The Tire Industry Project (TIP), a global tyre forum focussing on sustainability, has launched its first Open Call for Projects (OCP) initiative. TIP is a voluntary CEO-led initiative that consisting of 10 leading tyre companies, which represent more than 60 percent of the world’s tyre manufacturing capacity. 

The idea is to promote new research fields and agendas to drive sustainability practices and environmental stewardship within the tyre industry at a global scale.

Larisa Kryachkova, Executive Director, TIP, said, “The Open Call for Projects attests to TIP’s commitment to supporting high quality scientific research and evidence-based progress focused on the mitigation of tyre wear emissions and their diverse impact. We are reaching out to further broaden TIP’s relationships with researchers and experts in this field.”

To support the OCP, TIP states it intends to provide financial assistance to research projects focusing on –

• The assessment and measurement of tyre wear emissions, i.e., material produced during the use phase of a tyre. 
• The development of mitigation measures, advancing the evaluated technologies towards demonstration in the relevant environment. 

The eligible projects will need to bring novel research concepts, which can preferably be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Furthermore, these concepts are expected to be integrated in activities such as field sampling, chemical and particle characterisation of emissions, data analysis and modelling of tyre wear emissions distribution in the environment and development of TRWP and leachate mitigation measures and/or advancing the evaluated mitigation technologies.

The entries will be evaluated by a committee consisting of TIP members and external experts.

Representational image courtesy: Oxford Indices

After more than three decades in tyre recycling, Pliteq CEO Paul Downey argues that despite rising sustainability rhetoric, the industry’s core technologies and material flows have barely evolved. While perceptions of recycled materials have improved, real innovation, he said, has been slower, narrower and far more uneven than expected.

Paul Downey, Chief Executive Officer of Pliteq, has worked in end-of-life tyre recycling since 1990. In that time, he expected major breakthroughs in pyrolysis and tyre-to-tyre recycling. He says they never came.

“When you look at pyrolysis, that hasn’t really changed in 30 years,” Downey said in an exclusive interview with Tyre Trends. “When you look at the use of rubber back into tyres, still a very small percentage of waste tyres goes back into new tyres,” he added.

Despite more money, more participants and more attention on recycling, he describes the sector as remarkably static. These, he said, were the areas where he expected research and to unlock scale. “Frankly the needle hasn’t moved very far in all those years. I’ve only seen very, very small changes in the last 30 years,” Downey noted.

One reason is energy. “Tyres take a tremendous amount of energy to grind up. So, you still need a lot of energy. Energy challenges are going to be an ongoing issue,” he said, pointing to wider stress on energy infrastructure.

That energy intensity affects both mechanical recycling and pyrolysis, where tyres are broken into oil, gas and carbon black. While refining recovered carbon black has long been studied, Downey says progress has been limited.

“You can refine the carbon black to make it more useful by tyre companies in terms of not degrading the quality of the finished tyre,” he said, adding that this has been researched for decades without dramatic improvement.

Pyrolysis remains minor in North America with a significant share of tyres still used as tyre-derived fuel. Downey divides end-of-life tyre use roughly into thirds viz-a-viz moulded goods, tyre-derived fuel and applications such as rubber-modified asphalt, which he says has also seen limited uptake since 1990.

After university, Downey joined a company that was already working with tyre manufacturing waste with materials that could not be used in new tyres due to quality deviations.

“When you produce a tyre, about two to three percent of the materials are off-spec. These materials can’t be used to make a tyre, so that becomes waste. That waste, combined with ELTs, was processed into noise and vibration products, primarily for automotive, heavy truck, and off-the-road vehicle applications,” he explained.

“This was back in the early 1990s. The original use was non-tyre. It was mostly in the noise and vibration space for vehicles,” Downey said.

In 1998, after developing multiple patents in Canada and the United States, Downey founded his own company. Initially, the business model revolved around licensing those patents to manufacturers, largely in the US. Over time, that approach evolved. “When I formed Pliteq, I stopped doing the licensing. All of the patents are now being used by the company,” he said.

