The integration of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology into the tyre industry is gaining momentum, offering solutions for traceability, sustainability and lifecycle management. Beontag, in collaboration with Michelin, is spearheading this innovation by jointly designing specialised RFID tags that can withstand the harsh conditions tyres face, such as extreme heat and pressure. The tags store crucial data, enabling efficient recycling, retreading and warranty management. As the tyre industry evolves, RFID adoption is seen as essential for ensuring authenticity, improving asset management and supporting regulatory frameworks. However, challenges remain in scaling production and increasing industry awareness.

Punch card systems, barcodes, dog tags, biometric scanners etc. are all instruments that offer basic information about humans and commodities for identification, authentication, traceability and retrospection.

The tyre industry is similarly standing at a crossroad where the demand for traceability and retrospection is growing. Tyre manufacturers, retailers, retreaders and recyclers are showing a growing exuberance for digital footprints that can record, summarise and authenticate information related to each existing and new tyres throughout the commodities lifecycle.

And the simple solution catering to such demands is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. While the use of RFID tags is new within the global tyre market, these have found a stronghold across retail, logistics, manufacturing, healthcare etc.

The tag is changing the game of traceability within tyre markets as the adoption grows. Technological companies are collaborating with tyre manufacturers to develop tailor-made RFIDs.

International RFID and IoT expert Beontag is one such company that has developed RFID tags for the tyre industry. Divulging deep into the engineering mechanics of the tag, APAC Senior Sales Manager Evelyn Ong told Tyre Trends, “RFID technology used in tyres is significantly different from conventional RFID applications due to the harsh conditions tyres endure, such as high temperature, pressure and wear and tear. Unlike RFID tags used in retail or medical settings, tyre RFID tags must be engineered to survive extreme conditions. As a result, traditional RFID designs, which use PET labels and conductive paste for chip attachment, are unsuitable. Instead, tyre RFID tags rely on a mechanically robust and inductively coupled antenna structure.”

“Designing RFID for tyres required a completely new approach, and the current version (generation four) is believed to be durable enough to last the entire lifecycle of a tyre. This innovation aligns with initiatives like the European Digital Product Passport (DPP), which mandates that products must be identifiable throughout their life cycle. Although RFID chips themselves only store a unique identifier (similar to a FASTag or car license plate), all detailed data such as manufacturing date, plant origin, distribution history, usage, retreading details and material composition is stored in backend software systems. As the tyre moves through the supply chain, each stakeholder adds relevant data to the software based on the RFID, creating a comprehensive database that supports traceability and lifecycle management including recycling or retreading,” she added.

The company’s main RFID tag for the tyre industry includes a chip with memory, enabling it to store data and serve as a digital identifier for the physical tyre using radio waves. This transforms a traditional tyre into a digitally traceable product.

Beontag jointly designed this RFID tag with Michelin, exploring the benefits of embedding a chip in tyres for purposes like asset management and product authentication and was instrumental in driving standardisation across the industry. While Michelin is the first tyre manufacturer to roll out the new ‘smart tyres’ with Beontag technology, the manufacturer recently announced a partnership with Kumho Tire and aims to go into partnership with other brands in the near future.

DEMAND AND SUPPLY

The company recently participated in a global tyre exhibition and rationalised its participation with significant long-term potential of the tyre RFID market. “With over 30 billion tyres in circulation globally, the scale of the opportunity is enormous. Having worked in RFID for over 20 years, the technology excels in applications involving products that are physically similar and difficult to differentiate visually like tyres. This makes tyres an ideal use case for RFID,” said the official.

Ong explained that beyond the European Digital Product Passport regulation, a key driver for embedding RFID in tyres is the fundamental need for every product to have a unique identity, whether through a barcode, QR code or digital tag. In the tyre industry, this need has been especially pressing due to the limitations of traditional identification methods like hot stamping, which often wear off over time and result in a loss of traceability.

