By Gerald Böse, President and CEO, Koelnmesse

The successful premiere of THE TIRE COLOGNE is a confirmation of our long and intensive preparations. After all, from the first announcement in 2014 until the trade fair in 2018, we worked for four years in cooperation with the industry on the concept, services on supporting events, initiated world-wide information and marketing campaigns and incorporated partners for many themes. We have convinced exhibitors and visitors to THE TIRE COLOGNE with our event concept and a new orientation, with the high quality of visitors, a generously dimensioned hall offering and a strong concept in terms of content, and received a unanimous vote from the international tyre and wheel industry: Cologne is the leading international meeting point of the industry right from the start!

However, this doesn't mean we can rest on our laurels. Our thinking and action are oriented to continuing further development: we see ourselves as part of the international tyre and wheel industry, and also want to provide impulses in terms of content that are of use to the industry for future development. Every industry requires perspectives on how the future orientation and potential for further growth can be developed and realised. In our concept we have defined clear strategic and conceptual goals that point out and realise these perspectives.

1. the independent and comprehensive reflection of the industry at all levels, at a glance and at the right time.

2. the internationalisation of all relevant industry segments.

3. the generation of new visitor target groups. In addition to the themes of online commerce and workshop services, we have in this way addressed important target groups like fleet managers and transport companies and attracted them to Cologne. We have also clearly emphasised the theme of recycling, which has to date only been treated inadequately – additional added value for industry and commerce. This has all worked very well, but there is still much more potential for further expansion. Accordingly, we analysed all areas and thematic focuses and verified development potential here and there. For example, we want to expand the Recycling/Retreading, Workshop and Services sections, but also the over arching theme of digitalisation. To this purpose, we are already involved in an intensive exchange with potential exhibitors, organisations and partners.

We have thus already achieved the most important goal of comprehensively reflecting the entire industry. I especially emphasise this because we are now in a two-year cycle. However, the premiere in 2018 had a run up period of nearly four years, extending from the announcement that the industry was switching to Cologne to the first event. Almost five months prior to the opening of the fair, more than 90 per cent of the planned exhibition areas have already been rented -in comparison to the final result of 2018, even almost 95 per cent in comparison with the original planning for 2018. More than 400 companies have already confirmed their participation in THE TIRE COLOGNE 2020, including nearly all well-known key accounts from the focus segments. THE TIRE COLOGNE is thus the world's only B2B platform to present the top brands of the international tyre world. We will be making smaller adjustments, for example, in the hall planning, in order to optimise further here. In concrete terms, this means that the big key players will not exclusively be placed in Halls 6 and 7, but some now also in Hall 8. This ensures even more optimal distribution of visitors to all halls of THE TIRE COLOGNE, and at the same time reinforces the segments of car services and workshop outfitting. Hall 9, with the focus on the themes of tyre remoulding and recycling, will also be made more attractive for exhibitors and visitors, in that the "Global Retreading Conference" and the Recycling Forum will also take place here. In addition, the "Future Mobility" special area will also be realised in Hall 9 for the first time.

With the "Future Mobility" special area, THE TIRE COLOGNE wants to take a look into the future and point to questions that affect the industry: how will mobility change in the future? What impact will changes have on people and society? What does changed mobility mean for the product tyres? And what effect will this have on the tyre industry? Answers to these questions will be provided by, among others, Dr Sascha Peters, one of the most renowned material and technology experts in Europe, who will discuss the theory and practice revolving around the product of tyres and possible changes in the future in the context of the special event. As a highlight and at the same time as a stimulus for active participation, a driving course is being planned for the "Future Mobility" special event, where autonomous or electrically powered vehicles will be in use.

The event programme is oriented to questions that currently affect the industry – whether this involves innovative further developments or a theme that affects every one against the background of climate change: sustainability. With the "Recycling Forum," we offer a complete overview of the decisive aspects in the field of tyre recycling and sustainability. And sustainability of course also plays an important role for the Global Retreading Conference. The conference is a one-time opportunity to take a global look at thedecisive trends and developments of the retreading industry. The focus this time is on "Retreading as Best Practise for the Circular Economy."

