The global tyre industry’s top manufacturers and technology suppliers met at the Tire Technology Expo 2025 in Hannover on 4-6 March to unveil technologies focused on driving sustainability, digitalisation and road safety. At the Deutsche Messe, the exhibition featured advances in tyre engineering, materials science and manufacturing technologies that will define mobility in the future.

In opening the event, expo founder Tony Robinson called on manufacturers to close the knowledge gap with consumers, highlighting how most drivers undervalue the importance of tyres in ensuring a vehicle’s safety. He mentioned that safety rests on the four small ‘footprints’ of rubber linking a car to the road, which tends to be undervalued by the general driver.

Looking to the future, Robinson saw a day when tyres contain sensors that share real-time information with other cars and roadside infrastructure. These sensors could warn drivers of dangerous road conditions like flooding or new potholes, making roads safer and avoiding crashes. He predicted that information from tyres could also feed into weather forecasting services, providing useful real-time information on road conditions.

The exhibition floor showcased innovation and high-performance solutions from more than 240 exhibitors, with Bekaert, Rockwell Automation, VMI Group, HF Group, ARP Technologies, Synthos, Nynas, Schill+Seilacher “Struktol” GmbH, Kordsa, Black Donuts and others.

SUSTAINABILITY AND MATERIAL INNOVATION TAKE CENTRE STAGE

The expo also reflected the tyre industry’s growing focus on sustainability, with manufacturers launching new materials and processes to lower environmental impact. Bekaert launched its Mega Tensile reinforcement technology, a major innovation in its Elyta range. The technology enables tyre manufacturers to produce up to 20 percent less steel and 10 percent less rubber compound in belt plies, achieving a 2-4 percent drop in rolling resistance and a huge 15-20 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions per tyre.

Kordsa introduced its REV Technologies, which are specifically tailored to electric vehicle tyres. The company’s innovations include recycled PET (rPET) cord fabric and RFID tyre tags, enabling improved lifecycle monitoring and data collection. Kordsa expects to enhance sustainability and recycling practices by combining digital identification with tyre production.

Teijin Aramid featured its Twaron para-aramid reinforcement, a material that can manufacture lighter tyres with reduced rolling resistance and eventually lower emissions.

EV AND DIGITAL INNOVATION LEAD DISCUSSIONS

As the electric vehicle (EV) market grows, tyre makers focus on creating solutions specific to the special needs of EVs and autonomous vehicles. Continental Tires unveiled an overall sustainability strategy, emphasising the environmental impact of tyres throughout their life cycle. The firm detailed plans to incorporate more sustainable raw materials, minimise waste during production and enhance tyre durability.

Michelin’s Director of Standards and Regulations for Connected Mobility, Claire Fioretti, outlined the company’s efforts around Digital Product Passports (DPP), a major initiative within the (ESPR). The regulation, enacted in 2024, aims to increase supply chain transparency by mandating that products carry a permanent, readable identifier usable throughout their life cycle. Michelin is already testing the programme in various industries, such as textiles, electronics and automotive components, with the cooperation of French, German and Swedish stakeholders.

The ESPR system, Fioretti characterised as an ‘ambitious information system’, will enable the maker, the recycler and the buyer to make environmentally informed decisions. She stressed that the movement is not so much about compliance as a transition towards the principles of the circular economy. By 2027, by the time broad adoption of the ESPR sets in, product design may improve, recycling efficiency will be elevated and buyers’ confidence will be boosted in second-hand markets.

MANUFACTURING INNOVATION AND AI TECHNOLOGY

The event showcased the latest digital manufacturing solutions to enhance efficiency, lower waste and better quality control. Rockwell Automation launched AI-driven tools to optimise tyre production, including digital thread technologies for tracking data without interruption through various manufacturing processes.

Black Donuts launched its Digital Twin Tyre Plant Simulation, a cutting-edge real-time virtual modelling tool that aids manufacturers in minimising downtime and optimising production. The company’s methodology involves end-to-end finite element analysis, enabling accurate tyre performance simulations before production.

HF dominated the manufacturing technology market with its state-of-the-art electric tyre curing presses. The company illustrated how its new electric curing technology could be applied to new and retrofit installations to minimise energy consumption and enhance process efficiency. Fischer TireTech exhibited computerised cord-cutting lines and premium extrusion technologies aimed at increasing accuracy in tyre production.

Uzer Makina launched a high-end electric tyre curing press focused on energy efficiency and precision production. ARP Technologies showcased its Electromagnetic Heating (EMH) curing system, a more energy-efficient curing process, alongside an artificial intelligence-based inspection machine that can spot tiny defects with great accuracy.

