Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT), the Indian off-highway tyre manufacturer, reported a five percent year-on-year volume growth in Q3 FY25 while announcing plans for INR 11 billion to INR 12 billion capital expenditure in FY26.

The company achieved sales volumes of 76,343 metric tonnes for the quarter, with standalone revenue growing 11 percent to INR 25.71 billion.

"We are confident and hold on to our forecast of achieving minor sales volume growth in this financial year," said Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director, despite challenging market conditions in Europe, the company's largest market contributing 43 percent of total sales.

Expansion and Investment Plans:

- Completed 30,000 MTPA advanced carbon material plant in September 2024

- Progressing on 35,000 MTPA OTR tyre range expansion

- First phase of OTR expansion to complete in H1 FY26

- FY25 capex at INR 9.68 billion for nine months

- Projected FY26 capex between INR 11- 12 billion

"The speciality carbon business samples are being given and tested. It will take time to ramp up," said Madhusudan Bajaj, Senior President, Commercial and CFO, regarding the new carbon black facility targeting plastics, ink and paint industries.

Strategic Growth Initiatives

The company strengthened its management team by appointing Satish Sharma as Senior President for Strategy and Business Development. The company has also set a vision to achieve 10 percent global market share in the off-highway tyre market.

"We are constantly investing in the capex and the growth of the company, whether it is in terms of promotion, in terms of product mix, in terms of setting up new capacities," Poddar explained when asked about capital allocation strategy.

Market Performance

In the Americas, where BKT has been focusing its efforts, the company is seeing positive results. "We are quite hopeful that this should stabilize and continue to grow over there," Poddar said regarding the American market outlook.

The company maintains approximately 6-7 percent market share in India's off-highway segment, with agricultural tyres reaching about 10 percent market share. "Agri would be closer to 10 percent, and the others are growing up," noted Poddar.

Raw Material Outlook

"The raw material prices are going up for 100 to 200 basis points, it should impact the margins," said Bajaj, adding that the major impact would be visible in the coming quarter due to shipping lag times.

Regional Distribution (9M FY25):

- Europe: 43%

- India: 29%

- Americas: 16%

- Rest of World: 12%

Segment-wise contribution showed replacement sales at 73 percent, OEM at 25 percent, with agriculture contributing 59 percent of total sales, followed by OTR, industrial, and construction at 38 percent.

Looking ahead, while maintaining caution about European market conditions, BKT continues its expansion strategy across markets, particularly in the Americas and emerging regions, backed by sustained investments in capacity and brand building.

The automotive retail sales in January 2025 grew by 6.63 percent YoY, a growth much better than previously anticipated by most industry observers. A total of 22,91,621 vehicles were sold across segments, which includes 15,21,862 two-wheelers (+4.15 percent YoY), 1,07,033 three-wheelers (+6.86 percent YoY), 4,65,920 passenger vehicles (+15.53 percent YoY), 93,381 tractors (+5.23% YoY) and 99,425 commercial vehicles (+8.22% YoY) according to the latest data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).

“The auto retail sector kicked off 2025 on a promising note, aligning with FADA’s earlier survey projections that expected January to range from flat to moderately positive. Indeed, overall retail sales posted a robust 6.6 percent YoY growth, reinforcing the industry’s optimistic start. Our observations indicate that each vehicle category – two-wheeler, three-wheeler, passenger vehicle, tractor and commercial vehicle – witnessed positive momentum, pointing toward sustained consumer confidence and steady market recovery,” said C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA.

In the two-wheeler segment, urban sales outpaced rural sales on the back of new model launches, marriage season demand and improved financing as key growth drivers. However, concerns about rising interest rates, rural liquidity challenges and market uncertainty still linger.

The passenger vehicle segment saw some spike on the back of ‘2025 model year’ sales, as the previous year models do see significant discounting.

“Commercial Vehicle sales increased by 8.22 percent YoY and surged 38.04 percent MoM, with urban markets climbing from 50.1 percent to 51.2 percent share and outpacing rural growth (9.51 percent vs 6.89 percent). While higher freight rates and passenger carrier demand provided a boost, many dealers cited low cash flow, strict financing policies and sluggish industries (like cement and coal) as major hurdles. Sentiments in rural regions remained notably subdued, compounded by limited new products. Overall, the sector shows cautious optimism but faces persistent headwinds,” added Vigneshwar.