She noted that the absence of a durable, readable ID creates challenges in verifying authenticity, determining warranty status and tracing the tyre’s origin. For instance, without a reliable identifier, it becomes difficult to confirm whether a tyre is genuinely from Michelin or to retrieve key manufacturing details such as plant location, batch number or intended distribution path.

By embedding RFID tags with unique digital identities, the industry gains the ability to link every part of the tyre’s lifecycle across the value chain. This ensures consistent traceability, facilitates better inventory and warranty management and combats counterfeiting.

“We are actively engaging with the top 10 global tyre manufacturers in the transition towards RFID-enabled tyres. While the European market is leading adoption driven largely by regulatory frameworks, we are also working with tyres manufacturers across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

“Although OEMs like Michelin are beginning to integrate RFID tags, starting with high-end passenger tyres, there is a growing and immediate demand from the aftermarket. This secondary market includes fleet operators, leasing companies and pay-per-use models, where the need for tyre tracking is urgent. These businesses want to monitor retreading cycles, ensure asset recovery and verify ownership, especially to prevent tyre theft or unauthorised replacements,” she added.

According to Ong, some aftermarket players are even looking to embed RFID tags independently rather than waiting for OEMs to standardise the process, underscoring strong demand outside the traditional supply chain.

When asked about growth potential between the passenger and commercial segments, she indicated that although current OEM efforts are focused on high-end passenger tyres, interest from the commercial and aftermarket sectors is strong and could drive faster adoption due to practical and financial incentives.

Furthermore, RFID tags play a key role in sustainability by enabling traceability throughout a tyre’s lifecycle. It allows manufacturers to capture crucial data at the point of manufacture, which is essential for tracking and recycling. With RFID, recycling processes become more efficient because tyres can be easily sorted based on type, size and materials. This minimises waste, reduces sorting time and improves the overall effectiveness of recycling efforts.

HURDLES IN ADOPTION

The executive noted that there are unique challenges of designing an RFID tag for tyres given the nature of its operations. To address these hurdles, the company and Michelin jointly designed and extensively validated a specialised RFID tag consisting of a chip and an antenna, which is fully embedded within the tyre.

This tag is designed to be invisible from the outside and integrated into the tyre structure in a way that ensures durability without compromising performance. The antenna’s spring-like structure allows it to expand and contract along with the tyre’s movement without affecting its function.

Crucially, the connection between the chip module and spring antenna is linkless, using inductive coupling instead of mechanical connection. This inductive mechanism ensures reliability even under extreme conditions like high temperature, pressure and physical deformation.

Although the tag is not constantly read during vehicle operation, it must remain functional and readable during inspections or servicing.

Alluding to broader industry challenges towards adoption, Ong said, “Current challenges centre primarily around a lack of awareness and industrialisation of the production process in existing tyre production lines and factories. Unlike retail, where RFID is well-established, the tyre sector is still in the early stages of adoption. Because of this, there is a need to educate the market, build trust and demonstrate real-world use cases. Potential customers are hesitant to act as first movers and prefer to see proven implementations to reduce perceived risk. A hopeful future challenge would be demand outpacing production capacity. However, a more realistic and significant long-term challenge lies in technological evolution, particularly around IC size, performance development and adding more functionality through sensor information.”

INTEGRATING RFIDS

The RFID chip used in tyres stores a minimum of 96 bits of data, which aligns with the standard size modelled after barcodes. This size is sufficient to encode essential identifying information including a serialised number.

While barcodes only identify products at the SKU level, RFID allows each item to have a unique identifier, making it far more powerful for inventory management. At every stage in the tyre’s lifecycle, it is the responsibility of the user or stakeholder to read the RFID tag and input relevant data into the software system, linking it to the tag’s unique identifier.

One of the most compelling applications of tyre RFID is during the tyre’s second life – especially in retreading. In this stage, the retreader can embed a new RFID tag and effectively reset the tyre’s lifecycle. This allows the retreading company to claim and track the work they’ve done including how many times the tyre has been retreaded and when.

