It was only many years later that we learnt about the atrocities and the inhuman ways the natives of the Amazon Valley were subjected to by the white barons to develop exporting of natural rubber to Europe to provide the main raw material for the automotive tyre industry which was gradually evolving in to a flourishing industry. The inventing of synthetic rubber in the late 1940s and the development of SBR  due to the short supply of natural rubber from the colonies  in the East to cater for the growing demand for tyres used in the military vehicles during the Second World War and the Korean War is another episode of beyond the border commercial endeavours.

Although the word ‘globalisation’ was coined by Theodore Levitt in 1983 through an article ‘Globalisation of Markets’ which appeared in the Harvard Business Review  (May-June 1983), I feel that we should go way back in the annals of history to get an understanding of the term. This knowledge may not look attractive to the modern business world. Nevertheless, the sociologists and others of similar disciplines will certainly find such knowledge useful in comprehending the modern day socio-economic woes.

Origins of globalisation may possibly be traced back to early human migrations, presumably from the Olduvai George Gorge, a site in Tanzania that holds the earliest evidence of human ancestors. Human migration is the movement of people from one place to another, particularly different countries, with the intent of settling temporarily or permanently in the new location. It typically involves movement over long distances. The driving motive, namely seeking dominance over fellow men and exploiting the natural environment to achieve success, does not seem to have changed over the millions of years.

The emergence of the great civilisations, e.g. Indus Valley, Mesopotamia, and their subsequent decline can be attributed to globalisation. Similarly, the invasions and cross-border military conquests of historical fame (or notoriety) such as that of Alexander the Great and colonisation by the West for the exploitation of natural wealth in Asia, Africa and South America reveals an ugly facet of globalisation.

The Silk Route interlinking East Asia and Southeast Asia with South Asia, Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and Southern Europe, on the other hand, was central to the economic, political, cultural and religious interactions between these regions form 2nd century BCE to the 18th century.

The industrialisation and expansion of business and commerce across countries during the past 300-plus years was fuelled by the four industrial revolutions, or waves as some prefer to identify them, namely steam power, conveyor system, computers and digitalisation. The process is continuing to the unforeseeable future with new knowledge and innovations fuelling the globalisation.

The multifaceted nature of globalisation has commonly been identified into eight types as shown below:

•           Political Globalisation

•           Social Globalisation

•           Economic Globalisation

•           Technological Globalisation

•           Financial Globalisation

•           Cultural Globalisation

•           Economic Globalisation

•           Geographical Globalisation

My intention is not to delve in to a discussion about the pros and cons of globalisation, which has been comprehensively documented, but to highlight on some key aspects from this part of the world, especially of the Asian subcontinent.

Knowledge dissemination across border, in my view, is the single most important factor associated with globalisation. This appears common to all the above types of globalisation. The dissemination of the Buddhist doctrine by the great Emperor Asoka to countries spreading from the far East to the Central Asia and Middle East including the present Sri Lanka during 3rd century BCE is one of the earliest recorded instances of globalisation.

Countries with long histories going back to 3,000 to 4,000-plus years, such as India, China and Sri Lanka, possessed a vast knowledge base ingrained in the social consciousness. This appears to have significantly influenced the philosophical and intellectual thought of the Greek and Persian periods. Unfortunately, a major part of this knowledge has been eroded through the influence of the West, which started around the 16th century. One good example of this knowledge found in the ancient irrigation knowledge of Sri Lanka is the engineering  marvel of a gradient of 1 inch per mile in an ancient canal about 87 km long,  built to connect two man-made reservoirs in the 5th century AD. Similarly, India and Sri Lanka possessed a vast indigenous knowledge base in medicine, astrology, architecture, agriculture, irrigation and astrology, and it is somewhat unfortunate that this knowledge has not been adequately globalised. The only significant inroads are seen in tourism. But that too are based on the western norms.

On the other hand, we have acquired a vast knowledge from the industrialised countries on modern management thoughts and technologies which have enabled industrialisation and improvement in living conditions of the populace. In this era of interdependency, a country cannot afford to ignore the technologies which are necessary to maintain a suitable level of competitiveness internationally. However, if this is accomplished at the expense of ignoring the inherent social and cultural foundations, the long-term adverse consequences would be disastrous and unimaginable.

The adverse long-term consequences of the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides and the global addiction to pharmaceuticals are already seen physically and socially in practically all the countries, especially the so called underdeveloped or developing countries.

The aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the irreversible effects of global warming are two examples of globalisation which are affecting the mere sustenance  of mankind.

A country can immensely benefit by striving for stars through adopting modern technologies. However, the absolute importance of a strong base cannot be ignored or taken lightly. Back to a strong base and reinforcing the base lies at the core of sustainable development.

The words of Mahatma Gandhi echoing from the past reaffirm this plain truth in no uncertain terms.

“I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”

“What's past is prologue," a quote from William Shakespeare's ‘The Tempest’ presumes that though history is written, the future is anyone's to decide – with the knowledge gleaned from the past. (TT)

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Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) returned as a sponsor of the Galveston Bay Foundation’s Bike Around the Island, with 21 cyclists completing a 43-mile ride on 17 October 2026. The event coincided with the 20th anniversary celebration of Bike Around the Bay, reinforcing KAI’s support for the Foundation’s conservation mission.

Although the ride spanned a single day, the cause continues year-round through initiatives such as the River, Lakes, Bays ’N Bayous Trash Bash and oyster reef monitoring at Sweetwater Nature Preserve. These programmes protect the Bay’s waters, restore coastal habitats and preserve regional biodiversity. KAI contributed to that mission by mobilising nine volunteers alongside participating employees, family members and friends, collectively raising more than USD 8,300 for GBF’s conservation efforts.

At the second rest stop, KAI volunteers welcomed cyclists with encouragement and a chance to reconnect before the next stretch. For cycling team captain Diana Maya, the stop became a meaningful moment of teamwork and connection, illustrating how employees and volunteers supported both the event and one another. Special recognition went to Maya and Johnny Alvarado, KAI’s volunteer lead, for coordinating this year’s participation, and the company expressed appreciation to every cyclist, volunteer, employee, family member and friend who contributed time, energy and encouragement.

The 20th anniversary marked two decades of bringing cyclists, volunteers, corporate partners and community members together for Galveston Bay. KAI congratulated the Foundation on the milestone and affirmed its commitment to community engagement and environmental stewardship, supporting efforts that protect natural ecosystems surrounding the communities where employees live and work. From cycling 43 miles to volunteering at rest stops and supporting year-round conservation, KAI’s participation reflected a shared commitment to protecting Galveston Bay for future generations.

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Goodyear is continuing its holiday partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program by hosting toy drives at all three of its blimp bases, marking the 16th year of the tradition. The events offer community members a rare chance to step inside the iconic Goodyear Blimp hangars while contributing to local children’s holiday celebrations.

Guests at each location are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy, with all donations supporting Toys for Tots campaigns in the respective blimp base communities. Over the past 16 years, these drives have collected more than 300,000 toys and raised over USD 875,000 for the Marine Toys for Tots Program, brightening the holidays for children and families nationwide.

The Ohio Wingfoot Lake base will host a drive-through event 4–6 December from 2–7 p.m., allowing residents an exclusive behind-the-scenes look before dropping off donations to a US Marine representing Toys for Tots. In Florida, Pompano Beach will hold open house hangar tours on 6 December from 11 a.m.–5 p.m., with registration available online. California’s Carson location will welcome attendees on 4 December from 2–5 p.m. and 5 December from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., with tour spots reservable beginning 1 November.

Founded in 1947, Toys for Tots collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December and distributes them as Christmas gifts to disadvantaged children in the communities where campaigns are conducted. The blimp bases will also accept mailed toy or monetary donations, with details available on the Goodyear Blimp website and Facebook page. 

Joni Fitch, Director of Community Engagement, Goodyear, said, “For 16 years, this tradition has brought our communities together around the holidays in a uniquely Goodyear way. Opening our blimp hangars gives us a special opportunity to welcome our neighbours and support Toys for Tots in helping make the holidays brighter for local children and families.”

Retired Marine Colonel Ted Silvester, Chief Revenue Officer of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, said, "We are very pleased to welcome Goodyear back for their 16th year as a National Corporate Donor of the Marine Toys for Tots Program. With their generous support, we will be able to fulfil the Christmas holiday dreams of thousands of less fortunate children, who otherwise might have been forgotten."

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Bridgestone has unveiled a new generation of aircraft tyres designed for the Boeing 737, delivering improved wear performance through optimised design. The tyres were first introduced on aircraft flown by partner airlines, helping to enhance their operational efficiency, and the company now intends to extend their availability to carriers worldwide. From 2027, tyres incorporating the advanced technology are scheduled to be fitted to a broad range of aircraft.