KraussMaffei featured its multiplex extrusion technology, which enhances first-time production quality and eliminates material bleeding during tyre formation. The company showed a new head clamping technology that maximises channel cleaning effectiveness, further expanding the limits of green manufacturing.

REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

Regulatory matters were on the agenda at the expo, with leading experts discussing the changing scene for tyre production and green compliance. Adam McCarthy, Secretary General of the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), gave a definitive overview of recent European Commission regulatory interventions impacting the sector.

A specific session on Tyre and Road Wear Particles (TRWP) collaborated with industry experts from Bridgestone, Continental and Michelin, as well as leading research institutions, to address the implications of future Euro 7 regulations. It was centred around reducing tyre wear’s environmental footprint without compromising performance levels.

FUTURE OUTLOOK AND INDUSTRY COLLABORATION

During the three-day conference, experts worldwide exchanged information, delved into future technologies and worked on crafting the mobility of the future. The event highlighted reducing carbon footprint, improving safety and customising solutions for future electric and self-driving cars.

The next edition will be held on 3 and 4 March 2026.

TIRE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL AWARDS FOR INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE

A key highlight of the event was the prestigious Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence 2025. Recognising achievements across 12 categories, the awards celebrate the latest advancements in tyre technology, progress towards a more sustainable industry and the outstanding contributions of individuals driving innovation. This year’s winners are as follows:

Goodyear bagged Environmental Achievement of the Year – Tire Design for its ElectricDrive Sustainable- Material (EDS) tyre.

Continental was awarded the Environmental Achievement of the Year – Manufacturing award for its CO2-neutral tyre production at the Lousado plant in Portugal.

Nokian Tyres won the Environmental Achievement – Industry Contribution award for its inauguration of the world’s first full-scale tyre factory with zero CO₂ emissions in Oradea, Romania.

Bekaert received the Materials Innovation of the Year award for its next-generation reinforcement solution, Mega Tensile.

Sumitomo Rubber Industries won the R&D Breakthrough of the Year award for its Active Tread technology.

VMI was awarded for Tire Manufacturing Innovation of the Year award for its integrated quality monitoring for the MAXX and MILEXX platforms.

ARP Technologies was selected as Industry Supplier of the Year for its many innovations in the tyre curing sector.

Bridgestone bagged Tire Concept of the Year for its Lunar concept tyre.

Michelin was awarded Tire of the Year for its Primacy 5 tyre.

Continental won the Tire Manufacturer of the Year award for the fourth time, acknowledging the scale and breadth of the company’s achievements over the last year.

Two further awards were also given for individual achievements in the industry:

Katerina Filzer, a PhD student at Twente University in the Netherlands, was awarded the 2025 Young Scientist Award for her presentation, ‘An Innovative  Method to Incorporate a Devulcanization Aid into Rubber’.

Anke Blume, head of elastomer technology and engineering at the University of Twente, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to the tyre industry.

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PCBL Chemical Limited has appointed Rohit Maindwal as Chief & Executive Director – Specialty Blacks and designated him as a senior management personnel, effective 20 August, 2026.

Maindwal brings around 32 years of industry experience. He holds a BTech in chemical engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Warangal. His previous roles include positions at Reliance Industries Limited and JBF RAK LLC, where he most recently served as Senior Executive Vice-President at Reliance Industries Limited.

The company said the appointment is in a full-time capacity, with the term not separately specified.

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From software-defined architectures and virtual proving grounds to the evolving role of tyres and ADAS, the third Vehicle Dynamics Conference in Chennai captured an industry in rapid transition. Industry leaders examined the trade-offs, technological leaps and competitive pressures that will define the next decade of vehicle engineering in India.

It was on 16 June 2026 that the 3rd edition of the Vehicle Dynamics Conference took place at Chennai Trade Centre, bringing together close to 200 stakeholders from the auto industry across India and internationally and marking another milestone for automotive development.

The event focused on the rapid evolution taking place across vehicle engineering, focusing on safety, performance, ride and handling, efficiency and emerging technology developments.

Opening the conference, Tom Thomas, Conference Chairman, underlined the significant transformation gripping the automotive sector. In his welcome address, Thomas noted, “Advances in software-defined vehicles, simulation technologies, electrification, safety systems, connectivity and vehicle performance are redefining the future of mobility.”

Building upon this perspective, S K P Amarnath, Vice-President of R&D, Apollo Tyres, declared that the event had matured into a vital platform where the entire ecosystem is discussed, status quos are challenged and new ideas are exchanged.

“Multiple transformational forces are converging at the first time in auto industry’s history, creating a defining moment for mobility,” Amarnath stated in his opening address.

He emphasised that the industry stands united in creating safer, smarter, comfortable, and sustainable vehicles, observing, “The disruptions – connected, autonomous, electric and software-defined vehicles (SDVs) – are happening at a speed and scale never experienced before.”

