Goodyear facing possible charges for fatal truck crashes
The legal representatives of two The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company entities have been summoned to appear in a French court today and face possible charges over fatal truck crashes linked to defective tyres. Luxembourg-based manufacturing operation SAS Goodyear Operations and French distributor SAS Goodyear France are represented in the court in Besançon, France.
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Michelin adds 445/95 R25 size to X-Crane 2 line-up
Following an initial 445/75 R 2.5 size launched with mobile crane manufacturer Spierings in summer 2024, Michelin is launching its Michelin X-Crane 2 in a new size, 445/95 R25. Designed for mobile and all-terrain cranes that see use on- and off-road and boasting over ten years of expertise from Michelin specialists and industry leaders, X-Crane 2 combines a civil engineering casing with a truck tyre tread. Michelin shares that it has worked on multiple prototypes and performed cutting edge tests in order to arrive at this final version. The result, it says, is a tyre that is “unique on the market.”
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Toyo reports >6% sales growth, but operating profit fell
Toyo Tire Corporation reported net sales of 135,510 million yen (£706.8 million, €863.1 million, $928.2 million), up 6.2 per cent compared with the same period in 2024. However, despite the healthy increase in turnover, operating income fell 13.7 per cent to 22,419 million yen (£116.9 million, €142.8 million, $153.6 million).
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Three-quarters of garages ignore tyre label
Hot on the heels of Apollo Tyres research showing that up to 45 per cent of consumers buy tyres without knowing their label data, a new survey suggests garages are not engaging consumers with label data.
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Cosmo Tires launches Kurrent EV-ready tyre
Cosmo Tires has introduced the Kurrent touring tyre, which features a 70,000-Mile limited warranty (40,000 miles when used on electric vehicles). Designed with the company’s Quiet Kat noise isolation technology, advanced compounding, and an ultra-modern sidewall aesthetic the Kurrent also features a patented treadwear indicator on the centre rib, allowing drivers to easily monitor remaining tread life.
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Işık named CEO of Continental Tire the Americas, Etzel retires
At the end of April Dr Jochen Etzel ended a career with Continental that spans more than 30 years. Following Etzel’s retirement, Tansu Işık succeeds him as Chief Executive Officer of Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, effective 1 May 2025. In this role, Işık reports directly to Christian Kötz, Executive Board Member of Continental and Head of Continental Tires.
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GM honours 3 tyre makers at Supplier of the Year awards
It’s ten in a row for Bridgestone and nine for Maxxis – General Motors (GM) has recognised Bridgestone Corporation, Continental and Maxxis with 2024 Supplier of the Year awards. For Bridgestone, this marks the company’s 10th consecutive and 23rd overall recognition, while the team at Maxxis was honoured for a ninth consecutive time at the vehicle manufacturer’s 33rd annual Supplier of the Year event. The three tyre makers are amongst just 92 companies across 12 countries to earn GM 2024 Supplier of the Year distinctions out of its network of more than 20,000.
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Elmer Wiemer, Heuver Group MD, passes away
Elmer Wiemer, chief financial officer and intended chief executive officer of Heuver Group died on Sunday 4 May. Wiemer passed away at the age of just 48, after a short period of illness, Heuver Group representatives explained in a statement sharing the tragic news.
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Sailun appoints Peter Koszo as vice president
Sailun reports that it has appointed Canadian Peter Koszo as the company’s vice president. According to Sailun, Peter Koszo’s current position is president of Sailun Group’s North American market and director of Sailun Tires America Inc.
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ETRMA reports consumer tyre growth, truck/bus decline
The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) published its members’ replacement tyre sales figures for the first quarter of 2025. These show modest year-on-year growth in the consumer four-wheeler segment and stronger growth in two-wheeler volumes, but a continued decline in both truck & bus and agricultural volumes.
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HiQ expands into West London with Southall tyre retail centre
HiQ Tyres & Autocare reports that it has opened a new service centre in Southall. Located on the Dominion Industrial Estate, close to Junction 3 on the M4, HiQ Tyres & Autocare Southall offers “a full range of automotive services including tyre care and fitting, MOTs, vehicle servicing and wheel alignment/ADAS calibrations”. The centre features an eight-ramp workshop, equipped to service everything from everyday cars to commercial vans weighing up to six tonnes.
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New Bridgegate Tyres opens 4th HiQ centre
In April, New Bridgegate Tyres opened the business’s fourth HiQ Centre. HiQ Tyre Expert Newcastle opened its doors earlier in 2025 offers “a range of tyre services to drivers in the North East”.
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Alcar – Competitive through small batches
Thanks to its proximity to major vehicle makers, Germany has traditionally served as a European centre for wheel production. But the country has become acquainted with our old friend deindustrialisation over the past couple of years. Burdened by an automotive industry slump combined with high energy and labour costs, Germany’s wheel sector has farewelled plant after plant. Against this backdrop it may sound strange to hear that wheel production in neighbouring Switzerland – a country legendary for its eye-watering prices – runs like clockwork.
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MOT failures exceed 50% in certain regions
Research based on MOT data analysis conducted by HiQ Tyres & Autocare shows that up to half of all vehicles are failing their MOT at the first attempt in certain regions of the country. Data from HiQ Tyres & Autocare shows that, on average, 38 per cent of vehicles fail their MOT test on the first attempt. However, further analysis, carried out over a six-week period in 2025, reveals that initial failure rates in some counties – such as the Midlands and the North West – exceed 50 per cent.
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Lothian extends long-term Michelin tyre supply deal
A shared vision on sustainability and a strong, established working relationship has seen Scottish bus operator Lothian commit to a new three-year contract with Michelin. The latest agreement continues a partnership that spans more than three decades and will see the manufacturer’s Connected Solutions Division supply, fit and manage the tyres across a fleet of 730 single and double-deck buses. Lothian is the UK’s largest municipal bus company and owned by the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian councils. Well-known on the roads in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas, Lothian runs more than 80 routes, employing over 2,600 staff.
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