FROM PATENTS TO PLITEQ

Today, Pliteq focuses on manufacturing finished products rather than licensing technology. The company produces sound and vibration control materials, insulated floor mats and building products made from recycled ELT rubber. Its applications range from isolating vibration caused by subway and railway lines to managing noise and vibration from HVAC systems, pumps, compressors and mechanical rooms in buildings.

“We’re looking at all the places in or around a building under construction where rubber could be used,” Downey explained.

Asked what has changed in the tyre recycling industry over the last 30 to 35 years, Downey’s answer is candid. “Remarkably, little has changed,” he quipped.

While markets for recycled tyres have expanded, the underlying technologies and material flows remain largely the same. Pyrolysis, often cited as a future solution for ELTs, has not progressed as dramatically as expected. “That hasn’t really changed tremendously in 30 years,” Downey noted.

Similarly, efforts to put recycled rubber back into new tyres have seen limited success. “There have been some efforts by major tyre companies but still a very, very small percentage of waste tyres goes back into new tyres. Those were areas where I thought there was a lot of potential for research, but the needle hasn’t moved very far,” he said.

Where the industry has evolved more meaningfully is in moulded goods. “That’s where we’ve seen the most development,” Downey said, pointing to sound and vibration products, underlayments and recycled rubber flooring used in schools, hospitals, gyms and fitness facilities. In North America, he estimates that moulded goods account for roughly one-third of ELT usage.

Another third of ELTs is used as tyre-derived fuel, while the remainder goes into applications such as rubber-modified asphalt, an area Downey says existed in 1990 and has not seen significant market uptake despite ongoing research.

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS

One of the most significant shifts Downey has witnessed is not technological but cultural. “When I started, recycling was a bad word. People didn’t want to buy recycled products because they thought it was garbage,” he said.

That perception has changed substantially. Today, architects, builders and developers show strong interest in sustainable materials, particularly in construction. While Downey does not attribute this shift directly to regulation, he acknowledges a broader market preference for sustainability.

“Now people don’t view recycling as inferior. That attitude has definitely changed over the last 30 years,” he said.

Moreover, public scrutiny around recycled rubber has intensified in recent years, particularly regarding the use of crumb rubber in athletic fields. Downey addressed these concerns directly, referencing studies he has reviewed.

“I haven’t seen any research that shows a correlation between crumb rubber and health issues. The Synthetic Turf Council conducted a multi-year study that showed exactly the opposite,” he said.

In Downey’s view, the primary concern around crumb rubber is environmental rather than medical. “It’s a powder. Potentially, it can wash away into the water supply,” he said.

Pliteq, however, is not active in the turf infill market. “We don’t sell crumb into athletic fields. We strictly manufacture moulded goods for sound control, vibration isolation, flooring and building products,” Downey clarifies.

SCALE AND FOOTPRINT

Pliteq operates offices in seven countries and sells into approximately 50 markets worldwide. Its main manufacturing facility is located in Canada, supported by two smaller plants in United States. Collectively, these facilities produce about 44,000 metric tonnes of finished products annually.

To achieve this output, Pliteq consumes roughly 60,000 metric tonnes of ELTs. “We don’t use the steel or textile,” Downey explained, referring to the components removed during tyre processing.

The company sources tyres primarily from North America, tapping into a collection network that has been established over the past three decades. ELTs are categorised into three distinct groups viz-a-viz passenger and light truck tyres, heavy truck tyres and mining or off-the-road tyres, each with different rubber compositions and properties.

“We keep those three categories separate. The amount and type of rubber are quite distinct,” Downey said.

Pliteq’s patents focus on application and use rather than core processing technologies. Beyond patents, the company relies heavily on proprietary know-how. “We have a number of trade secret processes that we don’t disclose,” Downey said.

These include particle selection, tyre source selection, screening, cleaning, formulation, mixing and moulding. “We do things in a way that nobody else in the world is doing. That allows us to achieve certain quality levels, surface finishes and performance characteristics that aren’t generally available,” he says.

Quality control is embedded throughout the manufacturing process. Downey estimated that each product passes through around seven distinct quality checks, supported by machine operators, automated systems and visual inspections. Any waste generated during production is reprocessed and reused, reinforcing a closed-loop manufacturing approach.

