As per Govt. of India’s Automotive Mission Plan, by 2026, India will be the third largest automobile manufacturer globally, 12% of GDP will be from automobile sector and will generate around 65 million employment. As per Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC), in the next decade, 1 million trained and skilled manpower will be required in the Indian Rubber MSME sector including organized Tyre & non tyre sectors. This translates to 1 lakh people have to be trained every year. This is a gigantic task and it requires to create significant infrastructure for skill development & training in the country for rubber sector.

Centre of Excellence

Encouraged by our Hon’ble. Prime Minister’s Skill India Mission and Atmanirbhar Bharat and continuous effort for Skill development & to enhance indigenous technology development capability, we the members of Indian Rubber Institute (IRI) took initiative to establish Centre of Excellence for Rubber Technology Education, Training, Research, Testing and Skill Development at JSS Science & Technology Campus, Mysuru. The JSS Mahavidyapeetha Management were kind enough to provide 10,000 sq.ft land area on long lease for establishment of this centre. In this regard, IRI has signed an MoU with JSS MVP on 18th March 2021. IRI decided to dedicate this Centre of Excellence under the name of late Dr D. Banerjee, who is known as Father of Indian Rubber Industry. This Centre is aimed to be empanelled with RSDC / NSDC, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt. Of India as a premier institute for Skill Development for rubber sector in India. We envisage that this center would not only generate employment but also produce a large number of entrepreneurs, who in turn would generate further employment and contribute to MSME segments. Apart from producing skilled manpower, this Centre is also planned to provide Rubber product development, consulting and testing services to the rubber industry in order to become self-sustainable Centre in future.

The construction of the 32,000 sq. ft. building for proposed Centre of Excellence already completed. This building consists of one auditorium (seating capacity 225 people), two training halls, one library-cum-documentation centre, one workshop, rubber processing lab and various testing laboratories (Physical, Analytical, Chemical & characterization) including data analytic lab for training, skill development and hands on training on equipment & machineries for rubber & allied industries including tyre testing and auto rubber component testing facility. These testing facilities will cater the needs of meeting skill requirement of Emerging Legislations & Regulations in automobile and tyre industries like Fuel Efficiency, Safety, etc.

The estimated cost of this establishment is around Rs 60 Crores for Building, Furniture/fixtures and equipment/machinery in three phases. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC) are helping IRI to establish the centre.

Activities of Dr. D Banerjee Centre of Excellence

• To fulfil the objective of Indian Rubber Institute

• To provide sustainable employment and improved quality of life to more than 20,000 people through implementation of this project in next seven years in association with RSDC/NSDC.

• Entrepreneurship Development - To upgrade skill of workers in rubber & allied industry (MSME Sector) and to encourage entrepreneurship through appropriate skill & technology interventions as to enable them to produce quality rubber products at a competitive price.

• Providing training to increase the productivity & efficiency of MSME Sector in Rubber & Allied industry.

• Testing, Benchmarking, Reverse Engineering, Failure Analysis, Compound Development, Product Development, Simulation & Modeling, Data Analytics and Certification for tyre & non tyre sector (Tyre Testing and Auto Rubber Component Testing facility)

• Technology Development for Rubber MSME sector for creating new avenues for sustenance of MSMEs in rubber industry - To create Design Studio for development of new products / designs and prototypes to cope with diversification and changes in use of rubber in the industry

• To create Centre of excellence with well integrated forward and backward linkages.

• To impart with latest information regarding technology, process, marketing and the changing needs of customers.

• To coordinate with all associations (AIRIA, ATMA, ACMA, SIAM, SAE, IITs & Other Universities for promoting Rubber Technology Education, Training, Skill Development, Testing and R&D for Rubber and allied industries.

• Continue to offer Diploma & Post Graduate Diploma in Rubber Technology in association with RTC, IIT Kharagpur and expanding to neighbouring countries (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam etc.)

• Starting of B.Voc. Course in Rubber Technology in association with JSS Science & Technology University, Mysore and Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC).

• Jointly conducting short term courses, workshops, seminars & conferences with Department of Polymer Science & Technology, JSS S&T University, Mysore and other Universities/institute of national importance.

• This centre will act as a Nodal Centre for Skill Development and Training in Rubber Sector in Southern Region in particular in the State of Karnataka. (TT)

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has disputed a request from Infiniteria Sweden AB and Infiniteria Europe Sàrl to terminate the company’s ongoing reorganisation. In a statement submitted to the Gothenburg District Court on 22 April, Enviro argued no grounds exist to end the process, originally approved on 27 February 2026. A creditors’ meeting on 18 March saw no opposition to the reorganisation continuing.

The dispute stems from Enviro’s decision to terminate the joint venture agreements with Infiniteria under Swedish law, calling them burdensome and loss‑making. Infiniteria filed a termination request on 15 April, which Enviro answered on 22 April. Enviro disputes the request and several supporting claims.

Enviro states the joint venture caused its financial difficulties, while its business plan shows opportunities to build a profitable enterprise using its patented technology. Infiniteria has asserted a preliminary damages claim of approximately EUR 84 million, but Enviro notes the claim is unsubstantiated and partially overlaps with ongoing arbitration announced on 6 February.

