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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A new partnership between Pirelli and Aston Martin will integrate Pirelli's pioneering Cyber Tyre technology into the British ultra-luxury brand's future vehicles. This system represents a significant technological advancement as the first of its kind capable of gathering real-time data from sensors embedded directly within the tyre's tread. These sensors feed information to Pirelli's proprietary software and algorithms, which then communicate seamlessly with the vehicle's electronic architecture.

This integration, developed in cooperation with Bosch Engineering, allows the car's main dynamic control systems, including ESP, ABS and traction control, to receive and utilise a comprehensive set of precise tyre data that was previously unavailable. By processing this information, an electronic control unit can optimise the vehicle's dynamics, enhancing both performance and safety. The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to innovation in the ultra-luxury performance sector. The adoption of the Cyber Tyre system marks a notable step forward in Aston Martin's pursuit of class-leading capabilities, leveraging detailed, real-time insights to refine the driving experience.

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The latest data from the German rubber industry highlights severe challenges at the domestic location are compelling companies to fulfil local demand primarily through their foreign production facilities, according to the German Rubber Industry Association (wdk).

A recent business climate index indicates a slight improvement in industry sentiment for the second half of 2025. However, wdk President Michael Klein sharply contradicts this optimism, stating that the data reveals a far grimmer reality. He emphasises that critical performance indicators – including revenue, sales, employment and production – are all showing deeply negative results for the domestic market, underscoring a troubling exodus of manufacturing from its core German base.

Klein has acknowledged the federal government's pledge to launch an ‘autumn of reforms’ as a positive signal. Nevertheless, he insists these measures must urgently deliver tangible relief and cost reductions for industrial companies of all sizes. He argues that what is needed most is a decisive and rapid approach to the promised reduction in bureaucracy, stressing that only verifiable results, not further promises, will count towards improving the competitiveness of the German industrial location.

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Chinese tyre manufacturer Sailun Group has begun construction on a new USD-1-billion tyre facility in Egypt. The plant is situated within the Sokhna integrated industrial zone, part of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). This investment, one of the largest Chinese industrial projects in Egypt, was officially launched at a ceremony attended by SCZONE General Authority Chairperson Walid Gamal El-Din.

The expansive 350,000-square-metre factory will be developed in three phases over a three-year period. The initial phase is scheduled to become operational in 2026, with a planned production capacity of three million passenger car tyres and 600,000 truck and bus tyres annually. This first stage is expected to generate 1,500 new jobs. Upon full completion, the facility's total output is projected to surpass ten million tyres each year.

As a global leader in tyre manufacturing with an extensive international sales network, Sailun Group will utilise this new factory as a strategic hub. The facility is designed to meet rising demand within the local Egyptian market while also creating substantial opportunities for export to regional and international markets.

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With the rise of electric vehicles reducing exhaust emissions, attention is shifting to non-exhaust emission like Tyre and Road Wear Particles (TRWP). These microscopic particles, generated from tyre and road surface friction, are a growing environmental concern and will be addressed in the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standard. To tackle this challenge, Nynas has joined a major research consortium coordinated by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), alongside Volvo Cars, Scania and the Karolinska Institute.

The project aims to close a significant scientific knowledge gap by thoroughly investigating the formation, characteristics and environmental impact of TRWP. Nynas contributes a unique dual perspective to this interdisciplinary effort, bringing deep expertise in both tyre rubber compounds and bitumen-based road materials. Pär Nyman, Technical Manager – Tyre & Chemical Industries, Nynas, represents the company in the project alongside the company’s Chief Scientist, Dr Xiaohu Lu, who brings extensive expertise in bitumen and asphalt to the collaboration. A key focus will be understanding how different materials contribute to wear mechanisms.

The research scope extends beyond particle analysis to include measuring the rolling resistance of various tyre and bitumen combinations, a parameter directly linked to vehicle energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. By uniting industry and academia, this collaboration is poised to drive innovation and set new benchmarks in sustainable mobility research.

Pär Nyman, Technical Manager – Tyre & Chemical Industries, Nynas, said, “While Sweden lacks domestic tyre manufacturers, Nynas' research capabilities fill that gap by providing foundational insight into the chemistry and physics behind TRWP generation. Nynas' rubber and asphalt labs are at the heart of this contribution. One of the core insights driving this initiative is that wear particles cannot be fully understood by analysing tyres or roads in isolation. It's the interaction – the system – that matters. By studying both tyre composition and road structure, the project aims to develop a holistic view of TRWP formation, dispersion and toxicity. At Nynas, we are excited to contribute our unique knowledge of materials to help solve an important challenge for both the environment and human health. Through collaboration and scientific inquiry, we aim to pave the way for cleaner roads and cleaner air – one particle at a time.”

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