Rubber, Chemical & Petrochemical Skill Development Council (RCPSDC) celebrated its Annual Awards on 16 December, 2022 in New Delhi, India. The award ceremony was held to facilitate the best performers in the rubber, chemical and petrochemical skilling ecosystem.

RCPSDC claims that the yearly awards ceremony drew active participation from government departments, the rubber, chemical and petrochemical industries, training partners and assessment agencies and important stakeholders from across the country.

KK Dwivedi, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, was the Chief Guest at the event. Dwivedi recounted his first-hand experience of working closely with the rubber sector in Assam in his earlier innings as Principal Secretary of the state. According to RCPSDC, Dwivedi stated that there was an urgent need to equip the fast-growing rubber sector with skilled workforce, both in tapping and processing. “The rubber and chemical sector is expected to grow at eight to ten percent in the next few years and will require a continuous supply of a large skilled workforce. By upskilling one of the largest segments of the economy comprising the rubber, chemical and petrochemical sectors, RCPSDC is best placed to be a driver of India's economic growth. For that, all the stakeholders need to come in support of the sector skill council. The government is taking rubber, chemical and petrochemical as a priority sector and is committed to creating an empowering ecosystem,” said Dwivedi.

Furthermore, at the event, Vinod Patkotwar, Chairman, RCPSDC, emphasised in his welcoming speech the necessity to expand the skilling programmes in the country in order to meet the demand for a trained workforce, both domestically and internationally.

Hena Usman, IPoS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, also honoured the occasion as the guest of honour. RCPSDC states that Lt Col Gunjan Chowdhary, Director, National Corporation for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET), Dr Maneesh Mishra, Executive Vice President, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Dr Deepak Paliwal, Joint Director, Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal and Dr Vinay Swarup Mehrotra, Professor, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) were also the guests of honour.

Besides celebrating excellence, RCPSDC claims that it exchanged three MoUs at the awards ceremony, with Government Tool Room & Training Centre (GTTC), Karnataka for the execution of dual certification programmes and with Rabindranath Tagore University (RNTU), Bhopal for B Voc, and dual certification programmes. A further significant MoU was inked with the Bahadurgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), Haryana for the implementation of re-skilling and upskilling programmes under various state/central government schemes.

RCPSDC further states that it launched the project ‘Utthaan’ at last year’s Annual Awards in 2021. ‘Utthaan’ is one of the ambitious projects aimed at the upskilling of workforce (unorganised or organised) in plastic waste segregation, processing and recycling job roles and to help them perform their jobs more effectively and enhance their productivity. Through an audio-visual presentation this year at the Annual Awards 2022, the participants were updated on the achievements of the project ‘Utthaan’ and how the same is transforming the lives of neglected strata of the society, according to RCPSDC. In the first phase, 205 sanitation workers have been trained under the project. On the occasion, special recognition was conferred on Dr Pradeep Mehta, State Head, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the Utthaan project, the training being imparted by Lok Bharti Group (an affiliated training partner of RCPSDC) and Rajiv Pandey, Assistant Director, Urban Development Directorate, State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), Government of Uttarakhand, as per RCPSDC.

Amongst industry partners, special awards were presented to JK Tyre & Industries (Best Industry Partner – Rubber), Varroc Polymers (Best Industry Partner – CPC) and Bridgestone India (Best CSR Project). Training partners across different training methodologies were recognised as well, claims RCPSDC. Prerna Group (Best Training Partner – RPL BICE), Yashaswi Group (Best Training Partner – NAPS), Wayline Management Consultants (Best Training Partner – RPL) and VDA Technologies (Best Training Partner – STT) were adjudged the winners. Mercer Mettl (Best Assessment Agency – First Prize) and Trendsetters Skill Assessors Private Limited (Best Assessment Agency – Second Prize) received awards as best assessment agencies, according to RCPSDC.

The best trainers and assessor’s awards were bestowed on Abhinav Swami (Best Trainer – CPC), Abdul Raoof A (Best Trainer – Rubber), Pushpendra Singh Arya (Best Assessor – Rubber) and Manash Jyoti (Best Assessor – CPC). RCPSDC states that the best trainees were chosen from a large number of entries – Sunita Devi (Best Trainee – Plastic Waste Management and Segregator, First Prize), Shobha (Best Trainee – Plastic Waste Management and Segregator Second Prize), Sandeep Prajapati (Best Trainee – CPC, First Prize), Azad Mansuri (Best Trainee – CPC, Second Prize), Dipali Das (Best Trainee – NR Plantation, First Prize), Sudip Sarkar (Best Trainee – NR Plantation, Second Prize), Kanchan Dashrath More (Best Trainee – Rubber Manufacturing, First Prize), Akash (Best Trainee – Rubber Manufacturing, Second Prize).

Sharing his views, Saif Mohammad, CEO, RCPSDC, said, “I congratulate all of the awardees and give my best wishes to RCPSDC for completing a successful decade of hard work in the skilling ecosystem. We are committed to continuing our efforts to boost the efficiency of the rubber, chemical and petrochemical sector through skill training, and unlock the sector's growth prospects. RCPSDC is actively pursuing excellence in the rubber, chemical and petrochemical sectors, and we look forward to acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of our stakeholders in the coming years.”

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.