An important theme we are emphasising for THE TIRE COLOGNE in a targeted fashion is "digitalisation." Digitalisation affects us all and is causing a dramatic change in all areas of life. The digital transformation opens up big chances for more qualityof life, new business models and more efficient business economy. In the framework of the Digital Strategy, Koelnmesse deals with all aspects of digitalisation that are or might become relevant for the company and the trade fair business. And digitalisation has also long since arrived in the tyre industry. With various sessions on the stage of THE TIRE COLOGNE, we will show what digitalisation already means today for all participants of the tyre industry, and how it can be used for your business.

The digital transformation remains a definitive theme of decisive importance for the future focus at Koelnmesse, but surely also for the tyre and wheel industry. For us as Koelnmesse, digitalisation is the central development programme in the company, on which more than 100 of our own employees are working. The goal is the successful transfer of the core business of the trade fair into the digital world: through the development of digital services and business models, the improvement of internal processes, the digitalisation of the fair grounds and the expansion of the corresponding trade fair themes. The programme includes both projects that have already been in existence for a longer period of time, such as ticket and access systems, or a digital sales system introduced two years ago, but also new themes like the digitalisation of traffic management or digital signage, a joint project with Samsung. It unites route guidance, infotainment and advertising on more than 200 m² of digital area and is currently being further expanded upon – and is of course being used for THE TIRE COLOGNE.

Digitalisation influences markets and needs – as well as our exhibitors and visitors. Digitalisation is therefore a strong aspect for the tyre and wheel industry, because it permeates trends and changes. In order to intensify this understanding and be able to react to possible challenges "just in time," THE TIRE COLOGNE, together with the IFH, the Institut für Handelsforschung in Cologne, has carried out an extensive study and survey of the tyre trade in five core markets - in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Poland. The goal of the study is to verify the themes of relevance to the trade in the respective countries, and how it reacts to challenges, whether with regard to digital transformation, digital tools, trends or recruiting staff. Very informative were the findings, and in some cases very different findings in the countries surveyed – also and in particular with regard to the theme of digitalisation and the use of digital tools to address and secure the loyalty of customers.

However, the study is only the first step of this project. We will soon also be offering the specialised trade the possibility to benchmark itself and its service profile against the European average at the website of THE TIRE COLOGNE. With the comparative result of the "Fit forthe Future" test, the participant also immediately receives a brief analysis and possible approaches to solutions, which could be of benefit for the further development of their own business.

The international tyre and wheel industry is strong and has great potential. However, it must at the same time invest in order to assure this potential. THE TIRE COLOGNE will contribute to this development as the leading international industry platform!

 ( Kindly Note:  THE TIRE COLOGNE has been postponed until 2021. The organisers yet to declare new dates)

Extensive study,  survey supplemented with Fit for Future test

As the leading platform for tyres and wheels, THE TIRE COLOGNE sees itself not only as a business hub that brings together all relevant players from industry and trade in one place. Much more than this, it sees its task in the presentation of themes and content that benefit the future development of the industry. "We see ourselves as part of the industry and want to point out solutions for the constant market changes, with the goal of setting sustainable impulses for the development of the industry. This is the bar we have set for ourselves. This year we initiated a study in five European core markets, the results of which will provide all market participants with a better understanding of the function of the respective markets and the challenges there. Building on the results of the study, each trader can now check themselves in our downstream "FitforFuture-Test" to find out where they stand and where there is room for improvement," according to Christoph Werner, Senior Vice President Trade Fair Management of Koelnmesse.

Markets are constantly changing and, as a consequence, also the needs of customers. In order to intensify this understanding and be able to react to possible challenges "just in time," THE TIRE COLOGNE, together with the Institut für Handelsforschung in Cologne (IFH Köln), has carried out an extensive study and survey of the tyre trade in five core markets - in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Poland. Managing directors, owners and masters from companies in the specialist tyre trade from five countries were surveyed, and secondary research and interviews was carried out. The survey focused on the clusters of digitalisation and digital tools and automobile mega-trends, as well as personnel recruiting and continuing training of staff.
 

A short summary of the study results:

Digitalisation is bringing big challenges for tyre retailers: The European tyre trade is changing rapidly. This is being propelled by changing customer behaviour. The customers of the tyre trade have considerably higher expectations of service than in the past and expect communication on all channels with coordinated sales and service offerings. Digitalisation is also changing and is placing one sector after the other in question - the tyre trade must keep up with the general digital transformation. The challenges relating to this have for the most part been recognised and tend to be evaluated with reference to the chances. Nonetheless, there are sometimes shortcomings in implementation. The reason: the tyre trade isn't daring enough. The broad portfolio of digital tools has not yet been utilised consistently. In addition to this, mega-trends are classified as science fiction without looking for one's own advantages in the here and now.