The launch comes as aviation continues to recover rapidly from the Covid-19 pandemic, a rebound that has brought labour shortages and made operational efficiency more critical than ever. At the same time, the sector is stepping up sustainability efforts in support of the International Civil Aviation Organization's target of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Bridgestone refined the technology using extensive flight data supplied by partner airlines together with its own simulation tools, carrying out thorough evaluations and verification across a wide range of conditions.

The new tyres preserve the high durability of the company's existing Revolutionarily Reinforced Radial (RRR) technology while markedly improving wear resistance and curbing uneven wear through a new tread compound and an optimised contact profile. Casing durability has also been strengthened via an optimised sidewall design. Combined with advanced tyre wear prediction solutions developed alongside airlines and with retreading, the tyres support greater operational efficiency and lower CO2 emissions without compromising safety or reliability.

The new compound, which improves carbon black reinforcement and dispersion through Bridgestone's proprietary NanoPro-Tech molecular control technology, delivers better wear balance during landing and taxiing. Compared with the previous product, the tyre achieves more than 20 percent additional landings per tyre, reducing replacement downtime and maximising aircraft utilisation for high-frequency operators such as domestic carriers, while helping to lower operating costs.

Separately, the combination of flight data and simulation enabled Bridgestone to optimise contact conditions for aircraft-specific surfaces, including runways and taxiways, producing more uniform contact and cutting irregular wear seen on certain routes by more than 20 percent. This lowers the risk of unplanned replacements and flight delays, supporting on-time performance and easing the burden on maintenance teams. Further optimisation of the sidewall design based on RRR technology has extended tyre durability, and because roughly 80 percent of the materials in a retreaded tyre can be reused from the original, retreading reduces CO2 emissions at the manufacturing stage.

Bridgestone's aircraft tyres hold the leading installation share among airlines ranked in the top 10 of the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards 2025, underpinning safe and reliable operations. The company aims to maximise the productivity and economic value of airline operations, in line with the ‘Extension’ and ‘Economy’ commitments set out in the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, while enabling longer tyre life with lower resource consumption and emissions.

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Continental has introduced the ContiTrailAttack 4, the successor to its highly successful ContiTrailAttack 3 adventure tyre. The new 90/10 tyre retains the strengths of its predecessor while pushing performance further, aimed at riders who spend most of their time on asphalt but want readiness for occasional detours onto unpaved roads.

A full-silica compound delivers fast warm-up along with enhanced grip in both wet and dry conditions. The tyre offers intuitive and predictable handling wherever the journey leads, while state-of-the-art carcass materials and construction ensure reliable stability in every riding situation, even when fully loaded. Continental's MultiZoneBelt technology provides outstanding agility on winding roads and confidence on fast straights.

A newly developed cross-ply carcass construction for models with a 21-inch front wheel in size 90/90-21 stands out as a key highlight. The latest materials create a more flexible carcass, a better feel for the surface and calmer, more balanced handling. A revised apex design supports the sidewall and improves stability, while a new innerliner makes all sizes tubeless-compatible. The tyre also achieves a new level of steering precision for adventure motorcycles with 21-inch front wheels.

Positioned as a 90/10 tyre for 90 percent road use and 10 percent unpaved paths, the ContiTrailAttack 4 suits adventure riders who mostly choose paved roads but remain ready for spontaneous gravel detours. Confidence, stability and fun in twisty sections take centre stage, whether on the daily commute or a motorcycle vacation. It fits a wide range of modern adventure and travel enduro motorcycles, including the BMW R 1300 GS and F 900 GS, Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin, KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO, Triumph Tiger 1200 Rallye Pro, Ducati Multistrada V4 S, CFMoto MT 800 X and Voge DS 900X.

Raphael Michels, Product Manager – Motorcycle Tires, Continental, said, “Our full-silica compound inspires confidence at all times – from a cool morning start to a demanding mountain pass in the afternoon. The MultiZoneBelt technology, in turn, uses its specifically tuned stiffness zones in the steel belt to deliver outstanding agility on winding roads – and composure on fast straights.”

Rafael Kascha, Product Developer – Motorcycle Tires, Continental, said, “With the ContiTrailAttack 4, we are achieving a new level of steering precision for adventure motorcycles with a 21-inch front wheel. We accomplish this through advanced materials and a newly developed, cross-ply carcass construction. For riders, this means noticeably more direct and confidence-inspiring handling, whether in changing conditions on country roads or on occasional excursions onto gravel.”

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