Jake Rønsholt has left Bridgestone after 12 years of service, during which he held several important positions and helped bring about some of the company's biggest changes in the EMEA area.

Rønsholt became Vice President of Strategy & Transformation for EMEA in 2020 after rising through the ranks from his position as General Manager of Corporate & Brand Communication Europe when he joined the company in 2012. Rønsholt was generally regarded with leading several important strategic initiatives during his tenure at Bridgestone, most notably the Consumer Tyre business turnaround in 2015. He contributed to the company's record-breaking financial success in 2021 and 2022 by assisting in its response to market disruption following Covid-19 and other difficulties.

Rønsholt's impact at Bridgestone was particularly noticeable in the way the business modified its operations and strategy in response to a shifting market environment. In order to develop forward-looking market models that assisted in guiding business choices during uncertain times, he played a significant role in redefining the company's vision and incorporating technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning. Rønsholt placed a strong focus on teamwork, purpose and long-term effects throughout his tenure as leader. Rønsholt has a Master's degree in Science of Management from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management and worked in marketing and business development at Unilever Europe before joining Bridgestone.

Rønsholt said, “I am immensely proud of what we achieved together, from record-breaking financial results to reshaping the company’s vision for the future. I leave with great memories, invaluable lessons, and strong relationships that I will always cherish. Bridgestone will forever remain in my heart. Business is nothing without people!”

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In 2026, Cabot Corporation reported improved environmental performance in its latest disclosure to CDP, reinforcing a multi-year trend of progress across climate and water stewardship.

The company received an A- rating for Water Security and a B rating for Climate Change in CDP’s 2025 assessment. The Water Security score marks an improvement from a B in 2024, exceeding both global and industry averages, while the Climate Change rating was maintained year on year, alongside improvements in subcategories such as climate risk disclosure, value chain engagement and industry collaboration.

CDP evaluated more than 24,800 companies globally in 2025, covering roughly two-thirds of global market capitalisation, using a scoring scale ranging from D (Disclosure) to A (Leadership).

Cabot positions the results as validation of a long-term sustainability strategy anchored in transparency, operational discipline and continuous improvement. As Jaimee Farrin, Senior Director, Global Sustainability at Cabot Corporation, explains: “Through our commitment to operate responsibly, conserve resources and develop innovative performance materials, we will be relentless in our pursuit of solving sustainability challenges and achieving our net zero ambition.”

Transparent reporting remains a central pillar of this approach. Farrin notes that CDP is one of the environmental and governance disclosure platforms Cabot prioritises, both for reporting and for evaluating performance. She adds, “As part of our ongoing efforts, we are dedicated to transparent reporting, including our climate actions, opportunities and progress.”

CLIMATE CHANGE

On climate change, Cabot has set a 2030 goal to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 15 percent through process innovation. To progress towards this target, the company is pursuing a comprehensive strategy encompassing renewable energy transition over time, efficiency improvements, investment in breakthrough decarbonisation technologies and the use of alternative feedstocks and advanced energy recovery solutions.

One of the company’s most prominent climate-related innovations is its regenerated carbon technology, developed under the EVOLVE Sustainable Solutions platform. Farrin highlights the role this technology plays in advancing circularity in the tyre industry. She says, “Cabot’s regenerated carbon technology is one of the innovative strategies the company is leveraging to reduce its environmental impact.”

Reclaimed carbon, produced through the pyrolysis of end-of-life tyres, has historically been limited to very low loadings (<10%) in rubber applications due to poor reinforcing properties. Farrin explains that Cabot’s patented regeneration technology addresses this limitation by improving surface characteristics, enabling tyre manufacturers to use higher levels of reclaimed carbon with performance comparable to virgin carbon black.

“Today, we have demonstrated that the technology enables the use of reclaimed carbon content up to 30 percent; however, as we look forward, we are continuously evaluating ways to increase sustainable content while delivering in-rubber performance,” explains Farrin.

Energy efficiency and recovery also form a critical part of Cabot’s climate strategy. The company has implemented energy recovery systems at many facilities worldwide, including 13 reinforcing carbon plants, capturing and reusing heat generated during production to offset electricity and steam typically supplied by the grid and natural gas combustion.

Farrin underlines the strategic significance of these systems, noting, “This opportunity has influenced Cabot’s strategy as we have recently unveiled a new 2030 energy goal – to export 250 percent of the energy Cabot imports, reconfirming the importance of driving even further improvements in the years ahead.”

Beyond direct operations, Cabot continues to strengthen collaboration across its value chain. The company uses Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) and Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to substantiate

sustainability benefit claims and is actively working with the International Carbon Black Association to support the standardisation of PCFs across the industry. In parallel, Cabot is engaging with tyre customers to explore joint approaches to improving product life-cycle impacts.

WATER SECURITY

Water stewardship has emerged as a defining area of progress. All Cabot sites globally are expected to identify and pursue water conservation opportunities aligned with local risk conditions. These measures include reducing water consumption in production processes, reusing and recycling water, harvesting rainwater and sourcing grey water from external providers where feasible.