Tyre trade will soon face a personnel problem: This is exacerbated by a massive personnel problem - at least in most European countries. The tyre trade is already facing problems recruiting new employees in the core area of the workshop, but also with the acute line of succession. And there are no effective remedies in sight.

What needs to be done?: The tyre trade must develop a certain amount of self-confidence. This must correspond with the core requirements of the digital age - meaning, be present on all channels and be based on smooth and rapid processes. Only then can one provide profitable offerings, products and services. In addition to this, the tyre trade requires a broader portfolio of digital instruments for internal and external use. More practice and continuity in the usage of these instruments is also required. In addition to this, the tyre trade requires creative solutions and must develop convincing arguments extending beyond the standard offerings, in order to find and bind more employees.

FitforFuture test and best practise

All results of the THE TIRE COLOGNE study - complete, as a management summary, but also the evaluations of the individual countries and core topics - are available for download on the website of THE TIRE Cologne at https://www.thetire-cologne.com/the-fair/tireresearch/tireresearch.php . Furthermore, on the website of THE TIRE COLOGNE the FitForFuture test can be used effective immediately to check how one's company is developing in terms of #DigitalTransformation, #DigitalToolbox, #Recruitment/ human resources development and #Trends.
Subsequent to this, he will immediately receive the test results and relevant best practice examples from the aftermarket, but also from other retail industries.

Of course, findings from the study will also play a role in the context of the congress and event programme of THE TIRE COLOGNE, where the four core themes will be discussed with industry participants and experts in special theme forums. Subsequent networking events provide exhibitors and visitors with additional added value while looking at the study and discussion results in greater depth.

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As a surviving member of the ‘baby boomer’ generation that commenced with the rapid economic growth following the World War II, I think we are, in a broad sense, privileged to have witnessed and experienced the happenings and consequences of about 50 years in the 20th Century and about 30 years in the 21st Century. When contemplating on the term literacy and its traditional meaning of being able to read and write from an educational perspective, I feel it fitting to cite a few real-life cases, from way back, which make me to wonder whether the above interpretation of literacy is all encompassing.

a) My maternal grandmother, who was born in 1900, did not know reading or writing, a typical feature about the female folk in that era, especially in the remote villages. Despite this apparent handicap, she successfully managed the day-to-day administration of the paddy fields and the rubber plantation, including finances, and raised three children to become worthy human beings.

b) Then there were these three young people who had migrated to Colombo with minimal formal education and started their business in humble ways to become well recognised icons of international fame in the healthcare, confectionary and rubber footwear and tyres, respectively, the latter being related to my own core field, the rubber industry.

c) Last but not the least, the late Martin Wickremasinghe, born in the late 19th century, who attended school only up to the 7th standard, wrote hundreds of books on diverse subjects such as history, anthropology, sociology, religion and literature and several novels (some of which were translated to several languages), which rightfully recognised him as a well-respected scholar and the greatest writer in Sri Lanka.

While it may be futile to compare apples with oranges, I feel that literacy has a utilitarian perspective, which can change with the social context and the circumstances. With my manufacturing background, I see a close parallel of literacy and quality. Out of the hundreds of definitions available of the latter, ‘fitness for use and the level to which requirements are fulfilled’ is applicable to literacy as well.

When going through the available information on the subject, it is noted that ‘literate’ can be traced back to the early 15th century from the Latin word literatus, meaning learned, educated and lettered. Initially, literate meant someone who was well educated, learned and acquainted with literature, and over time, as basic schooling became more widespread, the word was adapted to describe the foundational skill of reading and writing. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines literacy primarily as ‘the ability to read and write’. Two core definitions for the term are identified as Basic Literacy, the fundamental ability to read and write, and Specialised Literacy, the competence, knowledge or skill in a specific subject area in which common modern applications include:

a) Computer literacy: The ability to use computers effectively.

b) Financial literacy: Understanding and effectively managing personal finances.

c) Health literacy: The capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services.

It could be inferred that we, the ‘baby boomers’, currently at an advanced stage in life, cannot do without the above basic literacies, and as a minimum, the routine health check such as blood sugar, blood pressure, LDL and HDL etc. to survive and lead active lives.