Fleet operators or regulators can use this data to verify authenticity, ensure compliance and manage safety.

At the end of the tyre’s life, especially during the recycling stage, RFID continues to offer value by recording the tyre’s complete journey. Recyclers can access a tyre’s full history by ensuring proper handling and reporting.

The key challenge in placing the RFID tag is ensuring its proper location and integration into the tyre’s structure. This process must be carefully controlled as the tag must not only be positioned in the optimal spot but also withstand the stresses and heat of the curing process. If the tag was placed improperly, it could potentially cause issues with its performance, especially in terms of readability after the tyre is fully cured and ready for use.

COMPETITION AND EVOLUTION

Besides Beontag, there are other companies operating within the tyre RFID space. Alluding to the distinction between them, Ong explained, “The main difference of our product lies in the patented POD design (POD = IC module/package). Our product utilises a special alloy for the antenna, which prevents deformation and ensures consistent diameter and gap size. Additionally, the chip packaging has been specifically designed to offer better protection, reducing the risk of damage and ensuring reliable readings.”

She explained that the company’s business case for RFID technology in the tyre industry is clear and it believes strongly in its potential. She emphasised the importance of spreading awareness about the technology, as Europe will be implementing the technology first, but other regions including APAC and the Americas will be catching up as the technology is proven in the coming years.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Wallace Instruments, a globally recognised leader in rubber testing equipment, has expanded its United Kingdom-manufactured specimen preparation lineup with the launch of the WAS3 Pneumatic Cutting Press. The new device joins the company’s range of rubber testing equipment.

Unlike manual cutting methods, pneumatic systems apply consistent force on every cycle, eliminating operator fatigue and variability. Poorly prepared specimens with uneven edges or internal stress can compromise test accuracy, while the pneumatic approach also reduces repetitive physical strain, supporting technician wellbeing during long production runs.

The WAS3 prioritises safe single-operator use through a two-button activation system requiring both buttons to be pressed within half a second, preventing any hand contact with the cutting area. Additional three-sided protective guards further enhance operational safety.

Delivering 15 kN of cutting force, the press easily cuts through 10-mm thick, 95 Shore A rubber sheet using five bar of filtered air pressure. It works with existing Wallace cutting dies, so laboratories can integrate the unit without replacing current tooling, and its compact footprint suits both lab and production environments.

Chris Norval, Managing Director, Wallace Instruments, said, "Specimen preparation is the foundation of accurate rubber testing. With the WAS3, we focused on practical safety, dependable cutting performance and drop-in compatibility. Labs get a compact pneumatic press that fits the air lines already in place, uses their current Wallace dies and delivers consistent results for every operator – because when specimen quality is controlled, you can have confidence in the results that follow."

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

DUNLOP (company name: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.) has teamed up with Fujitsu Limited to create an artificial intelligence (AI) surrogate model that predicts tyre performance rapidly and with high precision. The breakthrough was validated in a proof of concept tied to DUNLOP’s digital transformation strategy. When applied to tyre deformation upon road contact, the technology slashed analysis time by 90 percent, from 45 minutes to just 5 minutes while processing nearly 600,000 mesh elements.

Based on these results, both firms will build a design support tool, aiming for deployment at DUNLOP by April 2027. The system runs on FUJITSU MONAKA, a next-generation energy efficient Arm-based CPU.

Tyre design typically relies on finite element method (FEM) analysis, where finer mesh grids boost accuracy but increase calculation time and costs. To tackle this, the partners developed an AI surrogate model that solves FEM equations using past data. The model, based on the Graph Neural Network algorithm, predicted contact shape with 87.7 percent accuracy, enabling faster decisions and lower costs.

Select findings will be shared at the 31st Computational Engineering Conference starting 3 June 2026. By December 2026, both companies will test the model on a FUJITSU MONAKA prototype to refine speed and power use.

