What kind of products does Uzer Makina offer to global tyre industry?

Uzer Makina has been serving top tyre makers all around the world with its tyre curing presses and molds since 1978. Our press product category consists of mechanical and hydraulic presses for all kinds of tyres; while mold category includes tread segments, sidewall plates, container mechanisms, AG molds and bladder molds.

Tell us about the evolution of the company as a global leader

The company was founded by Selahattin Uzuner and his nephew Bahattin Ertuğ. At first, the company was working for petrochemical industry in Turkey and later on started to make mold maintenance activities for various tyre companies in Kocaeli. First mold was manufactured 1984. Nearly 10 years later, Uzer Makina started to manufacture tyre curing presses again for plants in İzmit. In 2000, the plant was moved to Kartepe, Kocaeli, where it  is currently located. In 2004, first hydraulic tyre curing press is manufactured and in 2007 Uzer Makina designed, manufactured and internationally patented its popular product Floating Column Hydraulic Press. Until late 2000s, the company mostly served domestic market. After 2010, we started to supply a good amount of its products abroad as well. With an aggressive growth strategy, Uzer Makina invested in buildings, brand-new equipment, human resources and expanded production in last five years to become a global player in tyre curing equipment market. We now serve top tyre makers and their plants in more than 40 countries.

What is the latest step in your expansion process?

After doubling capacity in 2018 by separating press and mold factory, Uzer Makina has completed another expansion by June 2020. This new facility is entirely dedicated for pre-production activities, including storing steel raw materials, cutting, bending, construction, welding, sandblasting and heat treatment serving both for tyre curing press and mold categories which used to be a part of press manufacturing facility before. Uzer Makina also moved its HQ office from mold factory to press factory.

Investment decision was made at the end of 2019 by the top management before Covid-19 pandemic with the goal of decreasing the costs by decreasing the amount of manufacturing activities which are outsourced. Following this decision, Uzer Makina has acquired 9500 m² land just next to existing press manufacturing facility and finished 6500 m² building in less than 7 months.

Uzer Makina also has added brand-new pre-production equipment like heat treatment furnace, sandblasting machine and bending machine. With these new machinery investment, Uzer Makina is planning to decrease the cost per product and production time while increasing the total quality of the processes by taking these operations in house rather than outsourcing them.

This expansion enables Uzer Makina to better use the existing press manufacturing facility. Since pre-production occupied a good amount of space before leaving the building, remaining place is now used for press manufacturing and assembly. Therefore, Uzer Makina is able to manufacture more presses at the same time compared to previous set-up. Uzer Makina has also made machinery investments for existing press area as well including automated spray-painting booth for painting press bodies/parts and vertical turning machine with 3 meters turning diameter which would mainly be used for parts of bigger (over 85”) mechanical presses.            

What are the features of the new SUV & TBR Floating Column Hydraulic Press?

A new era for SUV & TBR tyre curing has begun as Uzer Makina announced the development of SUV & TBR version of its most popular and internationally patented Floating Column Type Hydraulic Press in the last Tyre Technology Expo. Uzer Makina dispatched the first 65” Floating Column Hydraulic Type Curing Press at the end of 2020. This new version outweighs the existing solution Frame Type which used to be the industry standard almost in every aspect. It offers a simpler design, the construction weights much less, has fewer components, maintenance requirements are lower and finally the energy requirement is lesser compared to Frame Type. Besides, most importantly, pricewise there is no significant difference between these two types.

On the other hand, tyre manufacturers will be able to benefit all the advantages of the internationally patented Floating Column Technology for curing of larger tyres. Floating Column Technology provides fully automatic mold height adjustment and therefore eliminates the need for conventional mold height adjustment systems. The technology features two squeezing cylinders under the columns on both sides of each cavity. The piston rods of these cylinders are directly connected to the columns. Besides applying squeezing force, these cylinders also change the position of the locking point, which is located on the columns for adjustment of mold height. Therefore, the press does not need multiple locking points and can work perfectly well with just one. Columns rise at the end of each cycle and release the locking plates from grooves, meaning the locking mechanism can work without jamming.