It is said that writing originated primarily out of economic necessity as the early agricultural societies grew and needed to track goods, taxes and trade. The evolution of writing from rudimentary clay tokens in to the world’s first independent writing systems in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and Mesoamerica around 3200 BC to 3000 BC is a story that requires a deeper elucidation at a different forum.

Literacy is considered as one of the most important foundations of civilisation and has played a crucial role in human survival and existence both evolutionary and historically. However, instead of going into a deliberation of these foundational perspectives, I intend to offer some of my personal insights and recollections on this important subject over the past 60-plus years. I can recollect how at preschool stage, we were initiated into the basics of reading and writing using slates and slate pencils (made out of a silicious material) and the ‘black boards’ in the class room where chalk was used for writing. Literacy mainly meant the ability to read and write and, in later classes, in performing basic arithmetic. In schools and workplace, literacy was closely connected to formal education and subject knowledge. A literate person was one who could understand written communications, reads books and newspapers, write letters and maintain records and perform effectively in society. It was directly connected to social respectability and economic progress.

Literacy in English was considered as a rare virtue in countries which were under the British colonial rule. It was confined only to a few ‘high level’ schools in Colombo and in some major towns. Hailing from a rural background and having attended a small primary school in a remote town, I have first-hand experience of the panic and inferiority when I started secondary education in Colombo. This was especially true when we started studying for the Government (Ordinary Level Exams) in the science stream which was all in English. It was a struggle to get adapted and face the challenge, which I would say, I managed fairly well.

In those days, literacy was essentially confined to formal education and subject knowledge. Students were expected to memorise facts, understand texts and reproduce the information during the examinations. Books and libraries were the main sources of knowledge. Teachers were well recognised and respected as the primary sources of knowledge. And learning was generally a disciplined and structured process. And information, though limited, was relatively organised. I do not consider this as a deficiency or a weakness at all, because it fitted well with the societal and business expectations of those days.

I can well remember the day of my first interview seeking a job, which happened to be in the rubber industry. Instead of asking about isoprene or how the RSS (Ribbed Smoked Sheet) is made, although I managed to cram some information about the latter, I was asked about Ohm’s Law and how steel is made from iron ore. I was lucky because in our Advanced Level class, we had studied the above, and this paved way for a lifelong career in the rubber industry.

Literacy seems to be directly proportional to the rate of percolation or trickling down of the technologies to countries in our part of the world, and this was a rather slow process until the early eighties. However, mankind is evolutionary geared for ‘adaptive radiation’, which in modern jargon can be interpreted as how quickly we learn and get used to the new situations and contingencies as we meet new frontiers. According to the modern theories of cognitive learning, we acquire new knowledge through assimilation of new concepts (schemas) or by accommodation of incoming concepts into our existing knowledge. As an example, I can relate with my personal experience how my literacy in rubber technology evolved, starting as young trainee with very little knowledge on rubber. With the rapid development of science, technology and globalisation and artificial intelligence, the meaning of literacy has expanded beyond the traditional horizons.

In contrast to the scenario of over 50 years ago, today’s literacy has grown to include cultural awareness, ethical understanding, workplace competence, computer literacy, digital communication and the ability to manage continually increasing volumes of information; some of them are very often recurring and sometimes redundant. Some key diversions are shown as follows:

a) Educational and subject literacy: While mathematical and scientific literacy, language proficiency and analytical thinking is essential, they go beyond memorising facts to effective application of the knowledge.

b) Cultural literacy: This has become increasingly important in this era of extending globalisation for respectful understanding and effective communications. This also includes awareness of history, religion, social values and traditions, which lamentably is declining amongst the younger generations.

c) Ethical literacy: This simply means the ability to distinguish the right and the wrong, social responsibility and taking morally sound decisions. Ethical failures can cause serious and disastrous consequences at the work place or the society.

d) Workplace literacy: Today’s workplace literacy includes communication skills, teamwork, time management, leadership, and most importantly, emotional intelligence and empathy.

Cognitive overload is another major challenge in this era of information wilderness where virtually every perceivable member of the community is inundated with vast volumes of information every moment, which often creates confusion. The human mind has limited capacity for attention and memory. Continuous digital distractions can weaken concertation, reduce reflective thinking and may affect mental wellbeing.

