Press Releases

European Rubber Journal launches Journey to Automation Awards for global tire industry

20 Feb 2020 - London – European Rubber Journal is launching the Journey to Automation (J2A) Awards initiative to recognise leading-edge projects in the field of automation and digital transformation in the tire industry.

J2A is part of ERJ’s Future Tire series of conferences. The event website is www.tire-conferences.com. Crain Communications Ltd. owns and publishes European Rubber Journal.

The inaugural J2A Awards will be staged as part of The Tire Cologne international trade fair, organised by Koelnmesse, 9-12 June 2020, at Messe Cologne in Cologne, Germany.

“Crain is proud to partner with The Tire Cologne exhibition,” said Brennan Lafferty, vice president and group publisher of the Crain Global Polymer Group. “This show is the perfect backdrop for the J2A Awards, which will shine a light on the innovation happening today in the global tire industry.”

The awards will culminate in a day of presentations on 11 June at a forum for short-listed projects. The announcement of winners will be accompanied by a panel discussion on the future direction of the tire manufacturing and supply-chain sectors in the digital era.

The deadline for submissions of award entries is 11 March 2020.

Entries for the J2A Awards are invited individually, or jointly as partners in a project, from:

• Tire manufacturers, distributors, retailers
• Automation vendors and suppliers of IT services to the tire industry
• Suppliers of equipment and/or materials to the tire industry
• Suppliers of systems used in handling and distribution of finished tires
• Service/support organisations involved in any of the above activities

“With J2A, our goal is to highlight the great work going on around the digitalisation of tire manufacture, design and supply,” said Patrick Raleigh, editor of European Rubber Journal. “As well as recognising the companies leading this transformation, we also aim to raise understanding of the pivotal role of IT-based technologies across all activities in an increasingly, interconnected tire world.”

The J2A Awards winners will be decided by a judging panel comprised of independent experts from both the tire industry and automation sector. They will, firstly, draw up a shortlist of finalists from the entries, based on their potential significance for the tire industry of the future.

The panel has been brought together by ERJ and Crain Global Polymer Group sister titles Tire Business and Rubber & Plastics News with input also from Crain titles Automotive News Europe and Automobilwoche. The judging process will be overseen by a senior official from the International Society of Automation Europe.

To enter the awards, visit www.tire-conferences.com. Questions can be directed at ERJ editor Patrick Raleigh at praleigh@crain.com / +44 (0)7749 137182.

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Crain Global Polymer Group
The Crain Global Polymer Group provides the most extensive coverage of the rubber, tire, plastics and urethanes of any business publishing company worldwide through a network of trade shows, conferences, awards, newspapers and magazines. The Global Polymer Group includes European Rubber Journal, the ITEC trade show, Rubber & Plastics News, Tire Business, the UTECH trade shows and Urethanes Technology International, Plastics News, the Plastics Recycling Show Europe, Sustainable Plastics and Plastics News China.

Crain Communications Inc.
Crain Communications is one of the world’s leading privately owned media companies. Headquartered in Detroit, Crain owns and operates the Global Polymer Group, Automotive News, Advertising Age, Pensions & Investments among other media brands. 

The Tire Cologne THE TIRE COLOGNE targets tire manufacturers, tire retailers, car service providers, workshop outfitters, recycling, tire retreaders and all companies involved with the tire and car industry. The international industry trade fair is organised by Koelnmesse and the industry sponsor, the German tire retailers and vulcanisation trade association (BRV). THE TIRE COLOGNE - Empowering the entire business, Cologne 09.06. - 12.06.2020