Tire Cologne to highlight sustainability, future mobility 

Organisers of The Tire Cologne 2020 international trade fair for the tire industry have issued a new update highlighting the new-mobility and sustainability themes of the event taking place 9-12 June at KoelnMesse, Cologne, Germany:

Cologne, Germany – The Tire Cologne event will open its doors for the second time in around three months. 

Around 500 exhibiting companies from around 40 countries will present their range of products and services at the leading international tire and wheel trade fair from 9-12 June 2020, including nearly all well-known key accounts from the focus segments. 

The event targets tire manufacturers, tire retailers, car service providers, workshop outfitters, recycling, tire retreaders and all companies involved with the tire and car industry, according to organiser by Koelnmesse and the industry sponsor, the German tire retailers and vulcanisation trade association (BRV). 

The event is oriented to questions currently affecting the industry, and offers real added value to the trade fair in terms of information and communication: 

Mobility of the future 

The Tire Cologne will address questions surrounding how mobility will change in the future and what effects it will have on people and society.

Above all, it’ll look into what changed mobility will mean for tires as a product.

An allocated “Future Mobility” has been designed at the venue to address the issue.

In cooperation Prof. Sascha Peters, one of the most renowned material and technology experts in Europe, four visionary approaches to how the tires of the future might change will be presented: foldable, airless, sustainable and 3D-printed. 

There will thus be a 3D-printer on site that "prints" tires from carbon - a futuristic production process as a live experience. 

Supplementing this, the planned driving course will stimulate active participation with autonomously controlled or electrically powered vehicles. 

Conferences to address sustainability 

The theme of sustainability will play a decisive role at the Global Retreading Conference on the first day of the trade fair. 

As a networking event for the global retreading industry, the conference provides insights into the most important technologies, trends and developments of the industry, this time according to the guiding motto of "Retreading in the Circular Economy". 

In a discussion session with high-level national and EU politicians, the focus will be on themes of sustainability and the basic political conditions for the promotion of retreaded tires. 

The "Recycling Forum" offers a complete overview of the decisive aspects in the field of tire recycling. 

A special area has been designated for this purpose, organised by trade journals Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling. 

The Recycling Chain exhibition this time focuses on end products made of recycled tires. 

Visitors can receive information about innovative recycling solutions for various industries. 

While the main market share is composed of special substrate surfaces for the sports segment, recycled tires also play a major role in the construction industry and in the traffic segment. 

Research is currently being carried out revolving around the recycling of rubber as a component for new tires. 

All events on the theme of retreading/recycling will this time take place in hall 9, in which the exhibitors of this segment will also present themselves with their products and solutions. 

Practical demos 

Following the success of a tire mounting demo, organised by the BRV and the WDK (German rubber manufacturers association) at 2018 event, mounting demonstrations for other tire/wheel segments will take place at this year's trade fair.

- The focus for the mounting of motorcycle tires will be on the mounting and removal of the rear wheel. 

- In the car segment, attention will be paid mainly to the "wdk-certified mounting of UHP and run-flat tires". 

Here, BRV and wdk will provide practical information and demos with the support of workshop outfitters and trainers. 

- In addition, the BRV, in cooperation with partners, will install a joint "Proper mounting of large tires" action area at the trade fair. 

Here, the mounting and removal of tires for agricultural and forestry vehicles will be shown at approx. 60-minute intervals. 

A special vehicle from the segment for the mobile mounting of earthmover tires will also be exhibited here.   

Tire Stage 2020 

With a focus on trends and strategies in an increasingly digitalised market, the trade visitor will find solutions for their online marketing and best practice examples for pioneering services that enrich the industry on the Tire Stage.

The stage will primarily also be a forum for the focal themes of the study on the status of digitalisation in five European core markets of the tire/wheel industry recently realised by the Institut für Handelsforschung Cologne (IFH) on behalf of Koelnmesse. 

Experts will provide an overview of various facets of the thematic areas of digital transformation/digital tools/mobility trends/recruiting specialists here in discussion sessions and brief lectures. 

Tire Store Checks 

For international visitors to exchange ideas on themes from the tire specialist trade, Store Checks of select tire specialist traders will be carried out in parallel with the Tire Cologne. 

With the Store Checks of the companies on site, participants acquire a unique view of processes and can transfer the insights to their practice.