What is your take on the two-wheeler tyre market in India, considering the current situation?

India is facing the heat of the most unprecedented crisis with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The automobile industry is witnessing a slump, resulting in a slowdown in the two-wheeler tyre market in India. However, the two wheeler demand in India remains strong in the long term, and we believe the current harsh time will pass soon. We are certain that once the lockdowns are lifted, two-wheelers could become the preferred mode of transportation for many, certainly which will be a boom for the two-wheeler tyre market.

Tyre companies are facing challenges on the manufacturing front due to restrictions being infused by the pandemic situation. How has the company aligned its manufacturing activities to the current situation and is taking care of its employees?

At Maxxis, the employee’s safety has been prioritised over business targets. There was a shutdown for a brief period. To ensure workforce well-being, we have been strictly conducting employee Health check-ups, including RT-PCR tests and compulsory vaccinations for all the staff. Also, we have always been following all government protocols of social distancing, limited workforce, operating in shifts and other safety measures for our employees. 

The manufacturing unit operates under the guidelines drawn by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Gujarat State Government. Currently, employees are working in shifts with full capacity workforce. We intend to augment production as per market demand and the lockdown situation in the country.

Management is also proactively sharing e-mailers with employees, channel partners on safety measures and positive quotes to spread the positive environment. 

Could you highlight the role of digitisation of Maxxis India’s plant in Gujarat and how is it helping in today’s time?

Maxxis lays excellent emphasis on digitisation. It gives us greater control and visibility into each step of the complex manufacturing process, reducing cost and waste and improving overall efficiency.

How does the company see Industry 4.0?

Industry 4.0 will be the key game changer for the Indian manufacturing sector. Industry 4.0 refers to leveraging cyber -physical domains in association with the latest technologies like AI, IoT, Cloud computing, AR, 3D printing, etc., to enhance productivity. Industry 4.0 is already influencing sectors like manufacturing, supply chain management, construction, shipping etc., and shall impact all the aspects of our day-to-day activities. It is truly considered to be a disruptive technology.

Maxxis has always worked extremely hard to implement this strategy into hardware (technology, equipment and machinery in our newly built facilities worldwide) and software (the production, management and quality methods that operate those facilities).

What about sustainability in manufacturing at the plant? 

As a socially responsible corporate, Maxxis has been continually assessing the environmental impact of its activities, products and services that forms the basis of its ‘Global Environmental Policy. 

Our Sanand facility boasts of one of the most effective water stewardship programmes in India. Its efficient Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) have accorded the plant its status of a ‘Zero Liquid Discharge’ facility. It discharges no liquid effluent into the surface water, effectively eliminating the environmental pollution associated with treatment. The process also uses wastewater treatment, recycling, and reuse, thereby contributing to water conservation through a reduced freshwater intake. 

The manufacturing unit also has a unique peripheral trench for water conservation. It collects and stores rainwater and further discharges it into the ground through 22 recharge stations rather than completely running off.

On average, Maxxis India recycles around 2,000 cubic metres of water every month, and the residual water after recycling is further used for plantation and cleaning purposes. The increasing groundwater draft caters to its domestic and industrial requirements, rendering most of the unconfined aquifer zone dry.

Following are some of the measures for collection, storage, Handling, and disposal of waste at our Sanand unit:

• We have the Effluent treatment plants (ETP) and Sewage treatment plants (STP) in our facility to treat our wastewater. After treatment of wastewater – Sludge is generated from both plants. Considering the 3’R, we use the entire STP sludge for our in-house gardening purpose. And the sludge of ETP plant – we use to keep it in a scrap yard for getting dry and then we send it to TSDF (Transport Storage Disposal Facility) “Pollution control board’s Authorised waste management companies for landfilling.

• We also have a sound constructed facility of 1800sq.mt for collection, segregation, and storage of all type of waste.

• We are not only focusing on the safe disposal of Hazardous waste; being an ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) certified Tyre manufacturer company, it’s our moral responsibility to ensure “End use” or “life-cycle prospective” of our products. We are only selling out the Tyres & other Rubber related to waste to Gujarat Pollution Control Board “Authorised Recyclers”. 

We have always been following consistently ethical standards for recycling to encourage a green environment.

How are you preparing for producing and marketing premium tyres?

Maxxis believes that quality speaks for everything, especially for the premium tyres market; no marketing or promotion activities can subdue how a user concludes the experience of using a premium product. We tapped into the market with Hornet 2.0 project with Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India last year by supplying the Extramaxx (M6233/M6234) series. Extramaxx tyres use the world’s strongest Aramid Fibre, and the dual compound technology minimises rolling resistance while improving stability and tyre life. We have also plan to launch extension sizes for the Extramaxx series to cover all significant sports motorcycles running on Indian roads. We will soon launch more tyre series to cover different road applications for the cruising/touring market segment in the coming months.

How is the company widening the partnership with OEMs?

Maxxis has formidable strength in the OEMs market, where our quality and technology enable us to serve our OEM partners better. We have partnered with some of the world largest two-wheeler manufacturers- Hero Moto Corp, Honda Motorcycles and Scooter India Limited, Yamaha Motor India and Suzuki Motorcycles. We are fast expanding our portfolio as per new trends and market demand. 

Will Maxxis India open to cater to the Electric two-wheeler market, which is small but a fast-growing segment?

Maxxis Tyres stand for our steady commitment towards innovation, catering to the future mobility trends across segments. Last year, we launched the M922F, a special edge for tyre designs for electric two-wheelers. The new M922F tyres are built with specialised compound technology, which helped us in producing lighter tyres. This lighter weight in turn reduces energy consumption by five to ten per cent, enhancing the range of an electric two-wheeler.

