A SYNERGISTIC ALLIANCE

If my fading memory serves me right, I think I may have written at least two articles during past four years on the theme of tyres and mobility. When I step aside from the technologist’s mentality and look at tyres and mobility from a bystander’s perspective, I am convinced that it leads to some interesting insights. The connotations on the subject seem inexhaustive, which reminds of the different reflections from the different facets of a well-polished red ruby or a blue sapphire, some precious stones for which my country Sri Lanka has been famous from the ancient times.

Right from the dawn of life on earth, mobility has been a key driver for progress and survival, not only for humans but for all living beings. The ability to move has significantly changed the course of history and the evolution. Mobility is deeply embedded in every life form, from the lowest, starting from viruses and bacteria, to the highest form of life, presumably the humans. Even the stationary plants depend on mobility for their sustenance and propagation, as we learned in our lessons of Botany a very long time ago. Pollination and the distribution of seeds by wind, water and animals enable plants to colonise new locations. And through intricate vascular systems within the plants, water and nutrients are transported, which demonstrates the importance of internal mobility for their growth.

The inherent capacity of animals to move has offered them a definite advantage by enabling them to search for food, mates and seek safety. Animal migrations such as birds flying to warmer climates during winter, salmon returning to their spawning grounds and the breathtaking migration of wilder beast in East Africa, which I have personally witnessed in Kenya, shows the critical role served by mobility for their survival – an evolutionary trend transmitted to the early humans for their survival. Epic migrations of the humans have led to the spreading of humanity across the continents and establishment of the ancient civilisations in the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia etc. Thus, it can be seen that mobility has played an intrinsic role on life on earth, fostering diversity and adaptation.

From another perspective, mobility on earth is not confined to life forms only but is influenced by extraterrestrial or celestial phenomena such as gravitational forces and the influence of cosmic bodies such as the solar system. It is known that the early human communities depended on the patterns of the tides for fishing, and the travellers and traders relied on the movements and the positions of the stars for their navigational purposes, demonstrating how the cosmic bodies influenced the early earth’s mobility dynamics. The need for mobility has been intricately linked with human civilisation, impacting political, social, economic and cultural dynamics. Ancient epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayan have vivid descriptions of horse-driven chariots, which, emphasises the importance of wheels in mobility. The wheels apparently made of wood and iron rims can be considered as the forerunners of the modern-day tyres.

Mobility has always helped in shaping civilisations, politically by enabling the expansion of empires and socially and culturally by the exchange of ideologies, traditions and goods. For instance, the Silk Road was not just a trade route but played the role of a cultural bridge between the East and the West. Economically, it enabled the gradual emergence of the foundation for the global trade systems by enabling transportation of goods over long distances.

And coming to the relatively modern times, the impact of the Newtonian Laws of Motion on practically every aspect of human mobility and mechanisation including the locomotion and the development of the internal combustion engine and eventually the automotives is widely accepted.

Man’s never-ending quest for making life more comfortable and the role of mobility and transportation has served as a key driver in many areas such as political, economic, social and cultural aspects. The increased efforts in producing synthetic rubber to develop a substitute for natural rubber (NR), which was in short supply during World War 2, for catering to the demand for tyres to be used for military purposes is a good example. Even in the ancient times, mobility has played a vital and critical role in warfare, where in addition to the infantry, horses, elephants and horse-driven chariots have been used to develop a comparative edge, as depicted in the great Indian epics.

The subject of tyre technology has always been a realm of mystique intrigue to us the students from the non-tyre sector during our study days in the late sixties. Pneumatic tyre was introduced to us as the most complicated and composite rubber product developed in the rubber industry during those days, a fact which I think still holds true despite the later developments in aerospace and bio-medical applications etc. The Ceylon Tyre Corporation, which was set up with Russian assistance, was the only pneumatic tyre manufacturing company available in Sri Lanka during those times, and this provided us facilities for learning about the practical aspects of tyre technology. It was a used plant relocated from Russia, and some of the newly selected staff were given an initial training and familiarisation in Russia. What was impressive and puzzling to us the non-tyre people was the vastness of the scope of processing and operations, and it was no secret that I skipped answering the questions on tyre technology in examinations.

