HRD seeks to constantly maintain maximum efficiency and effectiveness by examining employee functions in their jobs. To increase the performance of a company, HRD focuses on elements such as staff satisfaction, compensation, and incentives to keep up morale in order to achieve the highest possible performance from the employees HRD covers the role of recruitment, job analysis, performance appraisals, and skill inventorying to gain a competitive advantage. The extracted data during HR Planning are required to keep track of the human capital functioning within the company. While the task of compiling accurate data may be difficult, advances in technology play a major role in today’s HR function to help automate the work and make it easier.

In the digital era, current human resource planning is leaning toward a more machine-based system. The benefits of cutting-edge technology can help HR planners greatly increase the efficiency and their ability to forecast future needs and wants. The future of HR lies in data analytics that compiles all the information on employees, including their upbringing, experience, performance, and skill sets and monitors them via a computerised interface. Human resource planning is creating strategies around machine run data. The resulting benefit makes artificial intelligence (AI) an important asset that would decrease the time spent on recruitment and increasing its effectiveness while also providing applicants with a fair assessment.

It is with a great sense of admiration mixed up with a dash of amazement, that I scan the current HRD scenario to witness the giant strides made in this field. Yet amongst the glamour and glitter orchestrated by many organisations, which apparently looks like the tip of the iceberg, perhaps it could be my imagination at this late stage of life, I notice a sense of undue stress and dissatisfaction among the staff at all levels in most companies I happen to visit during my consultancies. It makes me to wonder whether we are better off nowadays and motivates me to recollect the scenarios that existed half a century ago during my formative years

As the well quoted words of Mark Antony in Julius Caesar of Shakespeare:

  Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

  I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him,

My aim is not to glorify the so-called good old days, but to glimpse at some of the best practices used which were appropriate in those bygone days, and some which in my opinion can still be practically valid.

When I faced the first interview at the Bata Shoe Company of Ceylon Ltd in 1969, the very first question I was asked by the Personnel Manager was why I have stipulated a low salary. You should never underestimate yourself. I was reminded. By that time, I had a little over one years’ experience in one of the footwear companies and I was studying part-time for LIRI ( UK ). We joined as trainees under the Management Development Personnel (MDP), and the very  first document we were given was a printed leaflet about learning principles (which I still have filed). It started with the famous ancient Chinese quote:

Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.

The type of training was truly hands-on. Whichever functional area we were selected, be it Production, Technical, Purchasing, Marketing, HR or Engineering, we were assigned to the sales outlets and showrooms for one week to familiarize with customer requirements and to learn the shoe sizes by practice. It was a very practical way of understanding customer perception on which there are a multitude of techniques available these days. In the technical and production area which I preferred, our training programme included actual learning and practice of milling, the internal mixer, and other rubber processing machinery, including moulding , and later, working alongside the operators ( sitting next to Nellie) , in the footwear conveyors. The injection molding techniques were not available in the Sri Lanka factory by that time. This reminds me of the Genba  (real place)  concept, of the Japanese which I  happen to familiarize, much later in life. The “Baptism by Fire” became a guiding light in shaping my career in the rubber industry. We were also given a small ring bound hardcover pocket notebook, where we were compelled to list down the daily tasks, mark the ones accomplished and carry forward the balance to the next day. Every operational division used a “Workshop Balance Sheet '' which gave a record of hourly production against target, and the reasons for any shortfall had to be corrected promptly. It was also required to show the material and machine availability for the following day’s production requirement and get the signature of the responsible persons. This was a simple yet effective way of assigning responsibility and accountability. Internal Memos were delivered by hand and the signature of the recipient was taken on the original, and in retrospect, I think that this was a more reliable mode than the emails when considering accountability.

 It was an era where there no ICT, and other paraphernalia, computers, electronic calculators, smartphones and APPs that a young person has at his disposal The fastest mode of communication was the Telex, and photocopier (Xerox) and the Facsimile, were  yet to see the dawn of the day. We were given a large record book similar to a modern wedding photographic album, which was called the Wellington Book, (named after the Duke of Wellington, of the Battle of Waterloo fame), to record all our learning experiences, which the Personnel Manager discussed with us during the weekly counselling sessions. At a time when the now famous ISO 9001 Procedures and SOPs were not heard of, the organization used standard procedures, and other working documents and formats, including standard formula cards, in its worldwide network of about 110 factories.

 We were encouraged to learn from direct observations which include cleanliness and housekeeping also, reminiscent of the power of observations of Sherlock Holmes, which generally ended up with the comment “elementary my dear Watson”. Although the systemized data analysis and virtual access were m not available, my opinion is that the power of observation and hands-on experience enhances the brain functioning, which even some of the modern research has shown to be diminishing with the automation and Artificial Intelligence.

