw waste is shipped abroad.

Her proposed reforms comprised the immediate statutory withdrawal of T8 exemptions to establish an audited permit regime, adoption of the Australian shred-only export model to end whole and baled tyre exports, instant revocation of export licences for brokers failing to supply timestamped and geotagged proof of delivery and mandatory green public procurement quotas for remanufactured tyres and rubberised asphalt. The RAC Foundation's Steve Gooding also addressed the conference, explaining that a modest 10 percent rubberised asphalt target in public highway contracts would absorb all idle UK crumb capacity, reduce road noise by three to five decibels and produce longer-lasting roads. Strong participation from the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA), the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA), the British Tyre Manufacturers' Association (BTMA) and the Imported Tyre Manufacturers Association (ITMA) underscored growing cross-sector unity.

Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General, TRA, said, "The TRA Briefing Day proves that the British tyre recovery sector is united, highly innovative and ready to grow. Having around 100 key players and all four leading trade associations in one room shows that our industry is speaking with one voice. If the UK’s tyre recovery sector does not grow, it will soon disappear from these shores. We are gradually making progress in getting government to understand this, but there is a long way to go. We have the domestic processing infrastructure, the technical capability and the private capital ready to build a world-class circular economy. What we lack is a regulator and a government willing to back domestic industry by ending illegal whole tyre exports and enforcing green procurement. Tessa Munt MP highlighted this in her powerful speech. We are very grateful to her, Steve Gooding and all those who spoke yesterday, as well as our sponsors Vaculug, Murfitts and KwickFit. These contributions made the event an overwhelming success. The message from industry is clear: the time for policy talk is over, we need to statutory reform."

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Lassa Tyres has introduced the Wintus 3, a new winter tyre engineered for light commercial vehicle operators who depend on reliable, durable performance in harsh cold-weather conditions. The company designed the pattern to address the varied demands of business users whose vehicles are central to their operations.

The Wintus 3 features a new-generation tread pattern, advanced construction and innovative compound technologies, delivering gains over its predecessor that include up to 60 percent longer wear life and a 27 percent reduction in rolling resistance for improved efficiency and more sustainable mobility. It also improves wet braking, snow and ice performance, wet handling and dry braking.

The tyre carries the TÜV SÜD Performance Mark, with independent benchmark testing showing measurable advantages over the competitor average in snow acceleration, snow braking, wet braking, wet cornering, dry braking and fuel and energy efficiency, including improvements exceeding 10 percent in dry braking, wet braking and fuel efficiency.

Offered in 22 sizes spanning 14 to 16 inches, the Wintus 3 will be available in Lassa markets during the 2026 winter season, with size availability varying by market.

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Liberty Tire Recycling has published the industry’s first US company-commissioned lifecycle assessment (LCA) centred on rubber-modified asphalt solutions made from recycled tyres. The study was commissioned by Liberty and carried out by Boundless, applying internationally recognised LCA methodology to evaluate the environmental impacts of the company’s asphalt-related products against conventional alternatives used in asphalt modification.

The company described the assessment as a notable step forward for rubber-modified asphalt. Environmental gains are routinely linked to recycled tyre materials in road building, yet Liberty said this analysis supplies quantified evidence behind such assertions. Greenhouse gas emissions tied to its rubber-modified asphalt solutions were tracked throughout their lifecycle.

Results showed that Liberty's asphalt products carried substantially lower greenhouse gas impacts than conventional SBS polymer modifiers. Recovering and reusing end-of-life tyre materials was also found to deliver environmental benefits exceeding the impacts of processing them. Liberty said the findings give transportation agencies, engineers, contractors and infrastructure stakeholders data-driven insights for choosing materials.

