Speaking about the plant, Reddy said, “We planned to set up the plant in late 2018. Before the first wave of Coronavirus, we started off with construction, but our work was stalled due to the subsequent lockdown. Now the manufacturing unit has been fully constructed, but we can’t start operations due to Odisha being under lockdown. Once things normalise, we will start production.”

The plant is expected to have a monthly production of 500 units of 1200x24 size tyres used for Volvo truck-like vehicles.

The new plant will cater to the mining industry situated in Odisha. The company has already been serving the mining industry in the region for the last 24 years. “A lot of people from Andhra Pradesh are involved in the mining business in Odisha. We are taking indigenous machinery from Coimbatore, which will ensure an optimum cost for the tyres,” said Reddy.

The company’s customer base comprises VPR, BGR, Sainik Mining, etc.  It has also started trade relations with Linde India. Fortune Tire Tech also plans to offer management services to its customers as well.

Fortune Tire Tech is the first-of-its-kind company in India to retread tubeless, radial and bias tyres, complying with European and American environmental standards.

The Odisha plant is equipped with the latest machinery imported from Germany and Italy. Fortune Tire is the first company in India to use shearography for retreading tyres. However, speaking on the viability in deploying modern machinery, Reddy explained, “Due to being a model plant, the investment for the plant is high. However, the plant is not viable for the Indian perception. But as a passionate retreader for the last 25 years, we have made the investment. The challenge is the Indian customers compare my product quality with roadside retreaders. Global retreading machinery leaders have also set up plants in the country, but unfortunately, could not succeed in this market so far. The people interested in investing in machinery get demoralised as the output cost is more than the local products. It is a problem for everyone.”

Commenting on the Indian government’s move to open its indigenous mining to private players, he said, “Retreading is famous in the mining industry across the globe—everyone banks on it. It is a key change in the tyre space. It is viable for everybody.”

Reddy has been in the retreading business since1995, but he started on a larger scale in 2012 with his first manufacturing plant in Hyderabad. “I was associated with Vamshi Rubber Limited since 1995 as a franchisee. That time we would roll out 800 units per month in Telangana. It was a small unit. I know the chairman of the firm very well. So, in one of our discussions, I placed the idea of a model plant in India. After that, we set on a tour of Europe and eventually, with the help of Mereddy Ramesh Reddy, chairman of Vamshi Rubber, we laid out our first plant in Hyderabad in 2012. After its success, we started our second plant in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, in 2016. And now we have set our eyes on Odisha. But due to the pandemic, there is a delay in commencing operations,” said Reddy.

Fortune Tire Tech’s Hyderabad plant has a capacity of 4,000 tyres, but it is rolling out 1,300-1,400 tyres per month in the lockdown. On the other hand, the MP plant produces 500 units per month, but currently, it is producing 250 tyres per month.

Commenting on the retreading space in India, the veteran opined, “The market is outstanding, but the sector is unorganised. You cannot compete in an unorganised sector. Around 80 percent of the market is unorganised. We have appealed to the government to license players in this sector, but nothing has been done so far. Between 2016 and 2018, many Chinese tyres were imported into the Indian market which crunched to the tyre retreaders . But now, the current import duty has reduced the flow of Chinese tyres here. The government should show its support to the industry as we come under 18 percent GST slab. Due to this, transporters and other logistic support have to incur heavy losses. We appealed to the government through our association, but nothing came of it. We should come under the 5 percent GST slab.”

According to Reddy, fleet owners mow are more concerned about maintaining their old tyres than buying new ones and looking for retreading tyres to reduce the cost per kilometre. “Chinese tyres are use and throw tyres and can be used temporarily. They are not viable in the long run, and retreading of these tyres is not viable. Major Indian tyre companies have come into the retreading space, but none of them, including the government, have perceived that this industry can be eco-friendly,” said Reddy.