The importance of Tacit (implicit) knowledge or knowing how was given a prominent position during those days, while Explicit knowledge (knowing what), codified and digitalized, plays a more important role nowadays. A parallel from the field of medical examination seems suitable to cite at this juncture.  Competent   Ayurvedic physicians are capable of diagnosing many physical illnesses, acutely by feeling the pulse of the patient (which even some Western practitioners used to do in our young days), while modern specialists are heavily dependent on tests and techniques and numbers, and yet the general status of physical wellbeing of the people  is no better.

Another important aspect of HRD during those days was providing opportunities for representing the company in regional conferences, where we had to present and discuss the technical and other productivity improvements with our counterparts. The only equipment available were the slide projectors and the Flip Charts, which made it a challenging task. It was also an opportunity to interact with people of different nationalities and cultures, which the current tele -conferences and the most recent webinars cannot fulfil adequately. Evaluation of such training was initially done by way of a presentation to the Senior Management and a component of the annual increments was determined by the productive activities one completed after the training, apparently was “no free lunch”.

Some of the leading rubber and chemical raw material suppliers of the yesteryears, Bayer, Monsanto, Rheine Chemie, Polysar,ICI and Vanderbilt , to name  few played a leading role in improving the knowledge  base of the personnel engaged  in the industry. Their Handbooks, and Technical Notes were invaluable treasures. The three-week residential Customer Technical Training Programme of Bayer India was in the Annual HR Agendas during those daysI had the fortune of participating in this programme in 1978, and it was very  efficiently handled by Ms R.R Pandit ( diseased ) , SN Chakravarthi.

During my subsequent career progress with companies in Nairobi, Kenya and Sri Lanka, I have made an endeavor to use some of these proven methods to develop the technical and production staff in the companies I have worked. One of the effective methods that can be cited is the compulsory training in Banbury Mixing given to trainees from the universities in Sri Lanka during their In-Plant Training and it gives me a great satisfaction to see that most of them have done very well in their careers and are holding high positions in the industry. Working in an environment with carbon black is a useful learning method, which will be helpful in our professional as well as personal lives.

Not all human resources managers are created equal. In fact, they come from a variety of backgrounds on their way to higher-level HR positions. Still, despite these different paths, many still share basic HR manager responsibilities. The most vital aspect is the importance of the personal touch and the “people centeredness” with respect to the interphases, which the modern techniques seem to be fast obliterating  

The vital message I would wish to the industry is the dire importance of the 3Bs, namely, going back to the base at whatever technology level we are engaged, reinforce the base and sustain the base.

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The Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR) has gained a new technology partner, AKIN Solutions, which is pioneering advanced material recycling methods for end-of-life tyres through its developing platform known as Rubber BioRefine. This biotechnology-driven system applies enzymatic processes originally refined in the plastics industry to rubber recycling for the first time, marking a significant step forward in the tyre circular economy. The central innovation focuses on converting previously hard-to-recycle tyre components into high-quality raw materials that match the quality of primary resources, thereby addressing a long-standing challenge in waste tire management.

At the core of the Rubber BioRefine approach is the selective cleavage of rubber polymer chains at the molecular level, which produces defined polymer fragments while preserving their structural integrity. Unlike conventional mechanical recycling methods that typically lead to a reduction in material value, this enzymatic technique enables a much higher grade of material reuse. It opens new possibilities for demanding rubber applications. The technology is specifically designed to integrate with existing recycling systems, particularly in combination with devulcanisation processes.

Another essential element of the platform is high-resolution molecular imaging using MALDI-MSI, a technique that allows AKIN Solutions to analyse the composition of rubber samples and create precise spatial maps of the compounds present. For the first time, this provides detailed insights into which substances exist in specific areas and at what concentrations, enabling more targeted assessment of material flows. Such precision is a key prerequisite for significantly more efficient recycling processes and for achieving high-quality circular economy management.

The technology remains in the development phase, with the ultimate goal of achieving industrial scalability and enabling large-scale economic application. Through this innovative combination of precise molecular analysis and enzymatic recovery, AKIN Solutions aims to fundamentally improve the material recycling of scrap tyres, reduce waste and emissions and help close material cycles. The partnership with AZuR is expected to strengthen the creation of future-proof, sustainable solutions for the entire tyre recycling value chain.

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Tyrecycle Chief Executive Officer Jim Fairweather has called for mandatory market-based regulation and increased government procurement ahead of his appearance at a parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s tyre industry. His formal submission to the Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science sets an uncompromising objective of eliminating tyre dumping nationwide. Fairweather argues that collection schemes alone are insufficient without creating genuine demand for recycled materials.

The inquiry, conducted by the Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science, was adopted on 5 November 2025, following referrals from the Ministers for Industry and Science. Its mandate includes investigating industry challenges and opportunities within a circular economy framework. Fairweather has identified significant market failures, noting that a large portion of Australia’s tyre waste remains buried or abandoned. He argues that extended producer responsibility schemes do not automatically create markets, as effective disposal methods do not necessarily follow collection efforts.