Pliteq operates a hybrid business model. Technology development, product design and manufacturing are largely centralised, while sales, warehousing and distribution are managed regionally. This structure allows the company to adapt products to local market needs.

“Some markets have very distinct requirements. What’s needed in UK might not be required in Singapore, Australia or US,” Downey said.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Looking forward, Downey sees gradual rather than dramatic change. Energy consumption remains a major challenge as tyre grinding is energy-intensive. Broader issues such as energy infrastructure strain and shifting global trade patterns also weigh on the industry.

Despite these challenges, Pliteq continues to reinvest its earnings back into the business. “We’re on a growth curve. We reinvest all the money back into the company and into the markets,” Downey said.

The company is currently operating at around 80 percent capacity, a level Downey stated is close to optimal. Expansion will focus first on strengthening existing teams across its seven offices before opening new locations.

“We’ve built the manufacturing model so it can scale as demand grows. But we only put new facilities where the market can sustain them,” he said.

After more than three decades in the ELT space, Downey remains pragmatic. The industry may not have transformed as dramatically as once hoped, but in moulded products and building applications, Pliteq continues to carve out a space where recycled tyres deliver measurable performance and growing acceptance in the built environment.

The World Health Organization estimates a whopping 1.9 million deaths worldwide each year due of road incidents. Hence, it can be deduced that approximately 3,200 people succumb to road related incidents each day.

It is also true that governments and organisations are trying to curb this menace that dearly costs the global race. UK-based organisation TyreSafe is one of the many players that are caring for people’s lives.

It dedicatedly raises awareness on the importance of correct tyre maintenance and the dangers of defective and illegal tyres to fight safety issues.

Speaking to Tyre Trends, TyreSafe Chairman Stuart Lovatt said, “We take a strategic, risk-based approach. TyreSafe leverages key seasonal themes such as winter driving, summer journeys and harvest-time rural risks while maintaining suites of evergreen assets that can be used year-round.” 

“Priority is given to vulnerable road user groups through targeted campaigns, alongside all road users via our flagship Tyre Safety Month. Partnerships are critical. By integrating tyre safety into partners’ existing calendars and campaigns, we significantly extend our reach without duplicating effort. This collaborative model ensures resources are used efficiently and messages reach the right audiences at the right time,” he added.

TyreSafe works with over 250 organisations to disseminate the message of safety. Each collaboration enables it to reach different regions, sectors or road user groups, whether that is police forces, road safety partnerships, rural safety groups or charities.

“Cross-sector collaboration is essential to delivering the safe system approach. Safe vehicles and tyre safety in particular must be embedded within long-term, joined-up efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate death and serious injury on UK roads,” said Lovatt.

The key lesson is that collaboration requires persistence and clarity of purpose. Strong partnerships are built on shared goals, evidence-led strategy and tangible outputs such as research, campaigns and participation in influential working groups. From there, aligning on tone, timing and messaging becomes much easier.

SAFETY GOALS

Vision Zero is a global road safety approach that aims to eliminate all road traffic deaths and serious injuries. It is based on the belief that human error is inevitable but fatalities are preventable through safer road design, responsible speeds, safer vehicles and stronger shared accountability.

Lovatt noted it as an ambitious but essential goal and one that no single organisation can achieve alone.

However, he explained that TyreSafe measures progress not just through a single metric and more through its contribution to the wider safe system approach, particularly the safe vehicles and safe people pillars.

A significant recent milestone has been the launch of the National Road Safety Strategy, which creates a renewed framework for collaboration between government, charities, enforcement, industry and researchers. After more than a decade without a national strategy, this provides the foundation needed for coordinated, evidence-led action.

Looking ahead to 2030, TyreSafe’s focus is on embedding tyre safety more firmly into national conversations around vehicle safety, fleet responsibility and public behaviour change.

“Success will be measured through stronger cross-sector collaboration, increased visibility of tyre safety within wider road safety initiatives, improved data quality and sustained engagement from both industry and road users, which all lead to a marked reduction in number of serious incidents on our roads,” said Lovatt.