Drawing a comparison on tyre retreading awareness between India and European countries, Reddy opined, “In European countries, every retreader has to have a licence and label their tyres. We have demanded the government to bring the same practices to India. Because once we have labelling on retreaded tyres, the unorganised sector will come to an end. But it is not happening in India.”

He concluded the conversation by saying, “We have no future plans yet. We are looking at the second Covid wave. Future prospect for the space is good, but we have to see how it unfolds after the pandemic and what effect does Coronavirus have on it.” (TT)

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Toyo Tire Corporation said Mitsubishi Corporation has ceased to be a major shareholder after tendering its entire holding through a treasury share buyback, ending its status as the company’s largest shareholder.

The change took effect on 10^th August , 2026, following Toyo Tire’s acquisition of its own shares through off-auction trading (ToSTNeT-3). Mitsubishi tendered all its shares, excluding less than one unit, as part of the transaction.

As a result, Mitsubishi is no longer classified as a major shareholder or associated company of Toyo Tire, the company said.

Before the transaction, Mitsubishi held 30,822,206 shares, equivalent to 20.07 percent of total voting rights, and ranked as the largest shareholder. Following the change, its holding has effectively been reduced to zero.

The move follows Toyo Tire’s earlier announcement on August 7, 2026 regarding the termination of its capital and business alliance with Mitsubishi, alongside plans to repurchase its own shares.

Toyo Tire said the change would have no impact on its consolidated financial results.

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Linglong Tire has become the first Chinese tyre manufacturer to join the Global Data Service Organization (GDSO) as a full member, marking a step in the industry’s efforts to standardise and exchange tyre-related data globally.

The company joins the non-profit body as its fourteenth member. GDSO was established in January 2022 by Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli to facilitate the digital exchange of tyre data and develop common standards across the sector.

Moh Wahi, Head Of Truck And Bus Tyre Development at Linglong Europe, said: "By joining the GDSO as a Full Member and providing reliable data, we want to be the first Chinese tyre manufacturer to make a positive contribution to the further development of the tire industry and set new standards for the efficient processing of tire data in the digital age."

Riccardo Giovannotti, Secretary General of GDSO, said: "With Linglong Tire as a Full Member, GDSO is gaining one of the leading Chinese tire companies which is committed to digitalization and sustainability in the industry. Together, we will further make progress in developing standards for data processing and future-oriented solutions."

Shandong Linglong Tire Co., Ltd., founded in 1975, operates seven research and development centres globally and employs almost 20,000 people. The company runs nearly 200,000 sales outlets and exports products to 175 countries.

It supplies tyres to more than 200 production bases for over 60 automakers and has manufacturing facilities across China, Thailand and Serbia, with plans to expand further overseas.

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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, has joined forces with Sussex Police’s Road Safety Team to introduce a pioneering digital reference tool for frontline officers. The initiative equips police with immediate, device-accessible tyre safety data during roadside stops.

Developed as a local pilot, the application enables consistent vehicle examinations and improves driver communication regarding tyre dangers. It offers specific checklists for diverse vehicle categories, including motorcycles, cars, heavy goods vehicles, light commercial vans and towed trailers. The system further incorporates guidance on part-worn tyres, common queries and educational talking points.

Following its Sussex trial, the programme holds potential for nationwide adoption across UK police forces. This deployment underscores Sussex Police’s dedication to roadway innovation and reinforces the essential contribution of proper tyre maintenance to overall public safety.

Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair, said, “This partnership with Sussex Police is a landmark moment for tyre safety enforcement and education. By putting reliable, accessible tyre safety guidance directly into the hands of frontline officers, we can ensure safer vehicles on our roads and help prevent avoidable collisions and breakdowns. Sussex is leading the way, and we hope this model will soon be adopted nationally.”

Superintendent Jo Grantham, Head of Roads Policing, Sussex Police, said, “Our officers are committed to keeping road users safe, and having instant access to this tyre safety resource makes a real difference on the ground. It supports enforcement while also giving us the tools to educate drivers more effectively. We’re proud to be working with TyreSafe on this project and to be the first police force in the country to pilot it.”