Amarnath further described India’s remarkable rise as a global automotive hub that faces fresh competitive pressures from China and Eastern Europe. “The speed of change is fast and influencing key attributes like vehicle dynamics and energy management. OTAs are becoming common and vehicles are turning into a continuously evolving platform,” Amarnath explained.

Turning attention to hardware, he identified the tyre as the most neglected part of the vehicle despite being the only component in direct contact with the road surface.

Revealing that Renault engineers devoted extensive track time to tyre testing at the Madras Racing Circuit, Dr Vikraman explained, “The slip angle, slip ratio, steering response, ride comfort, cornering stiffness optimisation etc. were achieved on dot through thousands of tuning cycles.”

He outlined that three guiding principles – be clear, be sure and be clever – guided target setting, vehicle character creation, kinematics, simulation and real-world proving ground evaluations. He observed that while precise tuning makes a vehicle exceptional, ADAS has compounded the paradox regarding vehicle dynamics.

Dr Vikraman mentioned that to overcome regional road variations, Renault clever-engineered the Duster’s ADAS technology specifically for local conditions where regulations regarding speed humps and barricades are rarely enforced.

Asserting India’s growing importance, Dr Vikraman concluded, “Engineers are expected to solve complex problems with creative solutions. Indian engineers should be creative and disruptive. They should be also proud.”

In the session focused on software, simulation and NVH, Shiv Sikand, Co-Founder of Drako Tech, spoke on the future of self-driving connected vehicles. “The architecture necessary to deliver AI connectivity, ADAS and OTA has simply been too expensive to put into a mainstream vehicle programme,” Sikand noted.

“Drako architecture – founded specifically to eliminate that barrier – enables the addition of new features through a mere software push,” said Sikand, explaining that traditional vehicle designs are frozen when shipped, leaving engineering cycles four to six years old by the time cars reach consumers.

He mentioned, “Tesla proved what seemed impossible 10 years ago. It proved that a software-first vehicle architecture could deliver a better product at lower long-term cost. Chinese manufacturers took that lesson – specifically BYD – and industrialised it at scale.”

The executive explained that Drako’s DriveOS single-ECU platform replaces kilometres of wiring and dozens of isolated ECUs with a single USB backbone and commodity hardware, cutting cost, weight and carbon footprint.

During the panel discussion titled ‘Engineering in India for the World’, moderated by AutoAscend’s CEO Latha Chembrakalam, industry executives evaluated local development trends.

Manoj Aggarwal, Vice-President of Engineering at Maruti Suzuki India, observed that while central computing was once considered too costly, current focus centre’s entirely on software systems and exporting Indian products to Europe and Japan.

Aggarwal noted, “The ISO 26262 standard has been adopted and work is progressing on digital twins with Japan and Germany to deliver a global product. In vehicle dynamics, much work is taking place on virtualisation.” He added that Maruti Suzuki maintains a dedicated division to collaborate directly with startups.

Piyush Kende, Senior General Manager of Vehicle Integration at Tata Motors, emphasised that changing regulations and multi-fuel options are driving rapid engineering shifts. “SDVs are a new trend and are creating a need to work on them faster from India perspective,” Kende said, noting that Tata develops platforms in-house.

“Young engineers need to be pushed into innovation and IP creation. There is a gap regarding knowledge vis-à-vis real-world understanding,” he added and explained that regulatory frameworks encourage local engineering while global supply chain strategies protect against international disruptions.

Arjun Balasubramanian, Division Head of Product Development (PCR-OE) at Apollo Tyres, shared, “We are tackling geopolitical issues that add a different perspective to the supply chain, resources and engineering opportunities. We are also collaborating with academia regarding engineering, governance etc. We are also making patents and building technology.” He added that evolving tyre emission regulations require active academic and industrial research.

Ankur Sharma, Head of Platform Engineering at JSW MG Motor India, highlighted that vehicle development is no longer purely mechanical, remarking, “There’s AI at work.” Sharma explained that Indian testing includes unique local edge cases, stating, “We have had scenarios with a vehicle hitting a cow or vice versa as a test parameter that is unique to India. This could be applied to markets that face such a challenge.” He added that workforce availability and time-to-market demands make academic collaboration essential.

Addressing computer-aided engineering, Prajakta Khare, Technical Manager of Multibody Dynamics at Dassault Systemes, presented on Simulia Simpack.

