The priority for the newly elected president of All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), Dr Sawar Dhanania, is to create an ecosystem in the Indian rubber sector with the help of all stakeholders, especially small ones, for sustainable growth. "I find the rubber ecosystem is not in place, and every sector that has to go forward or meet the challenges has to have an ecosystem. All the links should be in place to take the MSME sector forward along with big players in the industry," said Dr Dhanania.

"We have identified the issue and are working on it. To have the ecosystem, we require the participation of all stakeholders in the sector to make it stronger," added Dr Dhanania.

Due to the erratic supply chain, buyers are losing price negotiation powers, especially MSMEs. Meanwhile, soaring prices of raw materials are adding fuel to the challenges. According to Dr Dhanania, the MSME sector requires special-purpose rubbers, such as EPDM, Nitrile, Neoprene, SBR and others to make the goods. However, suppliers from other countries are dictating the terms due to the current situation. "Currently, manufacturers in the MSME sector are facing challenges as they cannot increase the prices of finished goods even though the demand is picking up, and they have to buy raw materials at soaring prices," explained Dr Dhanania.

Coupled with skyrocketing raw material prices, the lack of testing facilities for raw materials and finished rubber goods for the MSME players is another primary concern, as per Dr Dhanania. "Due to growing exports and quality requirements in the local market, we too are getting quality conscious. We need testing facilities at the door level according to the standards," said Dr Dhanania.

In May, the AIRIA will approach the government to avail special-purpose rubber and other raw material at fair prices through imports to meet domestic demand being infused by the growing infrastructure development and export demand. 

The association will also urge the government to make FTAs more favourable to the domestic industry and boost local supplies of speciality rubber to lessen dependency on imports. "To tap the opportunities in new markets, we will motivate our rubber goods manufacturers to export goods. We will focus on exploring the new market for our members. Currently, we are collecting and analysing the data for MSMEs. We will provide data to the manufacturers about the export details for the countries where they can possibly supply their rubber goods," expressed Dr Dhanania.

The Arab and European countries are currently the largest export market for the Indian rubber goods companies. Rubber sheeting, cycle tyre & tubes, footwear and moulded products are among India's largest export rubber goods. However, India contributes merely one percent of the total global rubber export, which stands at around USD 200 billion. 

The association also seeks stimulus packages for the rubber industry. "With the technological changes, we want to upgrade our processing technology and add some new machines. But since we are facing so many problems like increasing raw material prices and inverted duties, we don't have a surplus in our hands to invest in the machines," said Dr Dhanania.

The AIRIA will also enhance its activities to hone workers' skills in the MSME sector. According to the new president, the association did face some challenges in providing training in the rubber sector in the past, but it will soon launch training and educational courses for academia and industry. "Even for the people working in the rubber industry for a long time, we will launch reskilled training programmes. We will be discussing with RCPSDC how the technical expertise will provide the practical training to the industry people as lots of machines are required for such training," added Dr Dhanania. 

The AIRIA will soon introduce an e-portal where the association members can market their products digitally. "With this portal, job seekers can also get connected to companies," said Dr Dhanania.

Dr Dhanania sees the greater demand will come from the automotive sector. He averred, "The auto companies are not running at the full capacities due to shortage of semiconductors, but for the long term, the demand will pick up, and the government too is spending on building infrastructure. Electric vehicles will generate demand for new types of high-performance rubbers." 

The size of the Indian rubber industry is about INR 1 trillion, out of which INR 700 billion is contributed by the tyre segment and the rest by rubber goods manufacturers. The MSME units in the rubber sector employ about 400,000 people. 

In India, there is a deficit of over 400,000 tonnes of natural rubber, which is being met by imports. However, the government has been serious to narrow the gap between demand and supply. 

Recently, four major tyre companies, part of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), have decided to contribute INR 10 billion for rubber plantation development on 200,000 hectares of land in the North East states of India, over five years.

The AIRIA has postponed the India Rubber Expo (IRE) due to Covid outrage. According to Dr Dhanania, the IRE is likely to be held in 2024 . "As the situation (Covid-19) is improving, we are planning to hold the IRE in 2024. Meanwhile, we will have industry outreach programmes every month in different states, and we may unfold the programme in April," concluded Dr Dhanania.

Bridgestone will supply tailored-made tyres for Lamborghini’s Huracán STO, which will be launched in 2021.

Bridgestone ensured the high-performance tyre can maximise the Huracán STO’s traction, handling, control, and extreme overall performance.

