Like its peers, the Sri Lankan rubber industry has been hard hit by the COVID 19. However, the pandemics will bring some opportunities to the sector, believes Ravi Dadlani, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP), and MD of CEAT Kelani Holdings. “The demand for PPE is high and will be sustained in time to come until COVID 19 is no longer a pandemic. Especially gloves and other wearables made of rubber will be a good area for the Sri Lankan rubber industry to focus on,” says Dadlani an interview with Tyre Trends.

How do you see the impact of COVID 19 on Sri Lanka’s rubber industry?

Sri Lanka, like all exporting countries, have been largely impacted. The shutdown has caused a tremendous loss both in terms of production and the subsequent shut down of countries resulting in the cancellation of orders widely across the tyre industry. We are concerned that the impact fully on the industry is still to be realised. We will, once the supply chain and the related industries come back online, be able to quantify the extent of the impact. We are however positive that the Sri Lanka rubber industry is poised to benefit from the need arising from the COVID 19 impact. Especially the demand for PPE is high and will be sustained in time to come until COVID 19 is no longer a pandemic. Especially gloves and other wearables made of rubber will be a good area for the Sri Lankan rubber industry to focus on. Also, the government suspension of importing of tyres is poised to increase demand for domestic manufacturers of tyres at least in the short term, which will be a boost to the local rubber industry. Impact on the loss of exports and the timings of the opening of overseas markets would be critical at this point. 

The rubber industry has always been the country’s one of the main sectors and exporters. Do you think that the industry currently is being explored to its fullest potential?

There is a lot of potential for rubber in Sri Lanka. The need to increase the production of rubber through productivity improvements and the need to extend the rubber growing acreage is critical at this time. We have leading manufacturers of international repute and strong local manufacturers catering to export markets both in the tyre and gloves segments. 

The country also has the potential to enter new markets and customer segments with new products. There is more that needs to be done in terms of R&D and technological collaborations to enter high-value rubber-based product segments. With major global brands producing in Sri Lanka, we have a greater ability to increase trading activity and improve international sales as a regional hub for the industry.

What kind of support do you expect from the government and industry-related bodies for the long term?

Firstly, the rubber sector was the first to benefit from the priority given by the government initiative to commence operations. The sector benefited by the fast track approval to be classified as an essential sector. We expect the government to continue to have consistency when it comes to policy matters. We are also seeing a strong support base coming in terms of the Board of Investment and the Export Development Board for the rubber cluster. We need to fast track the planned policy-based approach of increasing rubber production in the country through the rubber master plan, with incentives if need be for plantations to spearhead this initiative. Also, research and development on rubber yield increase, all-weather rubber tapping techniques need to be introduced with governments thrust towards increasing rubber production.

There should also be incentives for exporters to invest in high-value rubber product manufacturing. We expect the government to educate the smallholders with international best practices to manage the rubber crop for better yield and output through RDD & RRI as key government institutions. The industry prefers to buy more local rubber, but there is a shortfall every year vs the demand. We also need to drive the public-private partnership research & development and must invest more in laboratory and testing facilities to provide certifications that are required for the export markets within Sri Lanka. The Government will also need to look at domestic supply chain inefficiencies which may hold back on the growth potential of the industry.

When we talk about tyres, how does the Sri Lankan tyre industry make its mark globally, especially in the solid tyre segment?

Absolutely it does. Sri Lanka is considered market leaders in certain categories of the solid tyre export segment. There are the numbers of global and local companies operating out of Sri Lanka holding a good foothold in the global solid tyre market. The global rubber industry is worth around USD 400 billion, out of which 65% is the tyre industry, given this, we have a market that we can increase our supply of both off road and on-road tyres, Sri Lanka has aggressively ventured into the global pneumatic agriculture, Off-road and industrial tyre segment which is estimated at USD 44b. We are confident that this position of strength will be maintained in the future, too in these segments. 

What are the challenges for tyre and rubber goods, especially for small and medium enterprises?

Key is the availability of rubber at consistent prices at the right quantities throughout the year. Currently, the industry is hampered with weather-related shortfalls in production coupled with plantations moving away from rubber and more profitable ventures depleting the total output. We consume 140,000 MT, and the local production is at 75,000 MT. Addressing these two areas will result in a stable supply of rubber for industries. It is very important that SMEs adopt technology and increase productivity and production to cater to the demand for rubber. 

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) hosted a high-level delegation from PEFC International at its headquarters on 9 July 2026. The visiting team, led by Remco van Merm, engaged in strategic talks with ANRPC Secretary-General Dr Suttipong Angthong and his senior staff, marking a significant moment for inter-organisational collaboration.

The discussions provided a critical forum for exchanging perspectives on ongoing global initiatives and the shifting sustainability dynamics affecting the natural rubber sector. With mounting market pressures regarding environmental stewardship and social accountability, the conversation centred on harnessing joint efforts to fast-track the implementation of responsible practices throughout the entire production and distribution network.

Both organisations underscored the necessity of strengthened coordination among all industry participants to secure a robust and enduring future for natural rubber. The dialogue culminated in a shared pledge to deepen cooperation, with the goal of cultivating a more transparent and ecologically sound value chain. This mutual commitment is expected to deliver tangible benefits across the board, reinforcing the industry's capacity to meet emerging global standards.

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Natural Rubber (NR) plantations developed under Project INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) have reached 179,376 hectares across north-east India after the completion of planting for the 2025-26 financial year, bringing the initiative close to its original target of 200,000 hectares.