TyreSafe continually reviews its resources to ensure they remain relevant and valuable. “We already include EV tyre safety guidance on our website, and this is an area we expect to develop further. With a small team and a wide range of road users to serve, prioritisation is essential. Each year we expand our resource portfolio carefully, ensuring new content delivers genuine value for stakeholders and does not dilute impact,” added Lovatt.

CHALLENGES AFOOT

Lovatt contended that technology offers clear benefits for data collection and diagnostics. However, it also presents risks if it reduces the active, human element of tyre safety.

Visual and manual checks remain critical in identifying damage, wear and defects that technology may not always capture. There is a risk that increased vehicle automation could lead to complacency, so TyreSafe’s approach will continue to reinforce the importance of driver responsibility alongside technological advances.

On the other hand, scepticism and inertia are imminent challenges that are addressed through clear case-for-action statistics, which consistently resonate with the public, media and stakeholders.

“Culturally, the cost-of-living crisis presents real challenges with drivers delaying tyre replacement or repair for financial reasons. For fleets, education is key. We produce targeted content and resources for fleet and compliance managers that emphasise not only safety but liability, duty of care and reputational risk. By framing tyre safety as both a safety and business-critical issue, we are better able to overcome resistance and influence positive behavioural change,” said Lovatt.

Measuring real-world outcomes also remains one of the biggest challenges in road safety. “Data on tyre-related incidents relies heavily on third-party reporting, which limits our ability to directly attribute impact. To address this, TyreSafe conducts its own research, such as the 2023 national tread depth survey, which we are looking to repeat,” explained Lovatt.

It also runs smaller-scale public surveys to understand not just what behaviours exist but why, allowing the organisation to refine messaging and improve relevance. It also utilises partners data and research with their support to continuously refresh and strengthen the case for action.

“While awareness metrics remain important, our focus is increasingly on insight-led evaluation that informs practical behaviour change,” he said.

BALANCING SCALES

Balancing programme expansion with sustainable funding and supporter engagement remains a challenge for a charity organisation leading national safety efforts.

TyreSafe works closely with its industry supporters, who are its primary income stream. The organisation ensures that it has a voice and that its strategic direction, resource development and investment decisions align with their CSR objectives while avoiding conflict with commercial activity.

This collaborative approach helps maintain long-term trust, financial sustainability and shared ownership of TyreSafe’s mission.

TyreSafe also does not advocate for legislative change and operates strictly within existing regulatory frameworks. However, it works closely with a wide range of organisations and partners who are able to engage more directly in policy advocacy.

“Our priority is engaging stakeholders, industry, enforcement partners and the wider road safety community while using our research, status and channels to reach the public both online and offline. The goal is to drive real, practical behaviour change, rather than focusing solely on awareness,” explained Lovatt.

He added that by ensuring that organisational evidence, campaigns and resources are robust and credible, it supports informed dialogue across the sector and contributes to policy discussions indirectly through collaboration and shared insight.

“International engagement is driven by a desire to support organisations embarking on their own road safety journeys. By sharing TyreSafe’s 20 years of research, campaigning experience and resources, we can help others accelerate progress and reach audiences more quickly. The focus is on enabling and supporting, rather than exporting a one-size-fits-all model,” contended the executive.

TyreSafe’s work highlights that meaningful road safety progress depends on sustained collaboration, credible data and behavioural change. By embedding tyre safety within the wider Vision Zero framework and adapting to emerging technologies and challenges, the organisation continues to influence safer roads, vehicles and users, proving that incremental actions can collectively save lives.

Kumho Tire USA has unveiled a completely overhauled consumer website, marking a pivotal step in its journey to establish itself as a premier alternative in the tyre industry. The redesign is a strategic move to modernise the company’s digital storefront, ensuring it accurately mirrors the brand's forward-thinking vision and evolving market identity.

Central to this transformation was the goal of creating a more intuitive and brand-enhancing user experience. The site’s architecture has been meticulously reorganised to guide visitors seamlessly through Kumho’s product lineup and corporate philosophy. By unifying the visual design, tone and messaging, the new platform projects a cohesive brand story designed to build confidence and instil a sense of pride among customers and partners alike.