L-R: Latha Chembrakalam, CEO, AutoAscend; Manoj Aggarwal, VP – Engineering, Maruti Suzuki India; Piyush Kende, Sr Gen Manager,

Vehicle Integration, Tata Motors; Ankur Sharma, Head – Platform Engineering, JSW MG Motor India and Hitesh Joshi, Head of Technology, Apollo Tyres.Your contribution played a pivotal role in making GTRC 2026 a resounding success. We deeply appreciate your trust and collaboration, and we look forward to welcoming you again as we continue to shape the future of the tyre industry together.

Khare noted, “Simulia Simpack is unique and delivers in terms of accuracy, efficiency, team automation and robustness, among others. In the face of challenges that include market pressure, complexity and diversity, this helps to do CAE led development, including in the area of vehicle dynamics.”

She added that Simulia resolves complex physical factors in software-defined vehicles, including high vehicle mass, regenerative braking, battery placement and tyre properties.

Dr Nagesh Poojary, Managing Director of IPG Automotive India, spoke on virtual validation ecosystems, warning that software recalls could cost the industry USD 30 billion to USD 35 billion in warranty expenses. “Doing real-world tests is not feasible while the need to test more is increasing,” Dr Poojary noted, explaining that continuous virtual validation under ISO 26262 enables manufacturers to handle software complexity efficiently.

In the safety and performance session moderated by Sharad Matade, Executive Editor of Motoring Trends, panellists examined two-wheeler engineering.

Vishwadev Muraleedharan, Head of Vehicle Dynamics at Simple Energy, pointed out that the rider constitutes 50 percent of total vehicle dynamics. “A technology like ABS is mandatory and there should be a clear line between the system intervening and not intruding in a two-wheeler,” Muraleedharan mentioned. He revealed that electric two-wheeler battery compartments form a critical structural part of the chassis and urged ground-up component design. He noted that Simple Energy utilises a mid-drive motor near the swingarm pivot to centralise mass near the centre of gravity.

Prithivi Raj S, Technical Manager of Vehicle Engineering at Raptee HV, agreed that two-wheeler packaging is complicated by high centre-of-gravity requirements. He suggested that Inertial Measurement Units could generate rider safety scores alongside managing ABS lean angles.

“We have engineered a huge battery box to get the Cente of Gravity (CG) right in terms of dynamics. The most underrated factor in ride and handling is tyre pressure. A tyre is not only for grip but also a significant part of the spring damper system,” Prithivi Raj averred, stressing that system interventions must not override driver control unpredictably.

In a panel on smart hardware and software moderated by Nilesh Wadhwa, Assistant Editor of Motoring Trends, Gopal Musale, Cluster Head of Digital Product Engineering at BMW TechWorks India, announced, “The use of software and hardware is at a point where more software will come in hereafter. Vehicle improvement is going to be closely linked to AI in the coming times and software updates will be over the air (OTA).”

Musale explained that BMW utilises digital twins and a six-degree-of-freedom simulator in Munich to evaluate vehicle behaviour virtually before building physical prototypes, saving significant time and testing costs.

Alexander Aydt, Senior Fellow for ADAS/AD Tooling at Vector Informatik, noted that AI accelerates code generation and object detection, such as identifying a child running behind a ball. However, Aydt emphasised, “Humans are still strong at predicting the unimaginable.” He added that software-defined architecture allows engineers to alter intrusive vehicle features with ease compared to rigid mechanical designs.

Darren Jeseritz, Senior Applications Engineer at MTS, presented on hybrid simulation and Model-in-the-Loop (mHiL) testing. Jeseritz explained that MTS hybrid simulation integrates physical hardware with virtual multibody models, enabling steering and suspension certification on virtual tracks before physical prototypes exist. He noted that four-corner systems allow for complete vehicle dynamics simulation in laboratory environments.

The commercial vehicle session, moderated by Bhushan Mhapralkar, Editor of Motoring Trends, addressed decarbonisation and efficiency. Rajaram Kumble, Section Manager at Volvo India, noted that Volvo evaluates safety for both occupants and pedestrians. He shared that systems like predictive cruise control deliver 5 to 7 percent efficiency gains, while Volvo Dynamic Steering reduces steering effort in heavy manoeuvres by up to 70 percent.

Ramakrishna Donakonda, Vice-President and Head of Powertrain and eDrives at Daimler Truck Innovation Centre India, contrasted European staggered regulations with India’s simultaneous regulatory deadlines, such as 2027 ADAS mandates.

Donakonda explained that OEMs prioritise scalable platforms, noting, “Ultimately, what is offered to the customer is what they want and at prices that are acceptable to them.” He added that commercial electric vehicle adoption remains governed by charging infrastructure availability.

M K Jain, Tyre Technologist at JK Tyre, observed that commercial vehicle technology is rapidly adopting passenger car innovations, including Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems and ‘Tyre-as-a-Service’ models. Jain noted that as per-kilometre payment models expand, tyre manufacturers are transitioning into ongoing tyre managers rather than pure hardware suppliers.