The company-wide focus on annual water balance and risk assessments, enhanced data collection and targeted investment has delivered measurable results. As Farrin notes, these efforts contributed directly to the improvement in Cabot’s CDP Water Security score from B in 2024 to A- in 2025.

At the operational level, Cabot’s reinforcing carbons facility in Altamira, Mexico, has implemented improvements to the recovery and reuse of treated water and identified opportunities to optimise scrubber water discharge, reducing future water consumption in production.

Looking ahead, Cabot has set a 2030 water goal to reduce freshwater withdrawal intensity by 10 percent at sites located in water-stressed areas. Farrin emphasises the broader implications of this focus. She says, “Focusing on freshwater withdrawal in water-stressed areas is crucial to sustaining ecosystems, minimising business risks from operational disruptions and allowing sustainable development for communities.”

Further water conservation and wastewater recycling projects are currently under evaluation across Cabot’s global network to support this target.

Summarising the company’s progress, Farrin concludes: “We are proud of the progress we have made in advancing our sustainability strategy and remain steadfast to our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship, transparency and continuous improvement.”

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Indag Rubber Limited reported a sharp rise in quarterly profit, with improved margins offsetting modest revenue growth.

The Indian retreading materials manufacturer said revenue for the three months to 31 December 2025 rose five percent year on year to INR 587 million, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) more than doubled to INR 60 million. Net profit increased to INR 34 million from INR 8 million a year earlier.

For the first nine months of the financial year, revenue declined 10 percent to INR 1.62 billion, reflecting lower volumes in the state transport undertaking (STU) segment in the June quarter. However, EBITDA rose 24 per cent to INR 161 million and net profit increased 30 percent to INR 88 million.

Vijay Shrinivas, Chief Executive of Indag Rubber Limited, said: “I am happy to share that we have continued to maintain our margin improvement trajectory and also delivered revenue growth during Q3FY26. The revenue growth was primarily driven by both aftermarket and STU business, which witnessed a rebound in volumes. On the profitability front, EBITDA margins improved by ~550 bps YoY to 10.1 percent. This improvement was driven by a better product mix, cost optimisation, and gradual easing of raw material costs.”

“The macro environment continues to improve with Union Budget FY27 raising public capex to INR 12,200 billion, including INR3,100 billion for Roads & Highways, directly supporting freight movement and retreading demand. The recent India-US and India-EU trade agreements have further eased global uncertainty, strengthening the outlook for domestic logistics activity. We remain confident in our ability to sustain the positive momentum in the business. With improving demand fundamentals, a strengthening margin profile, and supportive industry tailwinds, we believe we are well-positioned to deliver consistent and profitable growth while maintaining a close watch on raw material prices and global developments,” says Shrinivas.

Indag Rubber Limited manufactures precured tread rubber and retreading materials from its plant in Himachal Pradesh, with annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes.

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Alliance has launched Agri Nova, a next-generation R-1 bias agricultural tyre designed for light-to-medium duty tractors.

The tyre is intended to meet varied farming requirements, including traction, driving comfort and durability, and is offered in 60 sizes and 111 SKUs spanning rim diameters from 12 to 42 inches. It is compatible with both two-wheel drive and mechanical front-wheel assist tractors and is available in tubeless and tube-type configurations.

Dyutiman Chattopadhyay, Chief Technology Officer at Yokohama-ATG, said: “At Alliance, we are deeply invested in building innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of our customers. The launch of Agri Nova is a testament to our commitment to deliver state-of-the-art tractor tyres that unlock high-performance in the field and on road alike.”

The Agri Nova features a three-angle lug design with a higher lug count than its predecessor, angular tie bars and integrated mud breakers intended to support self-cleaning and stability. A square lug profile and wider tread aim to improve contact pressure distribution and reduce soil compaction, according to the company.

Trent Wallin, Vice-President of Sales for North America at Yokohama-ATG, said: “As a next-generation R-1 bias tyre, Agri Nova is built to withstand demanding conditions, reduce downtime, and deliver dependable performance over time. The product development and design engineering behind this tyre are truly exciting; pushing boundaries in a segment where such focused innovation is rare for a bias tyre. We believe our customers deserve the best-performing product in every segment and design category. This launch reflects our deep commitment to customer-centricity and to helping American farmers maximize every season and every investment.”

The tyre carries a seven-year warranty.

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Sailun Tyre Europe has announced its entry into the Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) as of January 2026, marking a strategic expansion of its footprint in the global logistics and maritime sectors. The membership will be channelled through its speciality brand, Maxam Tyre Europe, underscoring the company’s focus on heavy-duty applications.

The move reflects a broader commitment to deepening engagement with the port industry’s leading innovators. By aligning more closely with equipment manufacturers, Sailun aims to ensure its tyre development keeps pace with the rapidly evolving technological landscape of modern port operations, where performance and durability are paramount.

As part of the Sailun Group, recognised as the tenth-largest tyre manufacturer worldwide, the company brings substantial heft to the table. The group supports an extensive range of port and material handling applications with an impressive annual production capacity of 447,000 tonnes of speciality tyres.

Through its PEMA membership, Sailun intends to foster closer collaboration and knowledge exchange with industry peers, reinforcing its role as a reliable partner in the sector.

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