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

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Bridgestone Americas has appointed Michele Herlein as its new Chief People Officer. In this role, she will oversee all human resources operations across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Her primary focus will be advancing the company's Culture 2.0 initiative, which aims to enhance teammate empowerment, collaboration and accountability.

Herlein rejoins Bridgestone with over two decades of executive leadership expertise. Her background includes previous positions within Bridgestone Americas and Bandag, Inc., centred on culture, leadership development and succession planning. Most recently, she was the Founder and CEO of CultureMax and previously served as the Chief Administrative and Human Resource Officer at Barge Design Solutions. She is also a published authority on creating high-performance organisational cultures. Beyond her corporate work, Herlein is a co-founder of Impact100 Nashville, a philanthropic women’s collective that has awarded more than USD 1.2 million in grants to area nonprofits.

Scott Damon, Bridgestone West CEO and Group President of Bridgestone Americas, said, “I am excited to welcome her back to Bridgestone, recognising the perspective and presence she will add to our West leadership team, the HR function and the broader organisation.”

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Alliance, a prominent global tyre brand under Yokohama-ATG, introduced its new Agri Star II Row Crop tyre to the UK agricultural sector during the recent LAMMA UK 2026 event. This launch marked the product's UK debut following its initial presentation at Agritechnica 2025. The tyre is specifically engineered for row crop tractors and specialist machinery, including self-propelled and trailed sprayers, operating in crops such as cereals, maize and oilseed rape.

Central to the tyre's design is Alliance's Stratified Layer Technology (SLT), which incorporates two distinct rubber layers within each lug to maintain reliable traction and stability even as the tyre wears. This approach is part of a design focused on mitigating soil compaction through a wider tread that improves load distribution, thereby helping to protect soil structure and preserve crop yields.

To address the evolving demands of modern farming, the tyre is built for high-speed road travel, boasting an E-speed rating that allows for operational speeds up to 70 kmph. This capability accommodates the increasing distances machinery must cover between fields. Simultaneously, the tyre is engineered to provide effective low-pressure performance during actual field work. It brings VF technology to this segment, a critical development as agricultural equipment continues to grow in both weight and the frequency of road use.

The construction emphasises durability, incorporating features like a stubble guard and advanced, wear-resistant compounds to ensure a long service life under challenging conditions. Available in rim sizes ranging from 24 to 54 inches, the Agri Star II Row Crop is designed for compatibility with a broad spectrum of contemporary farm machinery. This new model extends the proven platform of the Agri Star II series, of which over one million units have been sold globally, delivering its established technological benefits into the specialised realm of row crop agriculture.

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Hankook Tire has appointed Seunghwan (Aaron) Hong as Vice President of Marketing for its North America Headquarters in Nashville. He assumes this position following the promotion of Kyuwang (Ken) Cho, who is now leading the company’s Global Truck & Bus Division from Seoul.

In his new capacity, Hong will be responsible for North American marketing strategy, technical services, Canadian operations and supply chain logistics, focusing on strengthening the brand’s support for regional tyre dealers. Hong’s extensive two-decade career with Hankook includes leadership roles such as Managing Director in Canada and the Netherlands, along with a strategic position in the Global TB sales division.

Cho, who previously served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing in North America, returns to Korea, where he had earlier held a senior global sales role within the TB division.

Rob Williams, President, Hankook Tire America Corp., said, "We're thrilled to welcome Aaron to Nashville as our new Vice President of Marketing. He brings a wealth of global experience and a proven ability to drive growth across diverse markets. As we continue to expand our brand and strengthen relationships with our dealers throughout North America, Aaron's strategic vision will be key to advancing Hankook's innovation and performance in the tyre market. We are appreciative of Ken's leadership over the past year in elevating our presence across both consumer and commercial channels."

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems has appointed Fredrik Aaben as its new Chief Executive Officer effective 16 January 2026. He succeeds Fredrik Emilson, who is stepping down from the role by mutual agreement. Emilson will remain with the company in a supportive capacity, serving as a Senior Advisor during the transitional period.

Aaben brings substantial financial and strategic experience to the position, having served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer since November 2024. His prior career includes close to eight years at Volvo Cars, where he most recently held the position of Head of Corporate Finance and gained extensive experience in finance, strategy and governance. His background also includes roles as Group Business Controller at Stena AB and work in management consulting. Aaben holds dual Master of Science degrees in Industrial Engineering and Management and in Software Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology.

Concurrent with this change, Maria Ljungstrand has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer. She joined Scandinavian Enviro Systems in April 2024 as Head of Group Business Control and previously held business controller positions at Danone and Mondelez International.

The Board of Directors expressed gratitude to outgoing CEO Fredrik Emilson for his dedication and valuable contributions. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant developmental milestones, and the Board acknowledged his considerable efforts and commitment.

Ewa Björling, Chairman of the Board of Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ), said, “The Board is very pleased to appoint Fredrik Aaben as Chief Executive Officer of Scandinavian Enviro Systems. Fredrik has a deep understanding of the company, its operations and strategic direction, and has demonstrated strong leadership, analytical capability and commitment during his time as Chief Financial Officer. With his extensive experience in finance, strategy and corporate governance, the Board has very strong confidence in Fredrik’s ability to lead Enviro forward and successfully drive the company’s continued development and growth.”

Aaben said, “I am excited to have been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Scandinavian Enviro Systems. Enviro is a company with a leading technology platform and a highly competent organisation. I look forward to working closely with the Board, the management team and all employees to drive execution and continue developing the company in line with its long-term ambitions.”

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