Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazines, the organisers of the Recircle Awards, have announced the launch of 2025 Recircle Awards. In its fourth edition, the event will see a total of 22 awards covering a wide range of categories from across the tyre industry.

This is part of its endevaour to undertake a number of new initiatives to drive inclusivity and engagement across the tyre retreading and tyre recycling sectors as it seeks to evolve and expand its position as the key industry awards event recognising sustainability in the tyre industry.

The awards will culminate in a ceremony to be held next May during Autopromotec 2025 in Bologna, Italy.

David Wilson, Publisher of Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling, said, “2025 marks the fourth edition of the Recircle Awards, and we are delighted to able to announce our continued co-operation with Autopromotec. We look forward to being able to host an enhanced ceremony in Bologna next May, and we thank Renzo Servadei and his team for their valued support in helping us to expand the influence of the Recircle Awards as the key awards event recognising the valuable contribution made by the tyre retreading and recycling sectors to the circular economy and to the sustainability of the tyre industry as a whole.

“We are constantly looking for ways to increase the scope of the Awards and to drive engagement from companies from across the industry both large and small, and in analysing feedback from the market, we identified the need to alter the weighting of the voting process in order to gain the optimum balance between the opinions of our expert judges and engagement from the wider market. As a result, 65 percent of the voting strength in the 2025 awards will now be allocated to the views expressed by our independent Nominations Committee.

“We have also increased the robustness of the nominations and voting process by asking shortlisted nominees to submit a written case in support of their nomination which can be analysed by the Committee, as well as increasing the amount of information required to be input by the voting public in order to minimise the risk of frivolous and/or organised mass voting.

“We are constantly looking at ways to improve the awards and we hope that these changes will represent a positive development as we strive to expand the profile and credibility of the Awards on a global level. We look forward to next year’s Awards ceremony with anticipation.”

The first 18 awards categories for the 2025 Recircle Awards include:

1. Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Retreading Sector
2. Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Recycling Sector
3. Retreader of the Year Award
4. Tyre Recycler of the Year Award
5. Best Retreading Industry Innovation
6. Best Tyre Recycling Innovation
7. Employee of the Year
8. Best Company Director
9. Spirit of Retreading Award
10. Circular Economy Award
11. Best Tread Rubber Supplier
12. Best Retreading Equipment Supplier
13. Best Retreading Accessory and Consumables Supplier
14. Best Tyre Recycling Industry Supplier
15. Women’s Award for the Tyre Retreading Sector
16. Women’s Award for the Tyre Recycling Sector
17. Best Tyre Recycling Research Project
18. Business Breakthrough Award

A further four categories will be announced on Monday, 10 February, 2025.

The nominations for the Recircle Awards are now open and can be made through the official voting/nominations platform on the Recircle Awards website.

The shortlist will be announced in a virtual Nominations Ceremony on Monday, 20 January, 2025, will once again be selected by a specially constituted Nominations Committee of 15 people, consisting of the respective editors of Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling plus a further 13 individuals from the global tyre retreading and recycling industries selected according to their independent status and their acknowledged expertise within their respective fields.

The voting for the 2025 Recircle Awards will open as soon as the shortlists are announced and will run until Friday, 14 March, 2025. The Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday 22 May, 2025, during Autopromotec 2025 in Bologna.

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KraussMaffei has appointed Xinting Ren as Managing Director of its extrusion business, effective 1 September, 2026, combining the role with his existing leadership of the group’s China operations.

Ren succeeds Ralf Benack, who left the company at his own request on 31^st August , ending a tenure of about two years.

The company said the dual appointment is intended to strengthen integration between its extrusion activities and international operations.

Ren has led KraussMaffei China for the past three years, overseeing cross-technology activities in the Chinese market. Before joining the group, he held several management roles in the chemical industry, including Assistant General Manager at KraussMaffei Company Limited, now operating as Sinochem Equipment Technology Qingdao Co., and most recently served as general manager of Shanxi China Coal Pingshuo Energy Chemical Co., Ltd.