Concluding the technical presentations, Dhanasekar Venkatesan, Senior Principal Application Engineer at Cadence, highlighted that compressed launch timelines push teams towards zero-prototype development. Venkatesan explained that Cadence provides the MSC Adams multibody dynamics tool – a 50-year-old software used in space programmes – to accurately predict motion, forces, durability and vibration under complex Indian road conditions.

The third Vehicle Dynamics Conference demonstrated that vehicle engineering has transitioned into an integrated ecosystem where software, virtual simulation and mechanical design converge to shape the future of global mobility.

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Around 400 stakeholders from the global tyre and rubber industry converged on Chennai for the third edition of the Global Tyre and Rubber Conference (GTRC), held over two days on 17 and 18 June 2026. Against a backdrop of geopolitical strain, an accelerating shift to electric vehicles and the steady thrust on artificial intelligence into every layer of manufacturing, the gathering offered an unusually candid read on where the sector stands – and how anxious and ambitious it has become about what comes next.

Mike Norman, Chief Commercial Officer of VMI Group, called it a special moment for the industry, pointing to geopolitical disruption, rising competition from China, regulatory upheaval, the EV transition and the arrival of AI as forces reshaping the business. “This is a special event for the tyre and rubber industry. The times are difficult and there are disruptions – geopolitical in nature – that are a matter of concern and underline the changing nature of the business,” he said, adding that “the technological advancements are creating new opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and performance.”

CHANGE OF TYRE MANUFACTURING ERA

The conference’s most sweeping remarks came from Arun Mammen, Chairman of ATMA India and Vice Chairman & Managing Director of MRF, who argued that growth in the sector will not simply arrive – it must be built through bold investment, scientific rigour and the courage to transform, in step with India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 ambitions.

Mammen’s central claim was structural: for more than a century, tyre engineering has rested on three pillars – durability, grip and cost. “That era is ending. The convergence of sustainability imperatives and autonomous, shared and electric vehicles megatrends are forcing a complete reimagination of what a tyre must be,” he said.

He argued that electric vehicles demand a fundamentally different tyre – one engineered for ultra-low rolling resistance to preserve range – and that this requirement collides with Indian road realities, where only about three percent of the network qualifies as national highway. That gap, he said, calls for India-specific innovation and a regulatory framework that does not trade away safety in the pursuit of sustainability.

Mammen went further, describing a future in which the tyre itself becomes intelligent. “The tyre of tomorrow will no longer be a passive mechanical component, it will be an intelligent system embedded with sensors, TPMS that will enable real-time tracking of pressure, temperature, wear, road friction, predictive maintenance and optimised fleet performance that saves lives,” he said, adding that unlocking this potential would depend on deep, sustained collaboration between OEMs and tyre manufacturers.

On the factory floor, Mammen said Industry 4.0, AI, IoT and digital twins are transforming tyre manufacturing through process optimisation and predictive quality control. He also highlighted the shift from steam-based curing to electric and induction systems, with green hydrogen emerging as a future option.

On raw materials, Mammen noted the growing need to reduce dependence on petroleum-derived inputs. He highlighted India’s natural rubber expansion, with four major tyre companies helping establish 200,000 hectares of plantations, alongside a broader push towards bio-based materials, recycled content and a circular economy.

Mammen also pointed to renewed interest in retreading and the need for more resilient, localised supply chains, including domestic production of advanced manufacturing equipment. He concluded that India’s tyre industry now has an opportunity to lead the sector’s next phase of transformation.

Peter Haan, Head of Global VM Tire at Siemens AG, a visionary tyre veteran who has played a transformative role in advancing automation, digitalisation and technological innovation in the global tyre industry, received the Tyre Trends Lifetime Contribution award. “I would like to thank my dear friends in the Indian tyre industry, my partners and customers because I learned over the years that it is all about partnership,” he said in accepting it.

SESSION ONE: BUSINESS & EMERGING TRENDS

The opening panel, moderated by Latha Chembrakalam, CEO of AutoAscend, brought together Mammen, Norman and Ian Wilson, CEO of HF Group.

Mammen described a tyre industry facing sustainability pressure, the EV transition and raw-material constraints simultaneously – a convergence upending the economics of a capital-intensive business, since EVs change the game entirely. Building new facilities takes time and heavy capital, he said, arguing for a balance between existing plants and advanced new ones, and realistic targets for green tyres given that EVs demand an entirely new specification, technology and material set. Staying close to markets matters amid geopolitical shifts, he added: global technology matters more than global manufacturing footprint, and sophistication in tyre machinery will require more data analysts, cybersecurity specialists and other skilled talent.