The term ‘technology’, often used to have a connotation of elatedness, and some distancing or isolation from the norm, even in the modern times of mass communications. I feel that specialisation in the rapidly expanding disciplines, especially related to ICT, has further caused the deepening of this apparent chasm. The widely accepted view in the industry or in running a country is that technology is the panacea for solving our current problems and for achieving development. This latter view, of course, is open for a further deliberation at a later occasion.

Technology is very often regarded as an invention of the modern day, emerging mainly during the industrial revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries and accelerating during the recent periods of Industry 3.0 and 4.0. While there is no doubt that these eras brought remarkable advancements in technology, the concept of technology can be considered to have been intrinsic to the human evolution. In very basic terms, technology is about finding methods to perform tasks and accomplish outcomes more efficiently, making the processes easier, faster, safer and cheaper. We are very familiar with how the early humans developed stone tools and fire-starting techniques, which may have marked the dawn of technological thinking, and hence the name given to them ‘Homo sapiens’.

Among the most significant technological breakthroughs, the invention of the wheel stands out as the cornerstone of mobility. The wheel was invented in the 4th millennium BC in the lower Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) during what historians identify as the Bronze Age by the Sumerians, and by this time, humans have already mastered the domestication of animals and plants and were living within social hierarchies.

As the various human societies evolved technologically based on their specific socio-political, economic and cultural backgrounds, so were their mobility needs, and sometimes it becomes incomprehensible to decide which came first, technology or mobility, where we are faced with the ‘hen and the egg’ scenario.

The earliest wheels were made of wood and later reinforced with metal rims for stability and durability. I can still vividly remember our school days when we used to travel in oxen-driven ‘buggy carts’.

Charles Goodyear’s discovery of vulcanisation in 1844 had a profound effect on the manufacture of rubber products and would certainly have been contributory to the development of the first pneumatic tyre by Dunlop in 1888, which was first used on bicycles. Pneumatic tyres paved way for tyres to become more flexible, resilient and durable – the ideal prescription for modern transport systems. In the 20th century, pneumatic tyres became the standard, offering improved performance, comfort, safety and reliability. Tyres evolved further with the subsequent advances in the automotive technology, and today’s tyres are designed and engineered with new developments such as runflat technology, eco-friendly materials, smart sensors that monitor tyre performance in real-time, self-sealing tyres, non-pneumatics and advanced tyres for EVs and autonomous driving.

The development of tyre technology and emerging needs of societies for improving mobility needs are synergistic as changes and advancements of one area very often seem to drive the progress of the other. It is also an inevitable trend that the prioritisation of sustainability, a movement that has emerged over the past four decades, is rapidly influencing all the areas of tyre technology and the mobility requirements.

Societal needs are instrumental in inspiring technological advancements, and tyre innovations in turn are empowering societies to strive for sustainable and efficient mobility, and both seem to work hand in hand to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

From the rudimentary wooden wheels of ancient chariots to the high-tech tyres of today, the journey of tyre technology mirrors humanity’s relentless quest for progress. As we continue to explore new frontiers in mobility, the humble tyre remains a testament to the enduring relationship between technology and human innovation. Understanding the historical significance of tyres and their technological evolution enables us to gain deeper appreciation for the intricate ways mobility has shaped our world, politically, socially, economically and culturally. It is not just a narrative or episode of technological advancement but also a chronicle of human ingenuity and mankind’s timeless desire to move forward.

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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At the end of my career, I am at the return-on-investment stage, giving back my mentors’ investments in me for all those years ago, and even not so long ago.

Training to me is setting the standards that you wish your trainees to achieve. All those mistakes you learned the hard way, the tricks of the trade, the missteps can all be related to those who’ve chosen our industry. Help them understand how to learn.

The standard for training has to be set very high; no use having a low bar and then complaining that no one knows what they are doing. If you jump for the stars but don’t quite make it, then at least you’ve cleared the tree tops.

When setting training qualifications, the quality of the parameters of the applied learnings has to be not only high but sound. The written materials have to be water tight, the methodology without flaw and the evidence of successful learnings not just a tick and flick exercise. The candidates undertaking the training have to be assessed and then critically deemed competent.

One could be forgiven for not wanting to get on a commercial aircraft if the pilot had ‘purchased’ the qualification instead of working for years towards it; likewise, think about a surgeon operating. The methodology and learning materials have to be sound and qualified.

