Firestone starts 125th anniversary celebrations
On 3 August 1900, a man named Harvey Firestone officially entered the tyre business. His new firm, the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, quickly became a fixture of the fledging US motor industry and an early OEM supplier to Ford. A century and a quarter later, Firestone is now a Bridgestone Corporation brand and has commenced a year-long birthday bash. It promises us a series of new product launches, experiences and celebrations.
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Expectations – Falken releases latest Nürburgring 24H film
Falken Motorsports has competed in the Nürburgring 24 Hours for the past quarter century, which positions it well to comment that this particular race “doesn’t hand out victories easily.” The team tells us that the annual 24-hour endurance event “pushes you, punishes you and makes you wait.” Despite this, the protagonists never lose the expectation of the goal they bring with them – to win. A new video tells the story of its latest visit to the Green Hell.
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Scientists call for tyre wear methodology standardization
Two state of Knowledge papers written by Kathrin Müller, Julie Panko, Kenny Unice, Dr. Benoit Ferrari, Dr. Florian Breider and Dr. Stephan Wagner call for “deeper investigation and standardization of methodologies for measuring and assessing tyre wear emissions…” The “State of Knowledge” (SOK) papers, which are reportedly the first of their kind in this specific field, analyze over 850 scientific publications. The three-part series is independently authored by the above researchers with support from the Tire Industry Project (TIP) – part of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
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Inforoute and TiDaeX integration ‘expands…opportunities’ for tyre service work providers
Inforoute, the market-leading independent tyre fleet inspection solution from Klipboard, which supports tyre service providers and fleet management companies to minimise tyre costs and assist with fleet compliance, has integrated with the TiDaeX platform from MobileIT @pps, enabling it to re-route inspection recommendations as remedial work to e-jobsheet subscribed dealers via TiDaeX.
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Ongoing growth in the global OTR tyre market
In the August edition of Tyres & Accessories we published research sharing details of the ongoing growth of the global OTR tyre market. After summarising that data, this month we consult a number of additional sources as well as taking a closer look at the key North American markets.
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Prinx Chengshan addresses Thailand factory suspension
Prinx Chengshan Holdings Limited has officially commented on the temporary closure of its factory in Thailand. It reports that the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), a state enterprise controlled by the country’s Ministry of Industry, issued a temporary suspension notice to the wholly owned subsidiary Prinx Chengshan Tire (Thailand) Co., Ltd. The primary reasons for receipt of the suspension notice were, Prinx Chengshan explains, “because the packaging of carbon black is alleged to have breached Thailand industrial waste disposal regulations and because the expansion production line is pending waste emissions inspection acceptance.”
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Bridgestone sells Mexico carbon black business to Cabot for $70 million
On 4 August 2025, Cabot Corporation confirmed that it will acquire Mexico Carbon Manufacturing S.A. de C.V. (MXCB) from Bridgestone Corporation for $70 million. The reinforcing carbons manufacturing facility was commissioned in 2005 and is located in close proximity to Cabot’s current reinforcing carbons facility in Altamira, Mexico, which has operated successfully since 1990.
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Oak Tyres marks 45 years in the business
This month, Oak Tyres is celebrating its 45th birthday. Established in 1980 as a family-run tyre retail business, over the past four and a half decades the company has grown to become a globally active wholesaler with seven warehouses as well as portfolio of private and exclusive brands.
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We deeply apologize – Japanese authorities chastise Dunlop for pricing activities
The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has concluded its investigation into allegations that Dunlop Tire Corporation set minimum retail prices for its Dunlop Synchro Weather all-season car tyre, an activity prohibited under the country’s Antimonopoly Act. Although the investigation identified occurrences of retail price maintenance, the JFTC did not find the Sumitomo Rubber Industries subsidiary guilty. Instead, it resolved the matter through a commitment procedure, a framework that allows Dunlop to avoid formal penalties by implementing corrective measures.
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Hungaroring testing for 2026 Pirelli F1 tyres
Testing of Pirelli’s 2026 F1 tyres continues today at the Hungaroring, following on from yesterday’s test session involving the McLaren, Racing Bulls and Alpine teams. Today’s testing sees Alpine’s current line-up of Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly both driving the A525. They will be joined by Charles Leclerc at the wheel of a modified Ferrari SF-25.
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Continental improves Q2 2025 result despite lower sales
In the second quarter of 2025, Continental delivered resilient performance despite a challenging economic environment. While consolidated sales declined slightly year-on-year, the company achieved a significant improvement in earnings, particularly within the Automotive group sector, which reached the upper end of its EBIT margin guidance ahead of its planned spin-off on 18 September. The Tires group sector maintained a double-digit margin despite external pressures, but this was nonetheless below the downwardly revised target of 12.5 to 14.0% announced in June.
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Yokohama gains first BYD OE approval
What tyres does a sealion choose? Yokohama Advan, as it turns out. BYD Company has selected the Yokohama Advan V61 as original equipment for the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i model it launched in China in July. The plug-in hybrid SUV is factory-fitted with Advan V61 tyres in size 235/50R19 103V. This is the first time Yokohama Rubber has supplied OE tyres to BYD.
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8-month consecutive decline in new LCV market
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK, has called the eight months of continuous decline in light commercial vehicle registrations a reflection of “ongoing pressure on demand and economic uncertainty.” In July, light commercial vehicle (LCV) dealers registered a total of 23,433 new vans and light commercials, reflecting a -5.1 per cent decrease compared with the same month last year. This marks the eighth consecutive monthly decline in registrations, as demand has continued to fall steadily throughout 2025.
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Encourage drivers to look at their wipers in light of new MOT rules, says Simply Brands
Supplier of auto accessories and private labelling manufacturer, Simply Brands, is urging workshops and factors to encourage drivers to look at their wiper blades. As one of the busiest MOT seasons approaches, rules around wiper blades have been changed. As of 29 November 2024, the DVLA updated aspects of the MOT inspection manual with a new guide on windscreen wipers. “Section 3.4: windscreen wipers: Wipers must operate automatically when you switch them on. Wipers that do not continue to operate when switched on will fail for 3.4.(a) wiper not operating or missing.”
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July new car market ‘fell 5%’ – SMMT
The new car market stalled in July with registrations falling -5.0 per cent to 140,154 units, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The performance was the weakest for the month since 2022 and some -10.8 per cent lower than in pre-pandemic 2019, demonstrating the market’s volatility and wider economic setting.
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