Key to the tyre’s success in maximising the super sports car’s performance is the combination of pattern and cavity design. The Potenza tyres apply an asymmetric tread design for enhanced steering response and cornering stability, and an internal crown structure that distributes footprint pressure evenly when cornering.

As well as the road-focused, custom-developed Potenza fitment, Bridgestone will also be providing a track-oriented, road-homologated version of the tyre that applies “race” technologies to maximise the vehicle’s track performance, especially in dry conditions.

Steven De Bock, VP Consumer Replacement and OE at Bridgestone EMIA, said, “It’s been a pleasure for our team to work so closely with Lamborghini for the first time, and on such an exciting project. The Huracán STO is an incredible piece of engineering that deserves a custom tyre that can fulfill its full potential. I can proudly say that Bridgestone has delivered such a high-performance tyre. It has been fantastic for the team to have worked on a project that is at the forefront of technology in so many ways.”

Hankook, one of the major global tyre brands, has started testing and development operations at its new ultra modern facility in Spain.

The testing facility has been set up on the premises of the Applus+ IDIADA Group and can also cater to European premium car manufacturers that have their own demanding tyre tests. The facility is completely automated and will host a 20-member team from the Spanish testing centre, which is affiliated to the Hankook Europe Technical Centre.

Klaus Krause, Head of European Research and Development Centre, said, "With the further expansion of our testing capacities in Spain, we are reaching the next level together with our local partner Applus+ IDIADA."

He also added, "We are confident that the newly installed testing facilities in particular will significantly improve our efforts to provide the best tyre testing conditions and services to our employees and customers. In addition, we will also be able to conduct significantly more tests on site." (TT)

ASCENSO introduced a construction tyre - BLB 730- which is used for boom lift vehicles used in construction and other industries. It comes with several features that cater to the unique needs of aerial lifting equipment.

The BLB 730 tyre is available in different sizes to fit various boom lift vehicles. This range of sizes provides versatility and compatibility with different types of aerial lift work platforms.

“ASCENSO's BLB 730 tyre is a significant advancement in specialised equipment for the construction industry. It focuses on load capacity, stability, traction, and durability to improve the performance and safety of boom lift vehicles. Whether working at heights or manoeuvring on tough terrains, this tyre offers reliability and durability for efficient operations,” said the company in a statement.

The BLB 730 tyre is built to handle heavy loads and stabilise boom lift vehicles. It has solid lugs and a more extended shoulder design, which ensures good traction and prevents slipping during operation. This is important for safely carrying heavy weights at high elevations. ASCENSO has used a special rubber compound in making the BLB 730 tyre, making it durable and long-lasting, resulting in less downtime and more productivity on construction sites.

To make the tyre even better, the company has optimised its inner volume to reduce tyre fill consumption, reducing the risk of tyre punctures, minimising the need for maintenance, and keep the vehicles running smoothly.

Falken Tyre Europe is an official IHF Men's World Championship 2023 partner for the upcoming tournament, the company has announced. The tournament is taking place at nine venues in Sweden and Poland from 11-29 January, 2023. Falken Tyre claims that the partnership was organised by the sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE. SPORTFIVE is responsible for exclusive marketing and media rights for all IHF World Championships until 2031.

Falken Tyre claims that this is its second agreement with the International Handball Federation. In addition to title and logo rights (Official IHF Men's World Championship 2023 Partner), the company has also secured advertising rights, including the Falken logo in each goal and centre circle of the courts, as well as the presence of Falken branding in the official tournament social media communications and print materials. According to Falken Tyre, this is complemented by 30-second video ads that will be shown on the big screens in the nine sports halls before the start of each match and at half-time.

Sharing his views, Robert Müller von Vultejus, Chief Growth Officer at SPORTFIVE, said, “With Falken, the IHF World Handball Championships have secured a great partner who is positioned with far-reaching influence in the relevant core markets. We are delighted to have been able to bring two global partners together for one of the most exciting sporting events of next year.”

Markus Bögner, COO and President of Falken Tyre Europe GmbH, explained, “Handball isn’t just of great importance in Europe, but all over the world, which has led us to partake in this top-level tournament once again. The fact that the international tournament is taking place in countries that are among our core markets is another great reason for our involvement. We can also look back on a long partnership with our colleagues at SPORTFIVE, who always offers us excellent opportunities that are an excellent fit for the Falken brand, which stands for enthusiasm, performance and achievement.”