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The UK Towing Safety Alliance (UKTSA) has published a comprehensive four-year analysis of incident data from National Highways’ Strategic Road Network, covering 2022 to 2025. The findings reveal a 23 percent rise in total towing-related incidents, driven primarily by a maintenance crisis affecting utility and commercial trailers. While traffic collisions involving towed vehicles decreased by 17 percent, mechanical breakdowns now constitute 77 percent of all towing-related incidents, highlighting vehicle and trailer condition as the sector's foremost challenge.

The data coincides with SMMT Motorparc 2025 figures showing Britain's vehicle fleet at its oldest recorded level, with average car age reaching 9.7 years. The summer harvest season has also arrived, bringing agricultural trailers back to roads after months of disuse. NFU Mutual research indicates collisions involving agricultural vehicles are 56 percent more likely between May and September, reinforcing the need for pre-journey roadworthiness checks.

Utility and agricultural trailers now account for nearly half of all towing-related callouts, surpassing 3,000 incidents in 2025. Regionally, the North West has overtaken the South East as the most incident-prone area, with trailer failures surging 60 percent since 2022, while the North East recorded a 55 percent increase. A growing divide exists between leisure and commercial towing sectors.

Leisure sector improvements, including fewer horsebox incidents and regional caravan reductions, suggest awareness campaigns are yielding positive results. However, utility trailer failures continue climbing, indicating maintenance standards across commercial and domestic sectors require greater attention. Regular servicing, correct loading and proper coupling remain essential to prevent avoidable incidents.

For working trailers, summer represents peak operational period, with agricultural and utility trailers seeing intensive use while rural roads become busier with tourists and cyclists. The Alliance emphasises that trailers stored for extended periods require thorough inspections before returning to service.

The UKTSA urges all towers to perform three essential checks covering tyres, load and connection before every journey. Tyres must be inspected for pressure, tread and deterioration; loads correctly distributed and couplings and electrical connections verified. The Alliance will place ‘The Working Trailer’ at the centre of safety campaigns, collaborating with industry partners to boost maintenance awareness and reduce preventable breakdowns across the Strategic Road Network.

A spokesperson for the UK Towing Safety Alliance said, “It’s encouraging to see fewer collisions involving towing vehicles, which suggests that drivers are becoming more aware of safe towing practices. However, that progress is being undermined by a growing number of preventable mechanical failures. The challenge is no longer simply about how people tow – it’s increasingly about what they’re towing and the condition it’s in. As both tow vehicles and trailers get older, regular maintenance has never been more important.”

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “Harvest season places extra demands on both vehicles and trailers, particularly those that may only be used for a few months each year. One of the most common issues we see is tyres that appear to have plenty of tread but have deteriorated through age, weathering or prolonged storage. Whether you’re towing a livestock trailer, plant trailer, horsebox or caravan, tyres should always be inspected for correct pressure, damage, cracking and signs of ageing before every journey. A few minutes spent carrying out these checks can prevent breakdowns and significantly improve safety for everyone using our roads.”

Sarah Smithurst MBE, COO, National Trailer & Towing Association (NTTA), said, “Across the NTTA network, we’re seeing a noticeable increase in enquiries from people looking to refurbish older trailers or source second-hand trailers, including imported models, as a more affordable alternative to buying new. While extending the life of a trailer is often entirely appropriate, it’s essential that owners understand that trailers are not maintenance-free. Many have been in service for years, sometimes decades, and components naturally deteriorate over time, even if the trailer has seen relatively little use. Every trailer should be thoroughly inspected before it returns to the road, with particular attention paid to tyres, brakes, bearings, couplings and lighting. Investing in regular servicing and maintenance is far less costly than experiencing a breakdown – or worse, being involved in an incident. The NTTA continues to help and advice new and old trailer users about safety and many are asking for help when towing, especially the reversing aspect of a trailer, now the B&E test was withdrawn. We are also seeing more trailers being repatriated from North America and Europe rather than purchasing new in the UK.”

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