Norman described China as a non-legacy market that has become a major disruptor, forcing costly upgrades to technology and facilities. “We are taking a platform approach for our machines right from the development stage to ensure scalability and retrofitting,” he said. EV adoption, he noted, is outpacing the industry’s ability to keep up, though VMI’s machines already handle the lighter, tougher tyres EVs require; cell-style manufacturing may help, even if it complicates large-scale short runs, making flexibility and modularity essential. He warned that scarce skilled manpower will push more automation and, in turn, more complex machinery, and that legislation – fast-arriving – is being underestimated.

Wilson pointed to Chinese auto OEMs building greenfield facilities in Africa as a signal of changing demand. “Chinese auto OEMs are setting up greenfield facilities in Africa, indicating a demand and change for tyre makers,” he said, adding that “new tech developments like AI are set to enhance tyre development and production.” Replacing steam curing with electric systems, he added, could bring significant improvement, alongside attention to the energy efficiency of recyclability; lower rolling resistance in EV tyres is also reshaping how silica is used in compounding.

Sanjay Chatterjee, Director General of ATMA, used his address – ‘Indian Tyre Industry – Towards a Resilient and Atmanirbhar Tomorrow’ – to cite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that Indian tyre exports crossed INR 273.12 million in the last fiscal year despite headwinds, reaching more than 172 countries. “Robust tyre production and growth, natural rubber production, ERP regime and other regulations are driving Indian economic growth,” he said.

SESSION TWO: MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE

Chaired by V K Misra, Technical Director of JK Tyre & Industries, this session opened with Dr Gerard Nijman of KraussMaffei Extrusion posing a pointed question in his talk, ‘50 Years Of Tyre Component Extrusion: Did The Piggyback Multiplex Head Reach The End Of Life?’ He explained that multiplex and rollerhead lines use a piggyback configuration to produce roughly seven to eight components, but that drawbacks – limited flexibility, capped head pressure, hydraulic dependence, poor accessibility, an over-engineered locking concept and difficulty swapping heads – mean that “it is therefore necessary to question whether it has reached the end-of-life.”

Nicola Fedele, Managing Director and Board Member at Rodolfo Comerio, described calendering as “the heartbeat of tyre production,” adding: “There are innovations (friction-free lamination) and breakthroughs (less material use and fast change over time) in the global tyre market that is worth USD 256 billion.” He said eliminating the accumulator from the calendering process delivers superior quality control and a basis for automation.

Karsten Jung of Troester GmbH & Co. KG addressed EV mobility as a megatrend driving stiffer, higher-silica compounds. “An acquisition (SC OTOMASYON) made last year is helping push automation, involving an autobook system, truck tyre spraying line and more,” Jung said. Saravana Kumar S, Managing Director of Troester India, described the company’s regional push on extrusion performance. “Much regarding regional integration is being done in terms of extrusion performance, including refurbishment, retrofitting etc.,” the MD of Troester India said.

SESSION THREE: ADVANCEMENTS IN TYRE MANUFACTURING

Chaired by Ravin Kurian, Senior GM of Product Development at MRF, this session started with the presentation of Dr Robert Hula of Vipo a.s. on bead and apex solutions, which he called among the most important components in a tyre since its inception. “Precision manufacture as a new standard is paving way for intelligent bead manufacturing and predictive maintenance process with the use of greener materials,” he said.

Robert Thomas Irwin, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at The Steelastic Company, traced the industry’s evolution from bias to radial to EV to high-performance and premium tyres. “The shift from bias tyre to radial tyre to an EV tyre to a high-performance and premium tyre is creating a need to integrate extrusion tech with conventional calendaring,” he said, citing quicker changeovers, reduced work-in-process, better traceability and labour optimisation as benefits.

SESSION FOUR: GOING GREEN & SUSTAINABLE

This session, chaired by C Harimohan, Head of Corporate R&D (Materials and Compounding) at Yokohama OHT, opened with Colin Clarke of Schill+Seilacher (Struktol), Director – Technical Sales, Schill+Seilacher (Struktol) GmbH, who argued that emerging vehicle concepts, energy-efficiency demands and higher load-bearing requirements are driving major shifts in compounding formulations. “The use of resins is increasing relative to oils in certain applications and products such as Struktol VP 1831 are witnessing growing demand as they provide excellent Silica dispersion and superior metal release,” he said.

Ralph Boehm, Senior Manager, Kuraray Europe GmbH, described the company’s liquid rubber as “a reactive plasticiser that reduces Mooney viscosity while maintaining high quality and performance,” noting two new silane-modified butadiene rubber grades suited to silica-based tread compounds and truck-and-bus radial tyres for summer and winter use.

