With just over six weeks to go until Tire Technology Expo 2026 gets underway in Hannover, Germany (March 3, 4 & 5), the shortlisted nominations for this year’s Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence have been revealed.
The awards are decided by the votes of a panel of experts from the tire industry and academia. The winners will be announced during the expo (Day 1, March 3).
ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR – TIRE DESIGN
- Bridgestone – TBR tire produced with 70% recycled and renewable content
- CEAT – SustainMax-VF tire
- Continental – Conti Urban HA 5 NXT
- Michelin – Car tire with 75% renewable and recycled materials
- Pirelli – P Zero (with 70% bio-based and recycled materials)
ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR – MANUFACTURING
- Color Service – Automatic depalletizing and AI handling robot for chemicals weighing systems
- Comerio Ercole – Celemetry
- Continental – Reduction of freshwater use
- Michelin Specialty Materials Recovery (MSMR) plant in Chile
- VMI – Batch-Off Closed Air Circulation
ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR – INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTION
- Bekaert – Steel tire reinforcement certification of recycled content
- Bridgestone World Solar Challenge tire
- Continental – Expansion GIZ Project
- Endurica – Advancing tire retreading through oxidation science and predictive modeling
- Michelin – BioButterfly project
- Solvay – Circular highly dispersible silica global industrialization
CHEMICALS AND COMPOUNDING INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
- Flexsys – Alternative to 6PPD
- OCSiAl – Tuball
- Silox – ActiECO+ Green
- Skyhem Chemicals – Ecosky-3103
MATERIALS INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
- Cabot Corporation – rC Regen CGX1000
- Continental – Synthetic rubber from used cooking oil
- Teijin Aramid – Twaron Next
R&D BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
- Bridgestone – TRWP vehicle collection method
- Continental – OLRAP
- Falken – Motorsport application of Sensing Core
- Goodyear and TNO — Integration of tire intelligence with AEB systems
- Michelin – Tire Digital Twin
TIRE MANUFACTURING INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
- Color Service – Automatic depalletizing and AI handling robot for chemicals weighing systems
- Comerio Ercole – Zeus
- VMI – Automated materials handling
TIRE INDUSTRY SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
- Black Donuts
- Color Service
- Comerio Ercole
- Uzer Makina
- VMI
TIRE CONCEPT OF THE YEAR
- Goodyear – Eagle Xplore
- Hankook – Sustainable concept tire
- Kumho – Volume
- Michelin – Lunar Airless Wheel (MiLAW)
- Nexen – Nexist
TIRE OF THE YEAR
- Apollo Tyres – Aspire 5
- Bridgestone – Potenza Sport Evo
- Continental – VanContact A/S Eco
- Michelin – Primacy 5 Energy
- Pirelli – Cinturato Winter 3
TIRE MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR
- Bridgestone
- Continental
- Goodyear
- Hankook
- Michelin
- Nova Motorsport
There’s still time to book your free pass to attend Tire Technology Expo in Hannover on March 3, 4 and 5! Click here to register
