Bridgestone Corporation has launched a joint research project with Universitas Indonesia, Public University Corporation Yokohama City University (Yokohama City University) and Public University Corporation Maebashi Institute of Technology (Maebashi Institute of Technology) for the genetic analysis of para rubber trees. This collaboration will leverage trees and genetic information from Bridgestone’s natural rubber farm in Indonesia.

The joint project aims to create a marker-assisted selection technology that enables early identification of elite trees (high-yielding, stable performers). Through this effort, Bridgestone and the partner universities seek to contribute to improvements in the productivity and stable supply of natural rubber.

Masashi Otsuki, executive director, Institute of Advanced Technology, Bridgestone Corporation, said, “By co-creating with stakeholders across the natural rubber industry and promoting the sustainable use of natural rubber, Bridgestone strives to achieve the corporate commitment of ‘Ecology: Committed to advancing sustainable tire technologies and solutions that preserve the environment for future generations’ described in its Bridgestone E8 Commitment.”

Stable yet sustainable

While natural rubber is a renewable resource, its source, the para rubber tree, grows only in geographically limited regions near the equator and is susceptible to external factors such as climate change and disease.

Continue reading Bridgestone and three universities collaborate on genetic analysis of para rubber trees to boost natural rubber production at Tire Technology International.

Japanese tire manufacturer Toyo Tires held a ground-breaking ceremony on March 19, 2026, for an R&D center in Serbia, which will be established on the premises of the Toyo Tires Serbia Factory in the municipality of Indjija.

The R&D center will focus on developing processing technologies, including rubber compounds, materials and composite design, as well as evaluating raw materials. It will use the on-site proving ground next to the Serbia factory to support development through vehicle testing, improving efficiency and reducing time-to-market.

Satoru Moriya, director, corporate officer, and vice president at the R&D headquarters, said, “We are excited about the potential of the Serbian R&D Center to refine cutting-edge processing technology from the ground up and to establish a European operational model that coordinates R&D, production and sales functions, thereby boosting the competitive advantages of the Proxes brand, among others.

Continue reading Toyo Tires breaks ground on R&D center in Serbia at Tire Technology International.

Kumho Tire has selected Opole in Poland as the site for its European plant. The decision is part of the company’s strategy to expand its global production footprint and accelerate growth in the European market.

The European facility is scheduled to begin initial operations in August 2028, pending investment and regulatory approval. The first phase will support an annual production capacity of six million tires, with phased expansions planned according to market demand. The total investment is valued at US$587m.

Kumho evaluated several European countries as potential locations for the new plant, assessing factors such as site suitability, sales growth potential, investment stability, profitability and available incentives.

Continue reading Kumho Tire selects Poland for European manufacturing plant at Tire Technology International.

Bridgestone Corporation has confirmed its motorsports plans for 2026, with continued involvement across a wide range of global and domestic racing categories, from top-tier championships to grassroots events.

The manufacturer uses motorsport as a “mobile laboratory”, using track-developed technologies to inform the development of consumer and commercial tire products. Bridgestone supplies tires under the Bridgestone and Firestone brands to top-tier racing series.

In four-wheel racing, the tire maker will continue supplying its Bridgestone tires to Japan’s Super GT series, where teams running Potenza tires have secured five consecutive overall championships in both GT500 and GT300 classes, and the Firestone brand will continue as the exclusive tire supplier to the NTT IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500.

Continue reading Bridgestone outlines 2026 motorsport activities at Tire Technology International.

BANF and Silicon Labs have unveiled a tire-monitoring technology that processes high-resolution data in real time, designed for autonomous vehicles and connected fleet operations. The system integrates Silicon Labs’ ultra-low-power BG22 Bluetooth LE SoC into BANF’s in-tire sensor platform, turning the tire into a connected intelligence node.

Traditional tire pressure monitoring systems alert drivers only when pressure drops significantly, offering limited insight into tire performance. BANF’s solution, by contrast, measures acceleration, pressure, temperature and tread depth at thousands of samples per second inside the tire. Key signals – such as wheel-nut loosening, slip events or reduced friction – are processed within the tire, reducing communication load and improving response time before sending alerts to the vehicle.

Continue reading BANF and Silicon Labs develop real-time tire monitoring system for autonomous and connected fleet vehicles at Tire Technology International.

Yokohama Tire has announced that it will permanently close its Salem, Virginia, manufacturing plant on March 18, 2026. The facility, which has operated since the 1960s and became part of Yokohama following its acquisition of Mohawk Rubber Company in 1989, will cease production earlier than initially planned.

The decision follows a reduction in output earlier this year and negotiations with the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW) Local 1023. Both sides agreed to expedite the closure, citing the expiration of certain product lifecycles and reduced demand for other items produced at the Salem plant.

Continue reading Yokohama Tire to close manufacturing facility in Salem, Virginia at Tire Technology International.

Solvay has opened its bio-circular silica facility at its Livorno, Italy plant, advancing Europe’s industrial shift toward sustainability. The investment supports the European Green Deal and the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), while strengthening Italy’s position as a center for green innovation.

The unit aims to produce highly dispersible silica (HDS) using bio-based sodium silicate derived from rice husk ash, an agricultural byproduct. This breakthrough process reduces CO2 emissions by 35% per ton of silica compared to traditional methods and creates a local circular value chain that benefits the agricultural sector, industry and communities.

“By acting now, Solvay is helping tire manufacturers prepare for future EU requirements and meet their own sustainability goals,” said Philippe Kehren, CEO of Solvay.

Continue reading Solvay launches bio-circular silica facility in Livorno to drive sustainable tire production and circular innovation at Tire Technology International.

Cabot has completed its acquisition of Mexico Carbon Manufacturing (MXCB) from Bridgestone, following the announcement of a definitive agreement in August and the receipt of required regulatory approvals.

Cabot has long supplied Bridgestone with reinforcing carbon products, and this acquisition further strengthens the partnership between the two companies. The acquisition also expands Cabot’s global manufacturing footprint and reinforces its position as a provider of reinforcing carbons. Acquiring MXCB, which is strategically located near Cabot’s existing facility in Altamira, Mexico, not only enhances Cabot’s production capacity and operational flexibility but also offers the capability to manufacture a broader range of reinforcing carbon products.

Continue reading Cabot acquires Mexico Carbon Manufacturing from Bridgestone at Tire Technology International.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has inaugurated Circtec’s pyrolysis plant for recycling end-of-life tires at the Delfzijl chemical industry cluster near Groningen. The opening follows the completion of construction and commissioning, after the investment was announced in May 2024.

The King officially launched the plant by loading waste tires into a CIFR pyrolysis reactor, a proprietary chemical recycling technology developed by Circtec that converts tire waste into high-value products.

Sophie Hermans, the Netherlands deputy prime minister and minister of Climate and Green Growth continued, “What we see here at Circtec is green growth at its best.

Continue reading King of the Netherlands inaugurates Circtec pyrolysis plant for tire recycling at Tire Technology International.

Synthos has announced the signing of an agreement with Orlen for the sale of 100% of its shares in the company S54, which is building a new butadiene extraction unit in Płock, Poland. The agreement was signed on December 18, 2025. Butadiene is a colorless, flammable gas derived from petroleum, a crucial monomer for synthetic rubbers.

Cooperation between Synthos and Orlen on the butadiene unit began several years ago as part of Płock’s petrochemical development program. The current agreement is part of an ongoing investment reorganization. While the sale agreement reflects the need to address delays in the Olefins III project, it establishes a stable framework for continued business collaboration between the two companies.

Continue reading Synthos transfers butadiene project to Orlen at Tire Technology International.