Dr Roberto Blanco Trillo, Global Business Development Manager, Allnex, discussed sustainable cord adhesion. “The Allnex Alvonol PN870 resin enhances rubber-brass adhesion and enables excellent cord adhesion without cobalt and resorcinol to be a truly sustainable solution,” he informed.

Srikanth Chakravarthy, Managing Director of Eonix, representing China’s Zenith Steel Group, described it as operator of the world’s largest steel-cord facility. “The Zenith Steel Group in China has the biggest steel cord facility in the world with continuous capex. It is highly competitive with strong economies of scale and focusing on efficiency through vertical integration, making steel cords. It is investing in highest level of automation, making steel cords through intelligent manufacturing encompassing six plants.”

DAY TWO, SESSION FIVE: AI INTEGRATION IN THE TYRE INDUSTRY

Dr Sujith S Nair, Vice President of R&D at CEAT’s Centre of Excellence, chaired this session. In his presentation on the subject ‘In the tyre market, evolution never stops’, Marcel Berkers, VP Global Sales Tyre & Rubber, VMI Group, framed technology evolution as fundamentally about smarter machines enabling efficient use of material and energy. “The practical approach of VMI is lowest cost-per-tyre within spec,” Berkers said.

Peter Haan argued that AI in the tyre industry still has considerable distance to travel, with challenges spanning shop-floor integration and scaling across visual quality inspection, anomaly and object detection, automation programming, process optimisation and predictive maintenance – challenges he said Siemens’ shop-floor AI industrial suite is designed to democratise and scale.

Harsh Vardhan, Global Head of Digital Innovation at Apollo Tyres, spoke on industrial AI’s path from automation to autonomy. “Continuous RoIs are being registered as humans and AI collaborate,” he said, adding that “AI is set to be a force multiplier in terms of business value, CFT collaboration process, governance fusion, AI and deep-tech diffusion, and RoI.” He noted Apollo has assembled a dedicated team to integrate and scale AI, with the real competition now centred on scale versus speed – measured in cycle-time reduction and energy savings.

SESSION SIX: THE ART OF TESTING

This session, chaired by Unnikrishnan P K, Global Head of R&D Tyre Testing at Apollo Tyres, featured Dr Shaun Immel of Ametek’s MicroPoise Measurement Systems on autonomous tyre-defect detection through X-ray image analysis. “The processing works in real plants with most X-ray machines using AI and deep learning to find defects and classify a tyre objectively,” he said, citing faster setup for new defect types, clearer colour-coded visualisation of tyre structure and improved air-bubble detection that lowers misclassification and cost.

Informing that his company has over 480 installations and offers offline profile inspection (with high precision for tyre companies using laser sensor), online profile inspection, extrusion (non-contact and high precision inspection suitable for tread) and width sensor for non-contact and high precision width measurement, Lubos Hodal, Head of Sales Department, Micro-Epsilon, said on the subject ‘New technology in tyre inspection’ that they also have mould inspection system for curing, avoiding noise and blind spots; letter completeness inspection during curing; final finishing solutions such as a central marking line, colour marks on sidewall and tread and retrofit programmes for PCR and TBR. Pragnesh Mori, Managing Director of Micro- Epsilon India, said, “We are designing measuring systems and software through our Indian assembly facility in Pune. The application team there works with the European team to develop new solutions.”

Michael Mueller, Senior Sales and Key Account Manager, ZF, addressed high-speed uniformity measurement and its bearing on quality and comfort in R&D and virtual tyre development. “High speed uniformity measurement marks a new trend in terms of comfort that includes typical HSU tests, the properties gained, the effect of speed ramp versus constant speeds, resonant frequency and different road conditions,” he said. He also said that ZF developed an advanced 2026 HSU solution accounting for tyre noise, vehicle weight, road conditions, user expectations and virtual simulation.

SESSION SEVEN: SUSTAINABILITY WAY FORWARD

Chaired by Dr Sarat Ghosh, Vice President of R&D and Technology at Birla Tyres, this session opened with Anil Nair of HF Group on electrical tyre curing. Curing demands are rising alongside tyre size, he said, and EV tyres in particular require low rolling resistance, spurring innovation. “The USP of electric curing is independent control, a key advantage in terms of de-coupling temperature from pressure. The electric curing press promises higher profit,” he said.

Aki Nurminen of Black Donuts spoke on manufacturing costs, describing cost as historically a unit-economics problem, now increasingly shaped by raw materials, maintenance, fixed costs and depreciation. “Boiling down to sustainability, cost and market reality where about 90 percent of the 600 tyre industries globally are over 19 years old, the implications in terms of automation or the lack of it, the lack of efficiency and how the new entrants are taking advantage of better tech that ensure lower costs are beginning to show up in an addressable market for tyres that is growing,” he said, noting Black Donuts’ Nemus bio-based pre-mix filler.