Four products were assessed: crumb rubber and three asphalt additives, namely dry mix rubber additives, a DOT additive and combined micronised rubber powder with the Rheopave additive. Dry mix rubber additives yielded the largest carbon benefit, avoiding up to 0.577 kg CO₂e per pound produced, while the tyre-derived products achieved over 100 percent lower greenhouse gas footprint than traditional SBS modifiers. Each product assessed generated a net environmental benefit, with reductions spanning 0.47 to 0.57 kg of CO₂e per pound.

Liberty said the study helps set a benchmark for measuring and communicating environmental impacts as sustainability gains prominence in infrastructure projects, and that transparent, science-based data will matter increasingly to public agencies and industry leaders weighing performance and environmental goals.

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Avon Tyres will make its second consecutive EICMA appearance this year, using the Milan show to unveil a refreshed motorcycle range and a renewed brand identity to a global audience of riders and trade visitors. The company will occupy Hall 9, Booth U65 at Fiera Milano between 3 and 8 November.

The exhibit reflects Avon's ‘made to be different’ philosophy and presents a focused portfolio spanning sport, touring, adventure, cruiser and classic segments. Avon's return also signals progress within Goodyear's motorcycle portfolio, where, since joining the family of brands in 2022, it has paired longstanding heritage with a modern product strategy and upgraded manufacturing.

Four flagship tyres anchor the display: the Spirit ST for sport-touring, the 3D Supersport for hypersport riders, the Roadrider MKII for classics and the Cobra Chrome for cruiser, touring and custom applications, the latter now offered in additional sizes. They are joined by the Trailrider 2, a new adventure-touring tyre launching in January 2027 that carries the ‘made to blaze your own trail’ message, targets an 80:20 road-to-off-road mix and will come in at least 20 sizes for popular adventure bikes.

Together with the existing Trekrider and Streetrunner, the lineup forms Avon's most comprehensive public display of its motorcycle portfolio to date. EICMA, which drew over 600,000 visitors last year including nearly 43,000 trade professionals from 167 countries, gives the brand a truly global stage for engaging riders, dealers and partners. Public-day attendees can also meet stunt rider Rok Bagoros at the stand on Friday 6 November at 11:30.

Roberto Finetti, Marketing Manager Motorcycle Europe, Goodyear, said, “We’re looking forward to speaking with riders and partners at EICMA about our continued growth plans for Avon. EICMA is the world’s largest motorcycle exhibition and provides the ideal place to showcase our refreshed identity and tyre range under the ‘made to be different’ philosophy.”

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Kumho Tire USA has announced that its driver Jack Shanahan finished third overall in the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship, concluding a strong second season with a runner-up result at Round 8, the Shoreline Showdown, held in Long Beach, California. Competing on KUMHO Ecsta V730 tyres, Shanahan entered the season finale as the top qualifier and recorded his fourth podium of the year in his E82 BMW.

After securing first place in qualifying, Shanahan collected four championship points and received a bye through the Top 32 round. He then won three head-to-head battles to reach the Finals, where he met five-time PRO Champion James Deane in a tightly fought contest. While attempting to stay close to Deane’s Mustang, Shanahan spun in Zone 6 and ultimately took second place at the Shoreline Showdown.

The KUMHO Ecsta V730 is an extreme-performance summer tyre designed to deliver exceptional grip, responsiveness and consistency in demanding track conditions, making it well suited to competitive motorsports and driving enthusiasts.

Ed Cho, CEO, Kumho Tire USA, said, “Jack has delivered an outstanding season, and we couldn’t be prouder of what he’s accomplished in just his second year competing in Formula DRIFT. His four podium finishes and third-place championship standing are a testament not only to his talent and determination but also the reliable performance of our Ecsta V730 tyres. We’re proud to support Jack as he continues to establish himself among the sport’s top competitors.”

Shanahan said, “What an incredible year it’s been for our small but mighty team. To finish second at the final round and third overall in the championship exceeded all our expectations heading into the 2026 season. Having the grip, consistency and reliability of the KUMHO Ecsta V730 tyres gave me the confidence to push my limits every round and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together.”

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