More than just a catalogue of products, the updated site functions as a dynamic conduit between the company and its audience. It underscores Kumho’s commitment to delivering exceptional value through an innovation-led approach. This digital ecosystem now actively demonstrates how the manufacturer translates technological advancement into tangible benefits, reinforcing its dedication to exceeding expectations at every point of engagement.

Ed Cho, CEO, Kumho Tire USA, said, "The newly redesigned website marks a significant step in Kumho Tire's journey to solidify its position as a premium brand alternative. The enhanced digital platform showcases KUMHO's commitment to delivering high-quality products at a reasonable price to discerning customers who demand value. Our continued efforts to implement innovative technologies and build a brand that consumers can trust enable our ability to pioneer new segments of the global market."

Michelin has achieved notable recognition at the 2026 Tire Technology Expo in Hannover, Germany, securing four major awards that underscore its leadership in innovation, sustainability and technical expertise. The accolades span breakthrough research, product excellence, environmental advancement and individual career achievement, reflecting the company’s comprehensive approach to advancing mobility both on Earth and in space.

The prestigious Concept of the Year award was presented to the Michelin Lunar Airless Wheel, or MiLAW, developed for NASA’s upcoming Artemis lunar missions. This wheel represents over two decades of research into airless tire architecture, cutting-edge polymers and additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. Engineered to endure the moon’s extreme environment, it must withstand abrasive terrain, intense radiation and temperatures ranging from minus 240 to plus 100 degrees Celsius while ensuring reliable traction and durability. The project demanded advanced digital simulation and rigorous testing, and the resulting innovations are already influencing Michelin’s terrestrial developments, particularly in applications where robustness under challenging conditions is essential.

The MICHELIN Primacy 5 Energy tyre earned the Tire of the Year award. This summer tyre has achieved a triple-A rating on the European Union label for wet grip, energy efficiency and noise while also being recognised as the most durable tyre in its category. It has been selected by approximately 20 major global automakers for integration into more than 50 upcoming vehicle models, well ahead of its commercial launch. Designed to meet heightened expectations for safety, electric vehicle compatibility, emissions reduction and sustainable materials, the tyre exemplifies Michelin’s response to evolving market demands.

The BioButterfly programme, a collaborative effort involving Michelin, IFP Energies Nouvelles and Axens, with backing from the French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management, received the Environmental Achievement of the Year – Industrial Contribution award. Following over 12 years of research and an investment exceeding EUR 80 million, an industrial demonstrator at Michelin’s Bassen site successfully proved a method for producing bio-based butadiene from bioethanol. The resulting elastomers meet tyre industry specifications while offering a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to fossil-fuel-derived alternatives. This breakthrough marks a major step towards establishing a sustainable supply chain for bio-based materials in tyre manufacturing.

Pascal Prost, a Senior Fellow at Michelin, was honoured with the Tire Tech 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award for his 35-year career dedicated to advancing tyre technology. His work has consistently addressed complex and often conflicting performance requirements, particularly in the areas of low rolling resistance and eco-design for passenger and two-wheel vehicle tyres. Beyond his technical contributions, Prost has fostered collaboration across internal teams, academic institutions and automotive partners. His recognition highlights not only his personal dedication but also the collective expertise and innovative spirit present throughout the Michelin organisation.

Together, these four honours illustrate the breadth of Michelin’s capabilities, from fundamental research and product engineering to environmental stewardship and long-term talent development. They affirm the company’s commitment to creating safer, more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions for a wide range of environments.

Philippe Jacquin, Executive Vice President – Research & Development for Michelin and member of the Group Executive Committee, said, “Receiving four awards at Tire Technology Expo is testament to the collective strength of our teams and to the scientific, technological and environmental depth of our innovations. From the Moon to the road, and thanks to Michelin’s deep know‑how in polymer composites, we once again demonstrate our ability to push boundaries, create new experiences, transform research into real‑world solutions and accelerate the emergence of next‑generation materials. These awards honour not only our advances but also the daily commitment of everyone at Michelin who innovates to improve everyday life and drive mobility forward – for people today and for future generations.”