Benack took over leadership of KraussMaffei Extrusion in 2024 and was responsible for the group’s global extrusion business. During his tenure, the company focused on operational processes and customer orientation, reducing delivery times and further developing the Technology Center at its Laatzen site.

The facility now offers 26 pilot lines for development and customer projects, and the company said it also expanded its extrusion technology portfolio.

From September, responsibility for the extrusion business and management of the China business will be combined under Ren’s leadership.

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Nokian Tyres plc has introduced a new premium summer tyre, the Powerproof E, designed for Central and Southern European markets, with A-class ratings in all three European Union tyre label categories across its full range.

The company said the tyre achieves top grades for rolling resistance, wet grip and external rolling noise, reflecting a development approach aimed at balancing efficiency, safety and comfort within a single product.

“Whether the priority is maximizing range and efficiency or achieving confidence and comfort in wet conditions, drivers should not have to compromise on safety. The new Nokian Tyres Powerproof E is designed to deliver outstanding performance in the areas that matter most to drivers,” said Tommi Alhola, Senior Vice-President for Passenger Car tyres in Central Europe.

Samu Lepistö, development manager at the company, added: “Achieving A-class ratings in all three EU tire label categories across the entire range is a significant result. These characteristics are all important to today's drivers yet improving one can often affect another. Nokian Tyres Powerproof E was developed to deliver balanced performance across all three areas.”

The tyre incorporates what the company calls Motion Control Technology, combining tread design, compound development and structural engineering to support efficiency and wet-weather performance.

Depending on size, between 40.9 percent and 42.8 percent of the tyre’s material content consists of recycled and renewable inputs, including rice husk ash, recycled carbon black and recycled steel.

Production takes place at the group’s factory in Oradea, Romania, which opened in 2024 and operates with zero direct carbon dioxide emissions, powered by renewable energy.

The Powerproof E is designed for passenger cars, sport utility vehicles and crossover vehicles, including electric, hybrid and internal combustion models. It will be available in sizes ranging from 16 to 20 inches for the 2027 summer season in Central and Southern Europe.

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Continental Tire Canada has appointed Frank Buntinx as its new Managing Director, effective 17 August 2026. In this executive capacity, he assumes comprehensive oversight of the organisation’s entire Canadian tyre portfolio, which encompasses passenger and light truck vehicles, commercial truck lines and specialised tyre segments. His leadership will guide the strategic direction and operational performance across these diverse business units.

A native of Belgium, Buntinx brings over two decades of tenure with Continental, having commenced his career there in 2003 within logistics and supply chain management. Over the years, he has accumulated a broad commercial skillset through successive roles in marketing, pricing strategy, business analytics, fleet operations and sales. His professional trajectory later elevated him to senior leadership positions in the Benelux region, where he directed marketing efforts and subsequently headed Fleet Solutions and Truck Tires, thereby acquiring multifaceted management expertise.

This transatlantic appointment signifies a pivotal career transition for Buntinx, offering him the chance to infuse the Canadian market with an international vantage point. His arrival is anticipated to bolster Continental’s regional presence, leveraging his extensive cross-functional background to navigate the complexities of the domestic tyre industry and drive organisational growth.

“I am truly excited to join Continental Tire Canada and begin this new chapter. Continental has built a strong business and reputation in the Canadian market, and I look forward to working alongside our talented team to build on that success, strengthening Continental's position while supporting the growth and success of our customers,” said Buntinx.

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Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., which operates the Dunlop brand, will discontinue the supply of karting tyres by the end of 2027 as part of a strategic review of its business and allocation of management resources.

The company said it would continue supplying products to existing customers until December 31, 2027.

Dunlop has produced karting tyres since 1976, supplying products homologated by the Commission Internationale de Karting-FIA (CIK-FIA), under the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, as well as tyres accredited by the Japan Automobile Federation.

The company said its products had supported a wide range of users, from recreational drivers to young drivers aiming to compete at higher levels, and had contributed to the development of karting participation.

It added that the decision followed a review of its medium- to long-term management strategy and changes in the business environment.

The group said it would continue to contribute to motorsport activities, while expressing appreciation to customers and organisations that had supported its karting tyre business.

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