Bureaucrats often outline training without any real knowledge of what the industry involves. Sure, there are governmental outlines as to what has to appear and how it must appear, but does this really meet the requirements of industry? Few industries are so alike that the same template of learnings can be applied, but for the sake of being able to tick the boxes and say, ‘Yes Minister’, we have standardised learnings regardless of the actual industry requirements.

Safety is the paramount learning. There is no return on investment if the training candidate is injured or maimed and cannot actually perform the work they were trained in. There are only poor outcomes for all involved, from the employer to the family; the provided training must embed safety as a paramount requirement.

I acknowledge the human failings whereby, even with all safety systems engaged, poor judgements and flawed decision-making can lead to inauspicious outcomes. Humans are fallible creatures, and that is what makes us different from machines.

When engaged in a training process, all the ‘what ifs’ have to be considered. In the early days of my education in computing using pencils and card readers, I soon learned the base rule of garbage in equals garbage out, or GIGO. After numerous hours of hairpulling, a comma was identified as the error; it should have been a full stop. There were no error messages generated, no one looking over my shoulder assisting; I blundered on until I stumbled over the fact that I had screwed up. The outcome was negligible, just some lost time. For others in our industry, a mistake may mean the end of their career, loss of amenity and even loss of their life. Do we permit such ‘what ifs’ to be ignored in training?

In the early days of tyre service personnel training, I’d commence the session by telling the candidates ‘never use your first chance, you may not get a second’, then run a series of videos showing catastrophic tyre failures, some simple others disturbing, but the message was clear. There is a process that has to be followed; do not take short cuts and do not deviate without understanding the risks involved deeply and clearly.

In preparing training materials, the risks (regardless of industry) have to be clearly understood; there is no tolerance for a lack of risk assessment and associated mitigation. If a poor standard of materials is presented to newbies to the industry, how are they equipped to identify the flaws that could propagate the catastrophic outcomes we all seek to avoid?

Training is not unlike the manufacturing of a tyre. The materials involved in the construction have to be of sound quality; the processes used in the matrix of the materials to produce the end result we know as a tyre have to be exacting. Anything less and the end product is a blemish or down grade.

Is this what we desire in the personnel we train?

Tyre servicing is one of the most hazardous occupations that is not licensed. Electricians, medical workers, lawyers, all require strict licensing. Yet the personnel that manipulate large tyres that have destructive burst forces that can, and do, result in fatal injuries may not even be required to demonstrate their competency in the aspects of the duties they may encounter.

Tyres are ubiquitous in our societies; just as we observe with the current petroleum shocks, the loss of tyres would be just as disruptive to our modern way of life. We can live without social media (as much as the squeals I hear saying NOOOOO), but can we live without tyres? From the paddock to the plate, tyres are part and parcel of the product. Look around you right now and think about what didn’t arrive in your sight as a result of tyres’ involvement. I doubt if there is anything you see that didn’t arrive to you on tyres.

So why do we not engage with serious education not only for the personnel operating in the tyre industry but also the general public?

I read of tyre recycling efforts, yet most people will only identify with plastics as a recycling target. This whilst listening to a streaming service sitting on public transport running on transport that requires tyres to operate. Tyres are forgotten; everyone ASSuMEs[sic] that the tyre does its job without any thought given to the personnel that ensure our daily safety and food.

Tyres deserve better recognition of the service they provide to our societies. The personnel that service our tyres also deserve the highest level of training that can be provided, not just learn on the job with the potential of not being able to return home in the same condition as they arrived at work.

Training packages must be water tight; anything less will only result in the submersion of the outcomes below the standard that is safe. Training is an investment in the future; to those who invested in me in my younger days, I say THANK YOU! You did well in that I have made it to the later stages of my life intact and am still able to function. Your mentorship is remembered and honoured.

I take this opportunity to remember John Powath, the founder of this masthead. His standards and leadership have created opportunities for our industry to achieve a global recognition of excellence.

Training is the foundation of our industrial and societal processes. Do not scrimp on the materials presented and do not underestimate the risks involved regardless of how trivial they may seem.

Take care, stay safe and invest in your future by offering the highest quality training you can possibly deliver. Your life may depend upon it.”

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