While the meaning of literacy has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past 60 years or so, the digital age has created opportunities as well as unpresented challenges. Modern literacy requires not only access to information but also the wisdom to evaluate, analyse and apply it effectively. Books, reading habits, reflective thinking and reliable sources of knowledge remain essential even in the era of artificial intelligence.

For many years, literacy and competency have been considered as different subjects. However, in the modern world, the demarcation between the two have been gradually getting blurred. Literacy does not simply mean how much one knows but more on how the knowledge is applied for value creation. This convergence is evident in all walks of life. Employers are increasingly seeking persons who can demonstrate competence rather than merely possessing qualifications. Competency-based education has entered the curricula of many private and governmental institutions in Sri Lanka. Conventionally, Sri Lanka is said to possess one of the highest literacy rates in the region. However, the progress achieved in many aspects of socio-economic, ethical and cultural fronts do not seem to have a matching congruence with competency.

As the American writer, futurist and businessman Alvin Tofler (1928-2016) once quoted,

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

The meaning centres on the shift from static knowledge to the critical need for constant adaptability in a rapidly evolving world.

The author is a Management Counsellor from Sri Lanka.

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The industry is increasingly recognising that competitiveness requires far more than just low wages for strategic innovation. Investors and industry associations are fully aware of this and emphasise that competitiveness inevitably involves creating added value, and that this can only be achieved through investment in talent. Companies are seeking employees with skills in innovation, critical thinking, teamwork and leadership.

Although some disadvantages make Mexico a risky investment location, they do not deter investors. Government stabilisation is contributing to a significantly more favourable investment climate over time and offers numerous advantages for expanding into the country.

However, Mexico presents several persistent disadvantages, risks and challenges for investors. Intense competition from cheap imports continues to strain the domestic market. This creates significant downward pressure, and even simple price adjustments can erode the profit margins of manufacturers of high-quality products. Infrastructure and logistics deficiencies hinder business operations. Mexican logistics infrastructure is considered outdated, particularly regarding intermodal connections, and customs procedures have become less efficient. These factors can increase operating costs and complicate supply chains.

An acute shortage of qualified personnel persists. Despite a young population, the high-tech manufacturing sector suffers from a critical lack of qualified staff, primarily due to high employee turnover and a lack of skilled workers in areas such as welding and maintenance.

Investors face complex challenges, including a tight labour market with rising wages, unreliable energy and water supplies in some areas and ongoing social conflicts that hinder the achievement of business goals. Mexican exports are primarily driven by a shift in trade away from China, rather than by a massive and widespread transfer of foreign capital.

Extortion and kidnapping are observed, particularly in border regions, with significant negative consequences for businesses and foreign investment. In response, the Mexican government has passed a new, comprehensive anti-extortion law, the implementation of which is being closely monitored by business associations.

Mexico offers a stable macroeconomic environment that surpasses that of many emerging markets. Numerous opportunities make Mexico an attractive manufacturing location for many industries…

Players in the Mexican tyre market are adjusting their strategies and focusing more on the domestic market or Brazil and Latin America due to the uncertainty persisting in Mexico regarding deliveries to US because of frequent changes in tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, regularly leading to delays or postponements of delivery dates.

The Mexican tyre industry faces several challenges, but its future will depend on its ability to develop innovative and high-quality products (such as tyres for electric vehicles), adapt its workforce to new requirements and succeed in the complex context of trade policies and global competition to ensure a sustainable and socially responsible future.

Despite some negative economic and social impacts, Mexico offers a stable macroeconomic environment with moderate inflation and rising wages. This has in a way a positive effect on public welfare state and as well as on the automotive and tyre industries. Therefore, rising vehicle sales and increasing disposable incomes are driving tyre demand. Mexico’s position as a hub for tyre production and exports is strengthening. Infrastructure development and growth in the automotive sector including tyre manufacturers are generating additional demand.

A positive aspect of the work ethic of many Mexicans lies in their exceptional productivity and their willingness to work long hours to complete their tasks. In modern industrial environments, employees are characterised by a high degree of professionalism and commitment. The Mexican tyre industry, for example, exemplifies a rapidly modernising work culture. It promotes a strong female presence and employs a very young workforce, with 75 percent of employees being under 35 years old. n

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While the tyre and rubber industries are experiencing one of their most dynamic periods thanks to North American integration, the retreading sector continues to face economic, cultural and market challenges in its efforts to regain momentum.