A central focus of Tyrecycle’s submission is the disparity between tyre sectors. While passenger and truck tyres achieve a 96 percent collection rate, off the road or mining tyres represent nearly 30 percent of total waste by weight, yet the recovery rate stood at just 13 percent in 2023 and 2024. Fairweather insists that national waste targets cannot be reached without addressing off the road tyres; he has labelled the practice of landfilling and in pit disposal at mines as a major regulatory barrier.

To bridge this gap, Tyrecycle has proposed targeted landfill bans to redirect mining and agricultural tyres towards recyclers. The company also calls for increased government procurement of crumb rubber for road construction, noting that mandating higher recycled content in asphalt specifications could expand the domestic market fivefold. Australia’s road sector already consumes about 30,000 tonnes of crumb rubber annually, while Tyrecycle is advancing a pipeline of over 100,000 tonnes per year in domestic tyre derived fuel.

Tyrecycle, which processes roughly 20 million equivalent passenger units annually or about 40 percent of Australia’s collected waste tyres, has invested more than 50 million dollars in capital upgrades. This includes 12.8-million-dollar push into the off the road market in Port Hedland, along with developments in Rockingham, Newcastle and Erskine Park. Fairweather is also urging the federal government to allocate more budget for enforcing export regulations to combat rogue operators who export non-compliant materials. He presented Tyrecycle’s formal submission to the parliamentary inquiry in March, framing the circular economy as a shared responsibility requiring accountability from all waste generators.

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Pirelli has announced a more aggressive tyre strategy for the second appearance of the FIM Superbike World Championship round at Balaton Park in Hungary. Following a conservative approach in 2025 due to a lack of track data, the manufacturer now introduces the supersoft SCX compound for the first time to WorldSBK riders. Last year’s lineup featured the SC0 and the E0125 development tyre, which has since become the current SC0 for 2026.

For the long races this season, riders will have access to the supersoft SCX alongside the soft SC0 rear tyres. The extrasoft SCQ, the softest rear compound, returns for free practice, qualifying, and the Superpole Race. Front tyre options include soft SC1 and medium SC2, while DIABLO Wet intermediates and DIABLO Rain tyres are available for wet conditions.

In the WorldSSP category, the same SC1 and SC2 front and SCX with SC0 rear compounds from 2025 remain. The WorldWCR women’s championship will also compete, using Pirelli DIABLO Superbike tyres with the SC1 compound on both axles.

Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Motorcycle Racing Director, said, “The data collected last year showed that Balaton Park is a track with low tyre-wear values. For this reason, we decided to make the softest range solutions available to WorldSBK riders, including the supersoft SCX in the allocation, which was not present last year. Riders will, in any case, also be able to count on the soft SC0 which, in 2025 as the E0125 specification, was the race reference. This could be a valid alternative, especially in the event of lower temperatures.

“For the first time this season, the extrasoft SCQ returns to centre stage for qualifying and the Superpole Race. Last year, this solution was used only in qualifying due to unfavourable weather conditions in the Superpole Race, so it will be interesting to see whether anyone uses it in the short race this year. All solutions, as well as the soft SC1 and medium SC2 fronts, are range products– i.e. they can be purchased by any motorcyclist worldwide and used both in competitions at any level and for track days.”

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Linglong Tire is set to make a major appearance at THE TIRE COLOGNE, the world’s leading tire trade fair, taking place from 9 to 11 June 2026. Located in Hall 7 at booths C-050 to D-059, the company will present its group brands Crosswind, Leao and Green Max alongside its main brand.

Making its European debut at the fair is the new Linglong UHP tyre, the Sport Master II, which is designed as the successor to the existing Sport Master model and is expected to reach retail markets in spring 2027. In addition to this launch, the company will exhibit leading passenger car profiles from its Masters series, a sustainable concept tyre and fresh off-the-road patterns. The truck segment will see four new tread designs premiere in Cologne, including a trailer tyre engineered for reduced rolling resistance on long-haul routes and two brand-new bus tyres intended for city buses and coaches.

The exhibition includes Linglong’s latest original equipment tyres, while the Green Max brand is being introduced as an independent brand for the European market. Visitors will also see new car and truck profiles from the Crosswind and Leao brands, now produced exclusively in Europe, including the first appearance of the Crosswind Dura Peak Van tyre.

Beyond product displays, Linglong’s presence emphasises personal customer engagement at its booth and lounge, where the European and international sales team looks forward to welcoming global visitors for discussions. Organised by Koelnmesse and the German Tyre Trade Association, the fair features around 350 exhibitors from 32 countries and expects roughly 15,000 trade visitors from over 110 nations.

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