Radar Tires has appointed Karl Hannah as its new Territory Sales Manager for North America as it looks to expand its market presence and strengthen partner relations across the region.

Hannah brings over 17 years of industry experience, beginning with a retail role in the Sacramento area where he spent more than a decade. He later held multiple field positions during a six-year tenure at Sumitomo Rubber North America.

In his new role, Hannah will be responsible for advancing the Radar RED programme and broader brand development, with a focus on increasing sales and deepening ties with distribution partners throughout his territory.

“We’re excited to welcome Karl to the Radar Tires team,” said Rob Montasser, Vice President of Radar Tire, North America. “Karl’s industry experience, coupled with the fact that he is an off-road and outdoor enthusiast outside of work, makes him a perfect fit for the Radar brand. Karl’s breadth of knowledge and general enthusiasm around the products is just what we need to help us grow the Radar brand throughout his territory.”

Hannah said he is eager to contribute to the company’s growth: “I’m thrilled to join the Radar brand and I look forward to helping the growth of Radar Tires in North America. I look forward to proliferating the Radar RED program throughout my territory! Most importantly, I look forward to taking Radar Tires to new heights in the industry.”

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Ralson Tire North America (RTNA) has named Brian Sheehey President as of 30 April 2025. Sheehey joined Ralson Tire North America as Senior Vice President in 2022 and has 35 years of total experience in the tyre industry.

After finishing the development of a state-of-the-art medium/heavy truck tire production facility in Indore, India, Ralson made its debut in the US commercial tyre market in 2023. With the potential to generate four million units per year, the factory now produces one million TBR units. The facility produces a wide variety of commercial vehicle tyres under the Ralson and Accelus brands. In America, RTNA's distribution network is growing quickly. The opening of two East Coast distribution centres was also recently announced by the company.

Manjul Pahwa, Managing Director and CEO, Ralson Tyres Ltd, said, “Brian has played an instrumental role in our outstanding growth, and the future looks bright for the Ralson and Accelus brands in North America under his leadership. In today’s challenging market, Brian and the RTNA team have done a great job of helping our customers solve deficiencies in their supply base, improve their margins and address opportunities faster than most of the larger legacy brand competitors.”

Sheehey said, “I look forward to growing the Ralson and Accelus brands in North America, Ralson Tire North America is focused on increasing cash flow for our partners. It is a simple idea but not always executed well by tyre manufacturers. RTNA is committed to bringing back the ‘personal touch’ in business relationships, combined with our laser focus on providing dealers and fleets a high-quality product at a reasonable cost that they can depend on every day of the year.”

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The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) has named Ian Andrew as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Stefan Hay, who will step down in July after a transition period. With nearly two decades of experience in association leadership, Ian joins the NTDA from his most recent role as CEO of the Derby-based British Pest Control Association (BPCA).

Prior to leading BPCA, Ian served as Governance and Partnerships Director at the Beech Centre in East Yorkshire, where he played a pivotal role in securing government approval to establish the new Institute for Organisational Development. His career also includes significant positions at the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), where he held roles such as Head of Membership Engagement, Head of Business Development and CMI’s Manager for Scotland. Additionally, he has held senior positions at the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board.

Ian brings a wealth of expertise in membership organizations, business development, training, qualifications, and governance. He will officially assume his role at the NTDA in June, where his experience is expected to drive strategic growth and strengthen stakeholder relationships. Ian has a Bachelor of Divinity from Edinburgh University, a postgraduate degree in hotel administration and an MA in history and international relations from Aberdeen University. Among his accomplishments are his certification as a management consultant and performance coach. Throughout his career, Ian has been a steadfast supporter of improving professional standards and has a wealth of lobbying and high-level representation experience with Westminster and the devolved administrations.

Martin O’Brien, NTDA National Chairman, said, “We are delighted to welcome Ian as CEO. He joins us with the NTDA in its strongest position for many years, with a healthy, engaged membership and a reputation for proactive leadership on the key issues facing the UK tyre trade. We are looking forward to working with him to maintain and grow our influence in the industry and beyond.”

Ian said,“I am delighted to be joining NTDA at such an exciting time. Stefan Hay moved the association on considerably during his time leading it. My intention is to work closely with members and key partners to ensure that, as a sector, we continue to develop confidence and trust in NTDA members for the professional management of tyres, ensuring we develop better qualified tyre technicians and promote their expertise alongside the highest levels of motorist and tyre safety.”

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Following its Annual General Meeting of members on 4 June 2025, the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) has announced its 2025-2026 Board of Directors.

The members chose Bridgestone Canada Inc's Phillip Diogenes as the new director at that meeting. The board will be chaired by Chris Figel of AirBoss of America Corp., while Lawrence Kumar of Yokohama Tire (Canada) and Paul Christou of Goodyear Canada Inc were named as Vice Chair and Treasurer, respectively. Having held executive positions at Canadian Tire, Yokohama Tire and now Bridgestone, Diogenes provides 20 years of expertise in the automotive and tire sectors. His background includes leadership, marketing and business strategy. He has an MBA from the University of Leicester.

Chris Figel, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at AirBoss of America Corp, said, “I’m honoured to serve as TRAC’s Chair of the Board of Directors, and the Board is pleased to welcome Diogenes to the team. I’m confident his industry experience and proven business acumen will serve TRAC well. I would also like to thank Pamela Scarrow for her dedicated service to TRAC as she retires from Bridgestone and steps off the Board. We wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life and career. I also extend my gratitude and the warmest welcome to returning Directors who continue to serve the Association with diligence and professionalism.”

The complete list of TRAC’s 2025-2026 Board of Directors is given below:

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Cabot Corporation announced that Bart Kalkstein, Executive Vice President and President of the Reinforcement Materials Segment, will retire on 5 January 2026 after two decades with the company. Matt Wood, currently Vice President of Global Marketing and Strategy for Cabot’s Battery Materials business, will assume the role of Senior Vice President and President of the reinforcement Materials Segment, effective 15 June.

Kalkstein, who joined Cabot in 2005, has served in numerous leadership roles across the company’s business units. He was appointed Executive Vice President in 2022 and has led the Reinforcement Materials Segment since 2016.

“Over the past 20 years, Bart has provided tremendous business leadership,” said Sean Keohane, Cabot’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “During his close to 10-year tenure as President, Reinforcement Materials Segment, he has been instrumental in delivering that Segment’s strong financial performance, driving operational excellence at our manufacturing plants, and further strengthening our leadership position as an important supplier to the tire industry. He also played a key role in developing our EVOLVE® Sustainable Solutions technology platform.”

Kalkstein will remain with the company through early January to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Wood, who joined Cabot from BP in 2010, has held a variety of roles spanning global marketing, strategy, operations, and general management. His prior leadership within the Reinforcement Materials segment includes roles as Vice President of Global Marketing and Regional Marketing Director for Asia Pacific.

“Matt brings a well-rounded background to his new role, with deep commercial and strategy expertise, hands-on operational leadership, and a proven track record as a disciplined and decisive business leader,” Keohane said. “I have full confidence in Matt’s ability to lead the Reinforcement Materials team and deliver growth for Cabot in the coming years.”

Wood’s recent contributions to Cabot’s Battery Materials strategy have been key in positioning the business for growth amid increasing demand in the electric vehicle sector.

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