Few Latin American economies currently occupy as strategic a position within the global tyre industry as Mexico. The combination of manufacturing capacity, geographic proximity to United States and the advantages provided by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has consolidated the country as one of the leading tyre and rubber manufacturing hubs in the region.

In recent years, US trade policies directed at producers located outside North America have further strengthened this position. Investment relocation, nearshoring strategies and the need to secure regional supply chains have created particularly favourable conditions for Mexican industry.

The effects are visible throughout the value chain. Tyre manufacturers, rubber compound producers and raw material suppliers are operating at high activity levels, largely driven by demand from the US market. Industry stakeholders consistently point out that the current challenge is not finding customers but maintaining sufficient capacity to meet North American demand.

The rubber compound industry is perhaps one of the clearest examples of this trend. Benefiting from the regional trade environment, many companies are operating close to full capacity, supplying tyre manufacturers as well as other rubber-related industries. A similar situation can be observed among several retreading material suppliers, whose primary concern is not local demand but their ability to meet growing requirements from United States.

Yet, while manufacturing is experiencing a period of expansion, the retreading sector faces a very different reality.

The paradox is striking. In a country that markets more than 40 million tyres annually and possesses one of Latin America’s strongest industrial platforms, retreading has not been able to regain a sustained growth trajectory.

During his presentation at the Latin Tyre & Auto Parts Expo Panama 2025, Juan Carlos Hernández, then Commercial Manager of Hules Banda, presented figures that help illustrate the scale of the challenge. According to the data presented, Mexico marketed more than 40 million tyres during 2024, with an estimated potential of over five million tyres suitable for retreading. However, only around 960,000 units were actually retreaded, representing a retreading rate of approximately 18 percent.

The figures become even more revealing when analysing installed capacity utilisation. While tyre factories report average idle capacity levels close to 14 percent, retreading plants operate with approximately 70 percent idle capacity. Furthermore, during the first months of 2025, retread production showed a decline of nearly 9 percent compared to the previous year.

The reasons behind this situation appear to be less related to technical capabilities and more connected to the economic incentives currently shaping the market.

The growing presence of low-cost imported tyres has significantly transformed purchasing decisions across many fleets. According to Hernández’s presentation, nearly 40 percent of the radial truck tyre market consists of Asian products sold for less than USD 150 per unit. As a result, the economic gap between purchasing a low-cost new tyre and investing in a retread has narrowed considerably for many operators.

In this context, measures such as tariffs on selected imported products have so far failed to generate significant structural changes in market behaviour or retreading activity levels.

However, attributing the situation solely to pricing would be an oversimplification.

One of the most interesting observations highlighted by Hules Banda points to a less visible but potentially more significant long-term issue: the gradual loss of tyre management culture.

For decades, retreading formed part of a comprehensive asset management strategy, where tyres were managed throughout multiple life cycles in order to maximise cost per kilometre performance. Today, in many segments of the transport industry, that approach has increasingly been replaced by purchasing decisions focused primarily on immediate acquisition costs.

The result has been lower casing utilisation, fewer maintenance and monitoring programmes and increasing difficulty in demonstrating the long-term economic benefits that have historically supported the retreading business model.

Paradoxically, those segments that continue to manage tyres as strategic assets still demonstrate the relevance of retreading. Fleets operating premium and medium-tier tyres remain highly dependent on retreading to optimise operating costs, improve profitability and maximise asset utilisation.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY BEYOND END-OF-LIFE TYRES

Another issue deserving attention is the way the circular economy debate is currently evolving within Mexico’s tyre sector.

Much of the public and regulatory discussion focuses on end-of-life tyres (ELTs), collection systems, reverse logistics and recycling or recovery solutions once the product reaches the end of its useful life. By contrast, strategies aimed at extending product life through reuse often receive considerably less attention.

This is particularly relevant given that internationally recognised circular economy principles establish a hierarchy in which extending product life generally delivers greater environmental value than interventions applied after a product becomes waste.

From this perspective, retreading represents one of the most tangible examples of circularity within the tyre industry, as it preserves the economic, material and energy value embedded in the original casing for a longer period.

Mexico will undoubtedly remain one of the leading players in the North American tyre industry. The strength of its manufacturing sector appears well supported by regional integration, industrial investment and strong demand from United States.

The question that remains is whether the retreading sector will be able to become fully integrated into this growth story.

