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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Dara Jehangir Bharucha, a respected stalwart of India’s rubber and polymer industry with a career spanning more than six decades, has passed away today. He was 90.

Born on January 12, 1936, in Mumbai, Bharucha graduated from St. Xavier’s College in 1955 before embarking on a distinguished professional journey in the technical side of the rubber sector. He began his career with Firestone Tyre Company in Bombay, working in its technical department during a formative phase for India’s tyre industry.

He later joined Philips Carbon Black Ltd in West Bengal, where he was associated with testing the first lot of carbon black produced in India — a milestone in the domestic rubber value chain. In 1972, Bharucha moved to Bayer, rising to become Regional Technical Manager and subsequently Technical and Development Manager at the company’s Thane headquarters.

Following his retirement, he continued contributing to the industry by joining the Bhimrajka Group in 1996, a leading distributor of performance polymers and chemicals in India. Even in his later years, Bharucha remained actively engaged with the All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), participating in technical forums, seminars and industry deliberations.

Colleagues remember him as a technically rigorous professional with an unwavering commitment to industry development. His career mirrored the evolution of India’s rubber and polymer ecosystem — from import dependence to domestic capability.

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Sanjay Sharma, Head of Corporate Communication and Motorsport at JK Tyre & Industries Ltd, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 61. A central architect of organised racing in India, Sharma, widely known in Indian motorsport circles as “Hardy”, leaves behind a legacy that reshaped the country’s motorsport ecosystem over three decades.

Sharma joined JK Tyre & Industries Ltd in 1994 with a mandate to professionalise its fledgling motorsport division. At a time when structured racing pathways in India were limited, he built a formal competitive framework that would become the backbone of the sport domestically.

In 1997, he spearheaded the launch of the JK Tyre National Racing Championship, creating a sustained talent pipeline for aspiring drivers. The championship went on to nurture several Indian racers who would make their mark internationally, including Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandhok, Aditya Patel and Armaan Ebrahim.

Beyond circuit racing, Sharma broadened JK Tyre’s footprint across rallying, karting and grassroots motorsport development. In 2000, he was instrumental in introducing organised karting championships in India — a decisive step in creating an entry-level ladder for young drivers. His long-term vision emphasised early talent identification and structured progression to international competition.

Under his stewardship, JK Tyre also strengthened its presence in rallying, supporting prominent drivers such as Gaurav Gill, while expanding competitive platforms across formats. Colleagues and competitors alike credit Sharma with institutionalising professionalism in an industry that had previously operated in fragmented pockets.

Tributes from across the Indian motorsport fraternity poured in on Thursday, describing him as a mentor, strategist and relentless advocate for the sport. Many credited his administrative foresight and corporate stewardship for laying the foundation upon which India’s contemporary racing structure stands.

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At a recent European dealer conference held in Thailand, Prinx Chengshan introduced its strategic direction for the coming years under the theme ‘PRINX REVEAL 2026 THE FUTURE UNVEILED’. The company marked the occasion by launching a new brand slogan for the European market - FUTURE READY TIRES -underscoring its ambition to co-create a shared trajectory with its regional partners amidst an evolving industry landscape.

A central component of the event was a tour of the company’s Thailand Smart Factory, where delegates observed advanced manufacturing systems in action. Led by General Manager Xu Jiangang, the visit highlighted the facility’s intelligent production lines, digital oversight tools and commitment to corporate social responsibility. Li Chongbing from the R&D Centre elaborated on the technological foundations underpinning Prinx Chengshan’s tyre quality, while Wang Hongdian of the Marketing Centre outlined a five-year product roadmap for both commercial vehicle and passenger car tyres tailored to European customers. Meanwhile, Wu Longfeng, Manager of Customer Service Department at Quality Management Centre, introduced an updated 2026 Claim Policy designed to respond more effectively to market expectations and reinforce the company’s integrated ‘Product + Service’ approach.

Strategic vision took centre stage as Li Xinming, Deputy Director of the Europe & Americas Sales Centre, discussed the company’s ongoing evolution from a traditional tyre producer into a globally competitive industrial group. He credited much of this progress to the enduring trust of European partners and conveyed optimism that the Prinx brand – rooted in innovation, craftsmanship and forward-thinking design – would continue to gain momentum through these collaborations. Thomas Wohlgemuth, General Manager for Europe, elaborated on the new brand identity and confirmed Prinx’s official entry into the European commercial vehicle tyre sector in 2026, with sustainability embedded across research, operations and partnerships.

Adding a dynamic dimension to the proceedings, British racing driver Luke Garrett made a guest appearance. As a sponsored athlete in the 2025 FIA European Truck Racing Championship, Garrett shared his experiences competing on Prinx Chengshan tyres, offering attendees a tangible connection to the brand’s values of determination, aspiration and performance.

Beyond the formal agenda, the company curated an immersive cultural programme that enabled participants to experience Thailand’s natural beauty and build stronger interpersonal connections in a relaxed setting. Looking forward, Prinx Chengshan intends to deepen its investment in research and development while capitalising on its smart manufacturing footprint across China, Thailand and Malaysia. The company envisions a future defined by sustainable growth, longer product life cycles and green innovation – bringing Chinese intelligent manufacturing to an ever-widening global stage through close collaboration with its European allies.

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TVS Srichakra reported higher standalone and consolidated profits for the quarter to December 2025, supported by revenue growth and grant income, despite exceptional charges linked to labour reforms and voluntary retirement costs.

Quarterly performance

Standalone revenue from operations rose to INR 8.50 billion in the December quarter, from INR 7.47 billion a year earlier. Total income stood at INR 8.52 billion.

Standalone profit before tax, after exceptional items, was INR 1.90 billion, compared with a loss of INR 0.36 billion in the same quarter last year. Net profit after tax was INR 1.42 billion, against a loss of INR 0.31 billion a year earlier.

Standalone earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were INR 6.05 billion, representing a margin of 22.5 percent.

On a consolidated basis, revenue from operations rose to INR 9.17 billion, from INR 8.03 billion a year earlier. Profit before tax, after exceptional items, was INR 1.71 billion, compared with a loss of INR 0.56 billion. Net profit attributable to owners of the group was INR 1.12 billion, against a loss of INR 0.60 billion.

Nine-month performance

For the nine months, standalone revenue from operations increased to INR 24.77 billion, from INR 22.71 billion a year earlier. Net profit after tax was INR 4.81 billion, up from INR 2.64 billion.

Consolidated revenue from operations for the nine months rose to INR 26.62 billion, from INR 24.35 billion. Net profit attributable to owners of the group was  INR 3.51 billion, compared with INR 1.10 billion in the previous year.

Exceptional items and regulatory impact

Exceptional items included recognition of grant income of INR 1.88 billion under an investment promotion capital subsidy sanctioned by the Government of Tamil Nadu in November 2021. The grant is to be received over 12 years in equal annual instalments, subject to conditions, and has been accounted for under Ind AS 20 using the income approach.

The company also recognised incremental estimated obligations of INR 1.17 billion on a standalone basis and INR 1.21 billion on a consolidated basis under the new labour codes, mainly on account of employees past services. The codes became effective from November 21 2025, though supporting rules are yet to be notified.

Under a voluntary retirement scheme, the company spent INR 0.13 billion in the quarter and INR 0.51 billion in the nine months.

During the nine-month period, subsidiary Super Grip Corporation incurred severance expenses of INR 0.04 billion.

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