In addition to these, Uzer Makina is able to construct this new size Floating Column Type Hydraulic Press as V-Shape as well in order to save space. The V-Shape design enables tyre manufacturers to use the curing press area at least 12% more efficiently, in other words, tyre producers would be able to place 112 curing presses in an area that was previously large enough for 100 machines. This concept was developed by Uzer Makina engineers in response to the recent market demand for upgrading existing machines in tyre production plants.

On the other hand, Uzer Makina have been recently putting so much effort to increase energy efficiency on the presses and therefore help tyre manufacturers to comply with the latest European regulations. With this object in mind, Uzer Makina has developed “Energy Saver Steam Hoses” as a subsidiary product that would work both with Uzer Makina presses and others. With these hoses, one can save up to 5% energy per press which is equal huge amount of energy considering the fact that tyre curing is the most energy consumer process of tyre production. These hoses also prevent curing area from overheating. In case there is an effort to cool down the area, there is no need for it or at least it requires much less effort to keep the curing area at normal temperature.

Uzer Makina is not solely a tyre curing press and mold producer – the company also strives to improve the efficiency of the entire curing process. Uzer Makina places great emphasis on digitization and designs its presses to be fully compatible with Industry 4.0 requirements such as EMS, AGV, SCADA, MES and ERP systems. In addition, the company conducts its own research and also works with leading industry companies to offer solutions such as mold pre-heating presses, mold changing pickup cranes and RFID mold management systems – to help tyre manufacturers achieve the most efficient curing processes.

How did the company take on the pandemic?

Even though pandemic conditions were very challenging for tyre industry especially in terms of demand last year, 2021 is very promising also for Uzer Makina. There are many reasons for this: firstly, because of US tariffs against Asian tyre makers, Turkey & Eastern Europe has become a very attractive country for capacity increase for tyre production. Almost all tyre makers in Turkey runs at full capacity and some of them already is expanding. Secondly, there has been a global change in transportation as many people now prefers to move more individually than ever, this probably will eventually affect the number of tyres produced globally. Uzer Makina started to feel this rebound in the demand as many existing customers has decided to restart their previously on hold orders and requesting inquiries for new equipment, and it is also a known fact that quite a few tyre makers are making new greenfield & expansion projects. As Uzer Makina continues to improve its reputation in the market year by year, this rebound will have much more positive effect on the company.

In the pandemic period, like all other companies, Uzer Makina also had to transform the way to operate business into more digital. Now in Uzer Makina, all internal meetings are video meetings. Since travelling abroad is still an issue, nearly all the meetings with customers and suppliers are done via video calls too. Uzer Makina enriched the content of the installation and commissioning materials and provided remote support in order to help the customers which cannot accept people to their plants because of travelling bans. (TT)

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Van den Ban Autobanden has announced the passing of its founder, Arie van den Ban, with deep sorrow. He was a familiar and respected figure both inside and outside the organisation.

Establishing the company in 1968, Arie van den Ban used vision, entrepreneurship and determination to transform it into an international tyre wholesaler and distributor serving global customers. The company looks back with great respect and gratitude on his profound contributions.

The company statement read: “For many, both within and beyond the company, Arie was a familiar and respected figure. His influence on the organisation and the people around him will be felt for years to come. We look back with great respect and gratitude on everything he has meant to Van den Ban Autobanden.”

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Nokian Tyres has once again secured a position on the Financial Times’ Europe’s Climate Leaders list, maintaining a perfect record since the ranking first launched in 2021. The annual recognition, compiled jointly by the Financial Times and research firm Statista, evaluates data from approximately 3,000 European companies. Being featured highlights the Finnish tyre manufacturer’s measurable advancements in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Out of 600 companies selected across all industries for their five-year emission reduction progress, Nokian Tyres placed 29th overall. Within the automobiles and components sector, only one other firm joined it in the top 100, and Nokian Tyres emerged as the highest-ranking tyre manufacturer on the entire list. The company’s strong performance underscores its leadership within its specific industry segment.

ductions in both absolute greenhouse gas emissions and emissions intensity, alongside broader climate commitments and collaboration with external sustainability assessors such as CDP and the Science Based Targets initiative. These combined criteria determine the final order of Europe’s most climate-progressive companies.