Going forward, FADA maintains a cautious optimism for February, with dealers having a mixed sentiment ranging from an uptick, flat to even a drop in sales.

The tailwinds include continuing marriage season, fresh product launches and strategic promotional activities to sustain customer footfalls. This will be aided by improved inventory management, better financing options from select lenders and backlogged orders in certain segments (such as commercial vehicles) add to the sense of guarded confidence. With supportive policies and a post-budget lift in consumer sentiment, many believe February could see a stable or slightly elevated sales curve.

On the other hand, the headwinds expected include shorter working days, pockets of weak rural liquidity and inflationary pressures. Then there is the strict lending criteria, costlier vehicles and subdued demand in certain industrial sectors to further weigh on overall performance.

A groundbreaking recycling facility for massive mining tyres has opened in Western Australia's Pilbara region. This marks a significant shift from burial to sustainable processing of end-of-life tyres.

The facility, operated by Tyrecycle in Port Hedland, will process more than 30,000 tonnes of off-the-road (OTR) mining tyres annually. The development represents the first purpose-built facility of its kind in Australia, serving one of the world's most active mining regions.

"As a market leader we are proud to see this first facility of its kind in the country up and running, revolutionising OTR mining tyre recycling will ensure that these massive tyres are no longer seen as a disposal challenge but instead a resource for the achievement of better sustainable outcomes," said Tyrecycle Chief Executive Officer Jim Fairweather.

The strategic location near mining operations addresses a crucial logistical challenge in transporting the enormous tyres. Port Hedland, the world's largest export terminal, was chosen after a five-year development process.

Fairweather noted strong support from mining companies in pursuing more sustainable waste management practices. "Mining companies recognise the importance of managing their waste streams responsibly, and we're here to work alongside them to deliver more sustainable outcomes," he said.

The facility aims to address a significant gap in Australia's tyre recycling capabilities. Currently, only one percent of mining tyres are being collected for recycling, while the country generates approximately 130,000 tonnes of OTR mining tyres annually. The Pilbara region alone accounts for 50,000 tonnes.

Tyres processed at Port Hedland will be sent to Tyrecycle's East Rockingham facility near Perth for final processing into products including crumb rubber for road construction and tyre-derived fuel, which offers a lower-emission alternative to coal.

The Rubber Board announced a new insurance scheme designed to provide financial protection for rubber plantation workers in the unorganized sector.

The programme will cover rubber tappers, workers in Tappers’ Groups, and self-tapping growers with rubber areas up to one hectare. Eligible participants must be between 18 and 59 years old and have at least one year of work experience.

The insurance scheme offers comprehensive coverage, including INR 1,00,000 for normal death, INR 5,00,000  for death by accident or wild animal attack, and INR 2,00,000 to 4,00,000 for complete disability resulting from accidents.

Beneficiaries will receive an additional amount proportional to the total premiums paid upon the scheme’s maturity. The minimum premium is INR 300, with the Rubber Board contributing INR 900 per beneficiary.

Interested workers must apply by 21 February 2025, and those previously enrolled in earlier phases must renew their policies by 10 February.

Applicants can contact the Rubber Board’s regional offices or the labour welfare division at the head office for more information.

Nokian Tyres has obtained an international sustainability certification for its Romanian factory, positioning the company to advance its goal of using more recycled and renewable materials in tyre production.

Nokian Tyres’ Oradea, Romania, facility was granted the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS, enabling it to utilize certified sustainable raw materials in its tyre manufacturing.

“Nokian Tyres wants to answer consumer needs by creating tyres in which sustainability is an essential feature alongside safety, driving comfort and performance,” said Teemu Soini, VP of Innovations & Development at Nokian Tyres. “We already use recycled and renewable raw materials in our tyres, and being able to use the ISCC PLUS certified materials in addition to them accelerates the work and complements our own raw material research and innovations.”

The Romanian factory, inaugurated in September 2024, is the world’s first full-scale zero-CO2 emission tyre factory, using exclusively zero-emission energy sources, including wind, hydro, biomass, and solar power.

The company aims to increase the share of recycled or renewable raw materials in its tyres to 50 percent by 2030. Replacing fossil-based materials with recycled alternatives supports circular economy principles and reduces tyres’ carbon footprint.

The ISCC certification ensures compliance with high ecological and social sustainability requirements and provides traceability throughout the supply chain.

Nokian Tyres’ passenger car tyre factory in Nokia, Finland, also received the ISCC PLUS certification in 2024.