We are one of the best EV 2W tyre manufacturers globally as we supply tyres to Gogoro in Taiwan and Niu in China; both are the pioneers in EV 2W globally. 

The company plans to have five more plants. Could you elaborate on how will they be technically advanced and cater to future demand?

We are one of the fastest-growing tyre companies in India with a long-term vision to achieve a 15 percent market share by 2026 and set up five manufacturing plants. Owning to the current pandemic situation in the country and keeping in mind the well-being of the employees, the complete utilisation of the existing plant capacity has been put on hold. 

We are evaluating the current market situation and will navigate our strategy as per the future condition.

What are the expansion plans for 2021 – 2022.

On the product front, Maxxis India has various line-up of tyres for sports bike with different applications for road and weather conditions which we will introduce in a very short time. We are evaluating the space of market for more product introduction. Currently, our portfolio covers 82% of market’s users’ scenario and we plan to raise it more than 90% this year.  

Also, The company made an investment of over $400 million in its Sanand plant in Gujarat. We currently employ workforce of 600+ people and are committed to extend manpower to 2000 within five years. Currently, we have used half of the land (106 acres) we got from the Gujarat government for the planned 60,000 units’ capacity. Owing to COVID-19 pandemic, we are carefully evaluating the situation this year and will take appropriate steps to realise our future plans, in the time to come. We have penetrated across all 29 states and eight Union Territories of India and opened an exclusive retail store in Goa to meet the growing demands of our customers.

We are working on new alignments and partnerships with new set of OEMs for the two-wheeler market as well as working on expanding our portfolio for the replacement market.

 (TT)

As part of a strategic effort to increase its presence in the region's premium original equipment (OE) market, Kumho Tire has confirmed its plans to establish its first tyre production facility in Europe by 2027.

The company has shortlisted Poland, Serbia and Portugal as possible locations for the plant, which is projected to need an investment of more than KRW1 trillion (USD 705 million). The decision is closely linked to Kumho’s ambition to strengthen its partnerships with European automakers and was revealed by Kumho Tire CEO during the South Korean premiere of Kumho's new Ecsta Sport tyre line.

Kumho has recently secured OE supply contracts with major brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group. At the moment, Kumho runs eight tyre production plants in China, Vietnam, South Korea and the US. Its capacity to compete in the premium OE market, however, has come to be perceived as being constrained by the absence of a European production base. Through the benefits of local production, the new facility will improve response to European client requests, save freight costs and shorten delivery times, all of which will strengthen the company's partnerships.

Sentury Tire USA has opened pre-enrolment for its two associate dealer programmes (ADPs), the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program and the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program, underscoring the company’s commitment to rewarding dedication and partnership to the Landsail and Delinte brands.

The ADPs, which are customised for each brand and intended to encourage dealers, will formally start on 1 June 2025. Both programmes give dealers access to special benefits, incentives and strong tools to help them expand their businesses. This involves dependable customer service, effective marketing and worthwhile financial incentives to promote dealers' success at every stage.

Beginning in Q3, dealers may earn up to USD three per tyre through the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program. Dealers can receive retroactive benefits for purchases completed in Q2 if they register before 1 June. The awards are available for all Delinte PTR, LTR and the new DV3 LMD AS last-mile delivery tyres. For all Landsail PTR and LTR tyres, independent dealers that sign up for the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program can also earn up to USD three per tyre. For customers who sign up by June 1, the new LMD 100 AS last-mile delivery is also eligible for the benefits and will get the same early bird incentive for Q2 2025.

No initial order is necessary. Dealers only need to register to begin making money. According to the monthly programme rewards structure, 48 tyre purchases each month are eligible for a reward of USD one per tyre, 120 tyres are eligible for a reward of USD two per tyre and 240 or more tyres are eligible for a reward of USD three per tyre.

ENSO, a London-based tyre manufacturer engaged in the production of sustainable tyres specially designed for electric vehicles (EVs), has launched its new ENSO Premium range of EV-specific ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres aimed at drivers of high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Specifically designed for electric passenger vehicles, the ENSO Premium range comes with A/A EU-label ratings for both energy efficiency and wet grip. The tyres are designed to provide safety, increased range and a reduced total cost of ownership. Conventional tyre designs frequently fall short of the special performance needs of electric vehicles, which include greater vehicle weight, regenerative braking and higher torque loads. By lowering tyre wear and rolling resistance, ENSO Premium takes care of these issues.

The company is an authorised provider of replacement tyres for LEVC's electric taxis and has partnered with Uber to install its tyres in high-mileage metropolitan areas. The company now plans to grow throughout Europe and North America, and with ENSO Premium, it is now offering its services to individual EV owners throughout the United Kingdom. According to ENSO, the range offers advantages including longer tyre life and fewer replacements, lower energy usage, fewer charging stops and lower CO₂ emissions and tyre particle pollution.

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO and Co-Founder, ENSO, said, “We’re plugging a long-standing gap in the tyre market by offering EV drivers a purpose-built, affordable, premium EV tyre alternative that matches the innovation of their EV.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has announced a general price hike in North America for its SBS, SIS and HSBC product lines with effect from 1 May 2025.

Following a careful analysis of the effects of recently implemented tariffs, related cost increases and a conclusion that the company cannot independently absorb these repercussions, Kraton is adopting these pricing hikes, according to a company statement. The company further said that it will keep an eye on the scene and reassess these measures promptly in the event that conditions and US import tariffs alter.