What is the outlook for the tire industry and where are the challenges? These are the questions that have permeated this year’s Tire Technology Expo Conference, set against a backdrop of regulatory updates from the European Commission and others.

In a fascinating presentation from Hankook yesterday, titled ‘Tire materials and technology arms race’, Guy Heywood, the company’s vice president, Europe, remarked, “We’ve got ambitions to be 100% sustainable, 100% carbon free by 2050. We’re looking at material supply, factories, all of the facets – the full lifecycle of the tire.

“But the reality is, you can be perfect in all those areas but the real impact of tires is that 80% of the carbon is produced during the tire’s use, not when it’s manufactured.

Continue reading Tire Technology Expo Conference highlights: The future of tires, mobility and value differentiation – perspectives from Hankook, Michelin and others at Tire Technology International.

This year’s Tire Technology Expo Conference (rates apply) in Hannover has opened with 180+ speakers and three days of presentations, discussions and networking on the latest developments in tire manufacturing and design, scientific advances, sustainability and the global tire business.

The leading conference for the tire manufacturing industry, hundreds of delegates from across the world are in attendance to hear discussions on trends and future outlook, new materials, technologies, concepts, regulatory developments, EV tires, new research and more. Contributors include leading industry figures from Michelin, Bridgestone, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Hankook Tire, Pirelli, the European Commission, reTyre, JLR, University of Twente and Bosch.

Continue reading Tire Technology Expo Day 1: Tire Technology Expo Conference opens with 180+ speakers and a focus on sustainability and innovation at Tire Technology International.

Tony Robinson, founder of Tire Technology Expo, has opened this year’s expo with a welcome address. “It’s a really great show this year,” enthused Tony. “I would say maybe the best we’ve ever done.” He continued, “It’s the best event in the tire manufacturing industry worldwide and certainly the most highly respected.”

His address covered some of the highlights at the event, with the exhibition and conference taking place this week on March 19, 20 and 21, and three specialist short courses on tire reinforcement materials, tire mechanics and tire modeling, beginning on Monday, March 18. Across two halls at the exhibition, visitors can find 240+ companies across chemicals and materials, and many of the big manufacturing machinery companies.

Continue reading Tire Technology Expo 2024 has officially opened! at Tire Technology International.

With less than two weeks to go, Tire Technology Expo has revealed a taster of a new stream that will feature in the conference. Taking place on March 20 & 21, the stream will explore how digitalization will affect the future of the tire industry.

In this video, two of the conference moderators – David Shaw, chief executive at Tire Industry Research, and Riccardo Giovannotti, secretary general at GDSO – delve into some of the topics that will be covered.

This conference stream offers an unmissable opportunity to hear companies such as Sumitomo, Michelin, MegaRide, Prometeon, Cerebrum Sensor Technologies and more reveal new concepts, technologies, sensors, services, standards and use cases for the future of tires and mobility.

Continue reading New session at Tire Technology Expo Conference 2024: Smart tires – innovation and ecosystem at Tire Technology International.

With less than two weeks until Tire Technology Expo opens in Hannover, Germany, Tire Technology International delves into one of the event’s most established and respected courses: the four-day University of Akron Tire Mechanics Short Course, which celebrates its 53rd anniversary this year.

Charlotte Iggulden sits down with Dr Benjamin T Chung, former chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Akron, who retired in 2023 from the role of Tire Mechanics Short Course organizer and director, to discuss his 35-year history with the course, its evolution and influence in the industry, and his own research into heat transfer.

Continue reading Celebrating 53 years of The University of Akron Tire Mechanics Short Course: interview with moderator Benjamin Chung at Tire Technology International.

In a recent interview ahead of Tire Technology Expo, March (18,) 19, 20 and 21, 2024, Michelin’s initiative leader for connected offers, Hélène Bathias, and Jérémy Vayssettes, development program leader for connected mobility, discuss the company’s algorithms for tire predictive maintenance solutions, at a time when vehicles are becoming more connected and EV numbers are increasing.

What is your presentation about?
To provide services that satisfy car makers’ expectations, Michelin is developing a complete offer around algorithms based on vehicle data. In this presentation, we will focus on algorithms for tire predictive maintenance and related use cases focused on car makers’ needs.

Continue reading Conference interview: Michelin’s algorithms for tire predictive maintenance solutions at Tire Technology International.

Find out more about some of the companies headed to Hannover in March. Starrett Bytewise global sales director Matt Orvis highlights advances in tire component measurement, measuring finished tires in R&D applications and offline extrusion measurement, and outlines how visitors to Tire Technology Expo 2024 can learn more about the company’s expertise

Tell us a little about Starrett Bytewise’s range of competencies in the tire business.
Our company is a market leader in laser profile measurement. While we now focus on all extrusions, we were born out of the tire industry 34 years ago.

Continue reading Tire Technology Expo 2024 exhibitor interview: Starrett Bytewise at Tire Technology International.

Find out more about some of the companies headed to Hannover in March. Vipo CEO Peter Duchovič explains how the company is developing innovations in integrating production processes in component preparation and digitalization

Tell us a little about your company.

Vipo was founded in 1974, at which time its main mission was the research and development of machinery and chemistry for footwear production. However, its origins go back even further, when Tomáš Bat’a created a strong foundation for the technical/technological system in the town of Partizánske, Slovakia, in 1938. Following various changes, the company now consists of three divisions: chemical research, testing, and machinery and electronics.

Continue reading Tire Technology Expo 2024 exhibitor interview: Vipo at Tire Technology International.

Find out more about some of the companies headed to Hannover in March. Black Donuts Engineering’s VP and sales and marketing director, Tomi Pekkola, explains how his company continues to work with existing customers in the tire business, but how the team can also help guide industry newcomers on the path to success

Tell us a little about your company.
Black Donuts Engineering is the only one-stop shop for modern tire technology and the world’s number-one tire technology expert and leading independent R&D specialist. Our services span greenfield to brownfield tire plant technologies, tire development services, technical expertise, testing, certification, production optimization and supply chain improvement.

Continue reading Tire Technology Expo 2024 exhibitor interview: Black Donuts at Tire Technology International.

Ahead of his presentation at Tire Technology Expo 2024 in Hannover, Germany, Tetsuya Maeakwa, manager of the material planning department at Sumitomo Rubber Industries, discusses Active Tread, the company’s innovative concept for future mobility.

What is your presentation about?
My presentation will focus on Active Tread, which is Sumitomo’s innovative concept for the future mobile society. SRI is launching the first Active Tread product line, which is a new technology for autonomous vehicles that promotes the establishment of a sustainable society. SRI will help to establish safety in the autonomous vehicle society by using Active Tread compounds.

Continue reading Speaker interview: Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ Tetsuya Maeakwa reveals how the company’s new Active Tread technology benefits autonomous vehicles and sustainability at Tire Technology International.