The industrial capacity exists. The technology is available. Premium market segments continue to require strategies focused on maximising cost per kilometre performance. The challenge appears to lie elsewhere: rebuilding tyre management culture and repositioning retreading as a strategic tool for competitiveness, efficiency and circular economy performance.

At a time when much of the discussion focuses on managing tyres at the end of their life, perhaps the more important question is how to ensure that life lasts longer in the first place.

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I can still vividly remember a journey I made in 1995 with my young Kenyan MD (who is no longer living) in a hired car from the Delhi Airport to some town close to Ludhiana to meet a tyre moulding machinery supplier. The travel was through vast expanses of paddy fields extending to miles, and in between, we could see large industrial sites far away. A clear sign of industry and agriculture co-existing synergistically. When passing the area called Kurukshetra, the driver mentioned that there was a war at this area a long time ago. He was obviously referring to the great war of the epic Mahabharata, a subject which still generates ample curiosity in me even at this advanced age. With growing years of maturity, I am more convinced that the great war symbolically and semantically depicts the inner conflicts going on in our own minds, while these are conventionally polarized as ‘black and white’ under the ‘all- or- nothing’ principle, and Kurukshetra represents our own hearts and intellect, commonly called the emotional brain and intellectual brain in today’s jargon. Equipped with my industry experience acquired for nearly six decades, I am tempted to make a rather feeble effort to understand what has changed in the managerial mind map over the past 50 odd years. It would be similar to finding parallels between the Vietnam War in the late sixties and current war going on in the Middle East, despite the common factor, US.

Quite in contrast to machinery and materials, the man component of the traditional 4Ms is the most confusing area despite the vast research that has been carried out over the years. It is said that the adult human brain consists of about 86 billion neurons, an astronomically high figure compared to memory capacity of the modern computers. Over the past few decades, the modern managerial mindset has undergone profound transformations. Managers today, particularly in the age group of 35 to 50 ( Gen X), operate in an astonishingly different scenario compared their counterparts 50 years ago. The two eras are fundamentally different and attempting to compare them is largely futile. The rapid changes, technologically, culturally, socially and psychologically, are so vast that today’s managers are shaped by globalisation, digitalisation and fierce competition, which has significantly altered their cognition, thinking patterns, values and behavioural approaches.

While most living managers of the older generation adopt a stance of lamenting about the ‘’good old times’, I think it would be more prudent to understand the realities of change. Management philosophies have undergone profound change, evolving from Taylor’s scientific management and Fayol’s top-down framework based on five key managerial functions to the humanistic approaches advanced by Carl Rogers and Maslow. This is the universal feature of impermanence of all conditioned phenomena (cause-effect related), discovered more than 2,600 years ago by Lord Buddha and some Greek and other Eastern philosophers. Endeavoring to maintain stability, in an ever-changing world scenario, has been the driver for the emergence of management concepts and theories, including the latest approaches seen in the contemporary modern world. Comparing modern managers with those from 50 years ago is unrealistic because of the complete change in the context. Earlier managers operated in stable and localised economies, while modern managers operate in a dynamic globalised environment. It is sometimes said that ‘when the President of the United Sates sneezes, the Eastern leaders catch a cold’, a fact amply demonstrated by the recent events.

Decision-making in the past was slow and experience-based, while today it is data driven, rapid and technologically assisted. Traditional management emphasised relationships, loyalty and progressive and gradual growth, while modern systems emphasise on performance metrics and quick results, like the instant coffee.

The growing corporate trends due to industrialisation over the past 30 years especially has witnessed increased focus on productivity, efficiency and outputs along with standardisation, which has made workers and managers becoming a part of a mechanised system. Modern corporate managerial thinking is also been heavily influenced by globalisation, due to exposure to international competition and the need to adapt to diverse cultures and markets and the pressures to meet global benchmarks and standards. The constrains and the stresses imposed on countries such as Sri Lanka is tough in these areas. A good example is the EUDR requirements, which initially was a nightmare to the rubber product manufacturing companies. A far more serious non-technical consequence is that the concept of a ‘global village’ is eroding values of the strong cultural and ethical foundation, leading to identity dilution among managers

During my association with the industry, particularly over the past 20 years, I have personally witnessed decline of the traditional values in the modern managerial mindset. This is also seen in some professional associations in which I have been a member for a long time. Some of the key trends noted are as follows:

a) Limited understanding and low priority given for religion, history and cultural heritage.