Priyank Potnis of Planex, the Indian partner of Regom, addressed circularity and traceability for end-of-life tyres. “Regom’s technology identifies tyre specs for end-of-life tyres, including automatic evacuation of a good tyre,” he said, adding that the company has developed two machines supporting traceability, circularity and ESG compliance amid the disposal of an estimated three million tonnes of end-of-life tyres under a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

SESSION EIGHT: PROCUREMENT UNDER PRESSURE

The closing panel, moderated by Chakravarthy, brought together Nikhil Puri, Senior Vice President of Direct Procurement at Yokohama, and Ramanan Balasubramanian Venkat, Vice President of Procurement at Ascenso Tyres, to discuss the pressures facing tyre-maker procurement teams.

“Retaining control over the supply chain remains a constant challenge, necessitating a need for pro-active engagement, both internally and externally, with various stakeholders to ensure agility and responsiveness,” Venkat said. AI and data-driven analytics increasingly shape procurement decisions, he added, though the open question is how much reliance those tools warrant given how quickly situations can shift in ways analytics may not anticipate. He described India’s tyre ecosystem as uniquely positioned given the investment underway, arguing the industry needs a long-term perspective, close collaboration and a supplier base both locally rooted and globally capable – while flagging the shortage of natural rubber as reason to accelerate adoption of greener, sustainable alternatives.

“Dividing into pre-Covid and post-Covid eras as supply chains underwent a real litmus test leading to a fundamental shift in mindset, forcing companies to go back to the drawing board and rethink their sourcing strategies, reliance on a sole supplier has been largely abandoned and new relationship built to enhance resilience,” Puri said. The ability to modify supply chains at short notice, he added, became a critical post-pandemic capability, driving regional diversification, stronger risk management and mapping of vendors’ own supply chains, with AI now positioned to take procurement further – including predicting disruptions such as weather events.

Puri also pointed to digital twins as improving understanding of container load capacity and logistics efficiency, and suggested AI combined with augmented reality could further improve warehouse operations. He framed India’s position as a sweet spot, backed by a young population and strong growth potential, pointing to the country’s diversification of crude-oil sourcing as an example of a broader ‘glocal’ strategy – one that includes friend-shoring, or sourcing from trusted, friendly nations to build more resilient supply chains.

Not only the conference delegates but GTRC also witnessed a significant increase in the exhibitors’ participation. The exhibition area consisted of 37 stalls, with some of the participating companies taking multiple booths and some of them sharing them with their overseas principles. The response was overwhelming and marked a surge over the last edition of the conference, cementing the GTRC as a global tyre event.

Conference chairman Tom Thomas closed proceedings by thanking speakers, delegates and stakeholders and acknowledged the event’s sponsors. The next edition of GTRC will be held on 23–24 June 2027 at the Chennai Trade Centre in Chennai, India.  

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Toyo Tire Corporation will implement organisational changes and leadership reassignments from 1st  October  2026, as part of efforts to strengthen execution of its medium-term business plan.

The restructuring is designed to reinforce strategy execution under the direct supervision of the president, in line with priorities set out in the company’s Mid-Term ’26 Plan.

Under the changes, the Americas Sales Division will be elevated to the Americas Business Headquarters and placed directly under the president. The division’s sales department will be renamed the Americas Business Development Department and transferred to the new structure.

The company will also move its ESG Promotion Department from the Corporate Infrastructure Division to the Corporate Strategy Division to align sustainability initiatives more closely with business strategy. In addition, the investor relations department will shift to the Corporate Administration Division.

Toyo Tire Corporation confirmed changes to executive responsibilities, including the appointment of Tatsuo Mitsuhata as Senior Corporate Officer And Vice-President of the Americas Business Headquarters. He will also continue to serve as representative Director And Chief Executive of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc. and President And Chief Executive of Toyo Tire North America OE Sales LLC.

Further personnel changes include Kunihiro Matsumoto becoming Deputy Division General Manager of the Corporate Administration Division, while Nobuo Yoshida will serve as General Manager of the Corporate Strategy Division.

Miho Okamoto and Junji Hirose will assume roles within the Corporate Strategy Division, overseeing ESG-related functions, while Hiroshi Ito will take responsibility for the investor relations department under the Corporate Administration Division.

Kenji Kubo has been appointed General Manager of the Americas Business Development Department.

Additional appointments include Misaki Nagao as General Manager of Quality Assurance Department No.1, while Wataru Matsumoto will assume the role of General Manager of the Commercial Tire Technical Service Department from November 1 2026.

At subsidiary level, Keiko Brockel will become President And Chief Executive of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc., while Angelo Naval will be appointed President And Chief Executive of Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.

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