Under its long-term strategy R.I.S.E. 2035, DUNLOP seeks to provide new experiential value from rubber. Through this co creation, the tyre maker will enhance its analytical technologies and strengthen innovation. Fujitsu will promote this approach across large scale FEM analysis in automotive and other manufacturing sectors, contributing to carbon neutrality via an AI platform combining FUJITSU MONAKA and GNN.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Starrett-Bytewise has appointed GL Inspect GmbH as its new European sales representative. The German firm, led by Christian Lantzsch and based in Hargesheim, will oversee regional operations. The partnership aims to provide local expertise for demanding measurement challenges across tyre plants, steel mills and extrusion lines.

Lantzsch and the GL Inspect team bring a sophisticated understanding of non-contact metrology. Their technical background aligns with the diverse industrial sectors served by Starrett-Bytewise, ensuring that European customers receive support tailored to specific materials and production environments. The collaboration strengthens local technical knowledge and on-site application assistance.

Under this agreement, European customers gain direct access to local consultations and expanded on-site evaluations led by Lantzsch’s team. Laser measurement solutions can be better integrated into individual production lines. The partnership also streamlines communication and support, building on existing European infrastructure to enable seamless transitions to automated in-line inspection.

The appointment represents a significant investment in European infrastructure. Having GL Inspect on the ground shortens the distance between Starrett-Bytewise’s U.S. engineering team and local factory floors. Faster application assessments, more frequent site visits and industry-specific language support are key outcomes of the new arrangement.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

NTE Holding has officially established NTE Mechatronics Srl, a new entity focused on developing advanced mechatronic machinery and systems for the tyre industry, with specialised emphasis on the off-the-road (OTR) and agricultural sectors. The company is headquartered in Rovereto, within the Trentino innovation ecosystem, and represents a strategic evolution of the holding’s industrial vision to integrate process engineering, automation and intelligent mechatronics for next-generation manufacturing solutions worldwide.

Built upon the industrial legacy and technical expertise of the former Marangoni Meccanica organisation, the new venture goes beyond a simple asset acquisition. According to Fabio Novelli, NTE Holding’s President and CEO, the goal was to relaunch and transform a historic industrial competence into an innovation platform for the future. NTE Mechatronics merges deep knowledge in industrial automation, process technologies and mechatronics with the broader NTE Group’s engineering capabilities, working closely with NTE Process, which is known for advanced upstream technologies such as dense-phase conveying, storage, dosing, and batching systems for the rubber and tyre sector.

Strategic collaborations with Trentino Sviluppo, the University of Trento and the ProM Facility support accelerated research, reverse engineering, metal 3D printing and rapid industrialisation. Today, the company is rapidly expanding its engineering and organizational structure to strengthen capabilities in advanced mechatronic integration, AI-driven process optimisation, predictive monitoring, smart diagnostics, energy-efficient manufacturing and custom-engineered machinery for next-generation tyre production. Core to its philosophy is a strong belief in the value of Italian engineering and manufacturing culture.

For 2026, NTE Mechatronics has set strategic priorities that include reconnecting with former Marangoni Meccanica customers, reinforcing international commercial activities and developing new technologies specifically for the OTR and agriculture tyre sectors, with Europe and the United States as primary target markets. The establishment of the company marks a significant advancement in the group’s growth trajectory, reaffirming its commitment to technological excellence and industrial specialisation.

Novelli said, “We saw the opportunity to remodel a significant industrial legacy into an innovation platform. This approach has enabled us to preserve specialised expertise, ensure industrial continuity and relaunch a historic Italian company with a forward-looking vision. At NTE Mechatronics, we believe that Italian engineering represents far more than technical competence – it is a culture of craftsmanship, creativity and industrial vision. Companies choose Italy when they are looking for something beyond standardisation: distinctive solutions, superior quality, advanced engineering and a different way of thinking about manufacturing.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!