By Patrick Raleigh, Crain News Service
BRUSSELS (Oct. 29, 2014) — The European tire industry is becoming increasingly challenged by sustainability and supply-chain issues, according to Peter Taylor, chairman of the Future Tire Conference taking place Oct. 28-29 in Brussels.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Taylor pointed to a lack of progress with environmental programs within the tire industry, particularly those dealing with end-of-life tires, which he said were starting to falter.
“There is a lot of talk about the ‘green tire,' but as far as I am concerned, they are still very black,” he commented. “The greening of the vehicle tire still has some way to go.”
Mr. Taylor, who is secretary of the UK's Tyre Recovery Association and director of the Imported Tyre Manufacturers Association, went on to highlight problems posed by size proliferation and brand diversity within the tire market.