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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Shrader Tire & Oil (STO) has announced the appointment of Bob Feldbauer to the role of President, effective 1 August 2026. He will concurrently serve as Chief Operating Officer, while Joe Shrader maintains his position as Chief Executive Officer.

Feldbauer’s ascent follows his arrival at STO in early 2025 as Chief Operating Officer, a role built upon a robust industry resume. His prior engagements include a lengthy stint at the helm of Jack’s Tire & Oil in Utah and a substantial period with Michelin North America, where he handled sales and managerial assignments.

Under the new structure, Feldbauer’s purview widens to encompass both internal fleet management across 14 sites and outward-facing commercial development, including alliances and market expansion. With the founding family’s fourth generation now active within the firm, the succession plan reinforces the enduring principles established when the company opened in 1948.

Shrader said, “Bob has proven exactly what we hoped he would when we brought him on board – sharp operational instincts and a real drive to help this company grow. Putting him in the President seat lets us move faster on the growth plans we’ve been building towards.”

Feldbauer said, “It has been a fast year and a half at Shrader Tire & Oil. I have gained tremendous insight and valuable knowledge about our organisation’s structure, company culture and an understanding of our overall goals and commitments. One thing is clearly obvious – the commitment Shrader employees have to deliver the best customer experience each and every time. I appreciate this and look forward to supporting them as their President and COO.”

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Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) has unveiled a brand installation at the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) T2 Elevated Road Underpass as the tyre manufacturer seeks to broaden its positioning beyond its traditional Off-Highway business and strengthen awareness of its expanding on-highway portfolio in India.

The 2,000 sq. ft. installation, inspired by the company's "Elevate Your Drive" philosophy, highlights BKT's portfolio across agriculture, construction, mining, earthmoving, commercial vehicles, two-wheelers and passenger vehicles. The activation comes as the company expands its presence in India's two-wheeler and commercial vehicle tyre segments.

Designed to move beyond conventional outdoor advertising, the installation features nine illuminated tyre-shaped displays, each 8 feet in diameter, using the tyre itself as the central storytelling element. It opens with a large-format visual featuring BKT brand ambassador Ranveer Singh, followed by a sequence of displays illustrating the company's expanding mobility portfolio. The installation will remain at the airport for 24 months.

Mumbai International Airport handled a record 55.5 million passengers in 2025, providing the company with sustained visibility among business travellers and consumers.

"For BKT, innovation goes beyond product engineering; it extends to how we tell our story. This installation reflects a simple yet powerful idea: our tyre itself becomes the medium through which travellers experience the breadth of BKT's world. As we expand our presence across India's mobility landscape, it is important that consumers see BKT not through a single product category, but as a brand that supports movement across diverse terrains, applications and journeys. Mumbai Airport provides an ideal stage for us to express that transformation in a memorable and distinctive way," said Satish Sharma, Senior President & Director – Business Development and Strategy, BKT.

The installation was conceptualised by Infectious Advertising and uses immersive design, sequential storytelling and its airport location to showcase the company's wider mobility portfolio. According to BKT, the activation is intended to connect its established Off-Highway business with its growing presence in India's on-highway mobility market.

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Mumbai-headquartered leading carbon black manufacturer Epsilon Carbon has reported a 10 percent reduction in carbon dioxide equivalent emissions across its upstream transportation operations during FY2025–26. The reduction was achieved through the deployment of an electric and liquefied natural gas freight fleet.

An independent third party certified the emissions data. The reductions achieved in transport logistics equate to carbon absorption figures associated with approximately 29,000 trees. The verified figures allow supply chain partners to include these reductions within Scope 3 emissions reporting frameworks and environmental disclosures.

Gaurav Mathur, Chief Executive Officer, Epsilon Carbon, said, “Decarbonising logistics is central to our climate strategy. What makes this milestone meaningful is that the results are independently verified with a 10 percent reduction in CO2e emissions within the upstream transportation category over a single financial year, driven by the adoption of electric and LNG fleets. These carbon reductions strengthen our own sustainability disclosures and those of our customers, and we intend to scale this model across our supply chain.”

Following Phase 1 operations, Epsilon Carbon intends to expand the number of electric and LNG vehicles in its transport fleet during FY 2026–27 to scale low-carbon freight transport across its supply chain network.

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Czech billionaire Michal Strnad has acquired a 14 percent stake in Pirelli from Chinese state-owned group Sinochem, in a transaction valued at about EURO 1 billion, according to a report by Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

The report said the acquisition was made through Lumina Crown, Strnad's investment vehicle, making the 33-year-old businessman the tyre maker's third-largest shareholder.

Following the transaction, Sinochem's holding in Pirelli has been reduced from 34.1 percent to 20.1 percent, while MTP, the holding company controlled by Marco Tronchetti Provera, has become the company's largest shareholder with a 26.5 percent stake, the newspaper reported.

According to Corriere della Sera, BNP Paribas advised Sinochem on the transaction, while Jefferies acted as adviser to Lumina Crown.

Strnad is the controlling shareholder of Czechoslovak Group (CSG), a defence manufacturer that owns the Italian brands Fiocchi Munizioni and Perazzi. He controls about 85 percent of CSG, which is listed in Amsterdam with a market capitalisation of around EURO 16.6 billion.

The investment in Pirelli was made in a personal capacity through his holding company, Lumina, the newspaper said.

Commenting on the investment, Strnad said, "We are pleased to make this long-term investment in Pirelli, a company that has long been a global leader in its sector, distinguished by its unique history, strong premium positioning and proven capacity for innovation. We have great confidence in Pirelli's strategy, its management team and the company's ability to continue generating sustainable long-term value for all stakeholders. Our investment reflects our strategy of supporting outstanding companies that combine leadership positions in their respective markets, durable competitive advantages, world-class brands and strong growth prospects. It also demonstrates our ability to identify and execute highly attractive investment opportunities globally, acting with conviction and discipline."

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