b) Reduced emphasis on ethics, empathy and social responsibility despite the fact that this has become a ‘catch word’ in most corporate circles.

c) Over reliance on technical knowledge and digital skills.

d) Decline in the respect for elders and their experience (crystallised knowledge)

e) Over confidence due to access to information, which brings forth a ‘know it all ‘stance.

f) Diminished openness to learn from others.

g) Difficulty in accepting criticism and feedback

While these tendencies directly affect workplace relationships, team cohesion and leadership effectives, the hidden or latent consequences have more deeper implications on personal and social wellbeing.

The Buddha in one of the discourses has observed that a person can victoriously face a battle against an army of elephants, horses, chariots and infantry by having the necessary resources, but it will be more difficult to win the war within due to mental conflicts.

Most business environments are characterised by aggressive target setting, continuous performance evaluations and competitive organisational cultures, which has caught the managers in a perpetual rat-race where success is narrowly defined by targets and profits while there is hardly any time for reflection or personal growth. This creates a certain emptiness and dissatisfaction even among the high achievers.

I find it interesting at this juncture to refer to the historic concept of Sigmond Freud (considered as the founder of Psychoanalysis), the structural components of the mind, namely Id (pleasure principle or gratification), Ego (reality principle) and the Super Ego (ethical and moral conscience). In order to minimise the negative impacts of the conflicts between them, the Ego resorts to defence mechanisms, or temporary coping solutions. Some of these are denial of the problem, repression of the feelings, projection of the blame to somewhere else and rationalisation or giving logical but false explanations. While these   are useful in the short term, over reliance can interfere with mental functioning and emotional growth. All of us are unconsciously resorting to one or several of these in times of emotional turmoil.

The pressures of modern management have led to an exponential growth in mental health challenges in recent years, which include common mental disorders such as stress, anxiety, burnout, depression and features associated with Borderline Personality traits (emotional instability and impulsivity), which result in work-life imbalance and chronic dissatisfaction.

Due to the high psychological demands, there is a growing need for career and workplace counselling. Counselling is a relatively new term that came into prominence around the mid-20th century, before which guidance and support was traditionally provided by the religious institutions, parents, teachers and the elders in the society. Over the recent years, counselling has evolved as a unique profession. Many organisations, especially the larger ones due to the seriousness and gravity of the problems they experience, have established counselling as a regular activity performed in-house or outsourced. Counselling helps managers to cope up with stress and expectations, supporting emotional regulation and resilience and enhancing self-awareness and interpersonal skills, which results in reconnecting purpose and meaning and balancing professional and personal life to develop a healthier mind set. The modern managers must endeavour to have a balanced mind set which is an integrated mix of technical competence, human values, cultural awareness and emotional intelligence and wellbeing. Only then they can move beyond being mere ‘cogs in a wheel’ and become holistic, effective and ethical leaders in the modern world

It is somewhat ironic that Human Resource Sustainability is not named as a single standalone goal in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but covered under several headings such as Good Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work, Economic Growth and Reduced Inequalities.

While I do not have firsthand information on how human resource counselling is caried out in other countries, my observations and experience in Sri Lanka is that it is done more in a fire fighting or reactive mode, where corrective and remedial measures are taken only in cases of psychological deviances. It is somewhat surprising because Sri Lanka is famous for its preventative public health care in pre and postnatal maternity health and school dental health. Industry safety and health is fairly well addressed in most large, medium and some small enterprises, although these are mainly covering the operational levels. Currently, several standard stress, anxiety and depression measuring scales, both qualitative and quantitative, are available, but they do not seem to be used proactively to detect the cinders underneath the ash. People in emotional distress invariably need to vent their thought and emotions, which causes several cognitive distortions and mental disorders. Active and empathetic listening plays the major role in a therapeutic counselling relationship

Coming back to the Mahabharata, the classic instance of counselling for a person in deep emotional conflict and inner war is the Bhagwat Gita, and all of us will need Lord Krishnas in different disguises at some stages in our lifetimes.

It is interesting how Buddha has adopted an integrative approach to the four aspects or components of wellbeing for human progress as:

• Physical wellbeing
• Mental wellbeing
• Social wellbeing
• Spiritual wellbeing

The author is a Management Counsellor from Sri Lanka. 

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