Launched in the 2021-22 financial year, the project has established new NR plantations across 113 districts in the region over the past five years. According to the project partners, this represents the country's largest expansion of natural rubber plantations achieved within such a period.

Project INROAD is funded by tyre manufacturers Apollo Tyres, CEAT, JK Tyre and MRF, and is implemented by the Rubber Board of India. It is described as the first initiative of its kind in which the Indian tyre industry directly supports the development of rubber plantations.

"Despite several operational challenges including Covid-induced disruptions in the beginning, nearly 90% of the ambitious target of 2 lakh hectares of new plantation has been achieved under Project INROAD during the last five years. Beyond plantation expansion, the project has also made significant progress in strengthening local nurseries and building grower capacities — a testament to the collaborative efforts of the tyre industry and the Rubber Board," said Mohan Kurian, chairman of Project INROAD.

The project has distributed a record 83m quality planting materials during the five-year period. It has focused on supporting resource-constrained communities in the designated states, particularly small and marginal farmers, most of whom own less than one hectare of land. More than 200,000 beneficiaries have been supported through the initiative, with the project aiming to improve livelihoods and promote socio-economic development.

Project INROAD has also expanded nursery infrastructure across the region. More than 200 nurseries are supplying high-yielding planting materials to growers, while new and improved rubber clones suited to the north-east's agro-climatic conditions are being distributed through the programme.

"With plantations reaching a critical stage, the next component of the project — development of supporting infrastructure such as model smokehouses and dissemination of improved practices among rubber growers — is progressing well under the INROAD Skilling and Production Efficiency Enhancement Drive (iSPEED) initiative," Kurian added.

Under the iSPEED initiative, infrastructure development is intended to improve the quality of rubber produced by farmers through value addition at source. The programme also plans to roll out large-scale digital and in-person training for growers, supported by newly developed training materials that are ready for release.

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Epsilon Carbon, a leading global manufacturer of carbon black, speciality carbon and coal tar downstream products, has achieved a significant industry milestone by becoming the first carbon black manufacturer in India to secure certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). This recognition, granted under the applicable Indian Standards, establishes a new benchmark for quality compliance within the domestic carbon black sector. The achievement distinguishes Epsilon Carbon as a pioneer in adhering to the nation's stringent regulatory framework for industrial materials.

The certification was awarded after an exhaustive evaluation of the company’s operational protocols, including its manufacturing workflows, quality management frameworks and product testing laboratories. This accomplishment is the culmination of prolonged and strategic investments aimed at refining process consistency, upgrading workforce expertise and standardising production methodologies. Consequently, the company is now exceptionally equipped to address the escalating requirements of tyre manufacturers, rubber product fabricators and various ancillary industries that demand rigorously vetted raw materials.

For Epsilon Carbon’s clientele, this official endorsement provides heightened confidence regarding product uniformity and regulatory adherence, a crucial factor as supply chains become increasingly scrutinised in both domestic and international markets. This development not only reinforces the company’s stature amid India’s transition towards a quality-centric industrial landscape but also advances its long-term vision of securing a global reputation as a premier supplier of high-performance carbon-based materials.

Gaurav Mathur, Chief Executive Officer, Epsilon Carbon, said, "This certification is an important milestone in our manufacturing journey. I congratulate our teams for the dedication that made this possible. It gives our customers greater confidence in our products, and it pushes us to keep raising the bar for what Indian manufacturing can deliver."

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Bekaert has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with CITIC Special Steel, a prominent Chinese producer of specialised steel products. The partnership establishes a formal framework for technical collaboration aimed at addressing the viability of reintegrating steel reclaimed from scrap tyres into the production of new tyre reinforcement materials. The core objective is to determine whether end-of-life tyre steel can be effectively processed into wire rod suitable for manufacturing fresh reinforcement components.

The initiative merges CITIC Special Steel’s advanced capabilities in steelmaking and rod production with Bekaert’s specialised knowledge in tire reinforcement technologies. Together, the firms will conduct a technical assessment of material flows to gauge the feasibility of establishing more circular loops within the tyre manufacturing value chain. Their joint efforts will prioritise the examination of closed-loop steel usage on a significant scale.

This proof-of-concept endeavour is in its nascent stages and will concentrate on cooperative technical assessments, industrial-scale trials and exhaustive material analyses. The resulting data will clarify the technical, operational and financial consequences of integrating substantial proportions of circular steel. The programme seeks to ensure that any potential solutions adhere to the rigorous quality and performance benchmarks demanded by the sector while also mapping out future strategic directions.

The official signing ceremony occurred in Jiangyin, China, with delegations from both entities convening to deliberate on innovation and sustainability. As demand for eco-friendly alternatives intensifies across the automotive and materials sectors, this collaboration is designed to expand current knowledge and test technical limits. It represents a continuation of Bekaert’s wider sustainability agenda, which includes solutions like Dramix LoopTM, and reaffirms a mutual dedication to pioneering future industry standards through ecosystem-wide innovation.

Jim Dobson, SVP – Technology & Quality, Bekaert, said, "The transition towards more circular industries requires innovation and close collaboration throughout the value chain. Through this cooperation, we are bringing together complementary expertise to explore the technical feasibility of tyre-to-tyre circularity.”

Jiang Qiao, General Manager Sales Company, CITIC Special Steel, said, "We are pleased to deepen our relationship with Bekaert through this strategic cooperation. Together, we will explore how innovation in steelmaking and materials technology can help advance new approaches to circularity in tyre reinforcement applications."

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