Conti, Michelin, Goodyear, SRI scoop up multiple awards at Tire Tech 2023

Hanover, Germany – Tire makers Continental, Michelin, Goodyear and Sumitomo Rubber Industry (SRI) have scooped up double awards at this year’s Tire Technology International Awards, held 21 March in Hanover.

Now expanded into 13 categories, the awards covered three environmental achievement categories for tire design, manufacturing and industry contribution.

Michelin’s 45% and 58% sustainable material tire designs picked up the award for tire design; Continental’s invisible rubber marker technology was judged the winner in the manufacturing category; and Emissions Analytics’ EQUA Tyre database took home the trophy for industry contribution.

Other new categories for 2023 included chemicals and compounding innovation of the year, which was won by Nynas’s Nytex BIO 6200 tire oil; and materials innovation of the year, which saw the jury recognise SRI’s work on synthesised biopolymers.

SRI also won the title in the category of R&D breakthrough of the year, which saw the tire maker awarded for its research into enzyme evaluation.

Goodyear picked up the award for tire manufacturing innovation of the year, for its “ground-breaking” small-batch production process, used in its factory in Luxembourg.

The US tire maker was also placed first in the tire concept of the year category for its work on the 90% sustainable material tire design.

The tire industry supplier of the year award was presented to HF Group in recognition of its commitment to digital solutions and its excellent relationships across the industry.

Hannover-based Continental was also back at the podium to collect the tire of the year award for the PremiumContact 7, winning a hotly contested new category.

The tire manufacturer of the year title went to Michelin, marking the sixth time that the French manufacturer has claimed top spot.

The young scientist prize for 2023 was given to Agate Utane, a PhD student at Loughborough University.

The award’s jury – which is separate to the 12 central categories – selected Agate and her work, ‘efficient tire-road friction testing for vehicle handling applications’.

Nominated by many of his peers, Jan Prins won the lifetime achievement award for his highly successful career at Jaguar Land Rover since graduating from Delft University of Technology in 1990.