Susanna Tusa, VP – Public Affairs and Sustainability, Nokian Tyres, said, “From using mostly renewable energy to building the world’s first full‑scale zero‑CO₂‑emissions tyre factory, our climate actions help pave the way for more sustainable mobility. We want to offer drivers safe, high‑quality tyres that are made with continuously lower environmental impact as we continue moving towards net‑zero greenhouse gas emissions. This ranking by the Financial Times is a great recognition of our work.”

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Indian tyre exports reached a record INR 273.12 billion in FY2025-26, rising 9 per cent from INR 250.57 billion in the previous financial year, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce.

The increase marks the second consecutive year of 9 percent growth in tyre exports, highlighting the industry's ability to sustain overseas demand despite geopolitical uncertainty and slower global economic growth.

The United States remained the largest export market for Indian tyres, accounting for 15 percent of total export value at INR 40.82 billion during FY2025-26. However, its share declined from 17 per cent a year earlier after the US administration increased tariffs on Indian tyre imports from 25 per cent to 50 per cent in August 2025.

The higher tariffs reduced the competitiveness of Indian tyres against products from countries benefiting from lower trade barriers. In February 2026, the US reduced tariffs on most Indian goods from 50 per cent to 18 per cent, providing some relief to exporters.

Arun Mammen, chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association, said the industry had delivered strong export performance despite disruption to global supply chains, higher logistics costs and trade uncertainty across key markets.

Through market diversification, cost optimisation and policy support, Indian tyre manufacturers-maintained export momentum during the year.

After the US, the leading export destinations for Indian tyres were Germany, which accounted for 7 percent of exports, followed by Italy and Brazil at 5 per cent each, and France at 4 percent. Indian tyres are now exported to more than 170 countries.

"The tyre industry has exhibited remarkable resilience and growth in the post-pandemic period. Over the last four to five years, tyre manufacturers have invested approximately INR 300 billion across greenfield and brownfield projects, reflecting strong confidence in India's long-term economic prospects and its emergence as a global manufacturing hub" added Mammen.

India's tyre industry has an estimated annual turnover of about INR 1 trillion, with exports accounting for more than one-quarter of total industry turnover.

The industry said geopolitical developments, including the West Asia crisis, continued to pose challenges through supply chain disruption, higher energy costs and inflationary pressure. However, manufacturers remain optimistic about long-term export prospects, supported by trade agreements and deeper integration into global value chains.

"As global supply chains continue to evolve, India is increasingly being recognised as a reliable sourcing destination for high-quality tyres. Supported by technological advancements, sustainability initiatives and favourable trade engagements, the Indian tyre industry is well positioned to strengthen its role in global markets in the years ahead," added Mammen.

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NEXEN TIRE has introduced its latest ultra-high-performance tyre, the N’FERA Primus UX, following a domestic launch in Korea on 1 June. The tyre is now entering the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets, signalling the company’s full push into the global replacement tire sector.

Built under the One Universal Fit strategy, the N’FERA Primus UX delivers a 20 percent gain in tread wear performance compared to its predecessor. It is engineered for electric vehicles, internal combustion engine cars and SUVs alike and carries NEXEN TIRE’s proprietary EV ROOT certification mark to guarantee balanced performance across powertrain types.

Performance enhancements include strengthened reinforcement for improved high-speed stability, an expanded contact patch for better driving control and an optimised tread block design that reduces road noise. The tyre also features a new advanced-material compound that lowers energy loss to extend tread life. An aerodynamic sidewall design cuts air resistance, boosting fuel economy for ICE vehicles and maximising range for EVs.

Development relied on NEXEN TIRE’s AI and virtual simulation capabilities, including an AI-powered performance prediction system and a high-dynamic driving simulator. This marked the first time such simulation tools were used in the domestic automotive industry, allowing the company to mathematically model real-world driving conditions and accelerate measurement while raising development efficiency.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, NEXEN TIRE, said, "The N'FERA Primus UX is designed to deliver optimal performance regardless of vehicle type, in line with the demands of the EV era. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen our global product lineup based on our 'One Universal Fit' strategy to expand our presence in international markets."

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