Enviro points to contractual liability caps, including EUR 3 million in the marketing and agency agreement and EUR 2 million in the license agreement. Infiniteria has not shown why these caps should not apply. Regarding the license agreement under English law, Enviro maintains termination was lawful, meaning Infiniteria’s exclusive right to Enviro’s technology has ceased.

Despite the legal conflict, Enviro reports strong global interest. A North American feasibility study is progressing faster than expected, and licensing dialogues are ongoing with around 10 stakeholders. Enviro remains determined to build long‑term value without the former joint venture’s constraints.

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Hankook Tire has released a new brand film titled ‘Formula E Rewind’, inspired by the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The company serves as the exclusive tyre supplier for the global all-electric racing series, which is organised by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. The latest cinematic work follows a previous Formula E brand film introduced in April last year.

That earlier production focused on Hankook’s advanced motorsports technologies and research supported by cutting-edge infrastructure. Its high production quality earned a Silver Prize in Sound Design at the Seoul Video Advertising Festival 2025, one of South Korea’s largest advertising awards. The newly unveiled film employs a distinctive rewind visual technique, shifting attention from racing outcomes back to the origin of technology. It emphasises that every race starts with the tyre while promoting the innovative ‘iON’ brand, the world’s first full lineup of electric vehicle tyres.

The film dynamically showcases the next-generation electric racing machine GEN3 Evo, which reaches 322 kilometres per hour and accelerates from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in just 1.86 seconds. It also features the official electric racing tyre ‘iON Race’, delivering a powerful sense of speed. By reconstructing race sequences in reverse, the video creates a fresh narrative that boosts viewer immersion. The slogan ‘Where it all begins’ and a composite logo reinforce Hankook’s positioning as a key Formula E partner.

The brand film will be distributed across Hankook’s owned media platforms, including its global website, YouTube and Instagram, aiming to engage motorsports fans, EV users and future mobility consumers.

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Solvay has significantly expanded a global framework agreement with IMI, accelerating the installation of connected industrial sensors throughout its worldwide manufacturing network. Under the extended partnership, IMI remains Solvay’s preferred supplier, with over 5,000 sensors already deployed across 25 sites in 11 countries. The ongoing rollout is enhancing operational reliability and efficiency while simultaneously lowering costs and reducing the company’s environmental impact.

The connected devices, classified as Industrial Internet of Things sensors, continuously monitor vibration and temperature on critical machinery. This real‑time data allows Solvay teams to track asset performance, prevent unexpected breakdowns, and schedule maintenance precisely when needed. The group intends to expand the sensor network to 9,000 units by 2027, reinforcing its shift from traditional time‑based maintenance to a predictive, data‑driven approach.

This sensor initiative is central to Solvay’s Essential for Generations strategy, which prioritizes operational excellence and sustainability. By leveraging real‑time information, the company predicts equipment failures, cuts repair expenses, and limits energy losses and waste. Having scaled from just a few hundred sensors in 2023 to more than 5,000 installed globally, Solvay is building a more resilient and reliable industrial footprint across all regions.

Lanny Duvall, Chief Operations Officer at Solvay, said “Digitalisation is reshaping the way we run our plants. Expanding the use of connected sensors helps us make quicker and better-informed decisions that improve safety, reliability and energy efficiency – while also making our operations more competitive and cost‑effective. It’s a concrete accelerator of the operational excellence transformation we’re driving across Solvay as part of our Essential for Generations strategy.”

Diana Garcia, Global Business Development Manager, Digital Products at IMI, said, “The complexity of modern plant operations, coupled with constant pressure on margins, means the chemical industry cannot rely on manual inspections to ensure maintenance operations are efficient and effective. Our technology provides real‑time insights that support Solvay’s move towards predictive maintenance. We are pleased to deepen this successful collaboration.”

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Nexen Tire America has detailed how original equipment tyre development has shifted from a standalone process to an integrated engineering effort conducted alongside new vehicle design. The company explains that modern vehicle complexity, driven by electrification and advanced driver systems, requires tyre engineering to begin in parallel with suspension, chassis and electronic control development. This earlier collaboration allows tyre performance to be optimised for hybrid and electric vehicle demands such as noise reduction, load capacity and rolling resistance.

Aaron Neumann, Head of the Nexen Tire America Technical Center, describes how suppliers must now adopt faster development cycles and deeper technical collaboration. The traditional model of selecting off-the-shelf tyres has been replaced by purpose-built designs tuned to specific safety, handling and efficiency targets. Electric vehicles have added further criteria including range optimisation and tyre noise mitigation.

To manage these demands, Nexen has expanded its use of simulation and modelling technologies. Finite element analysis and data-driven tyre modelling allow engineers to evaluate performance early in the development cycle, reducing the number of physical prototypes required. Despite this digital focus, physical testing remains extensive and includes laboratory procedures such as high-speed endurance, rolling resistance, uniformity, noise and flat-spotting assessments.

On-road validation involves instrumented traction and braking tests, ride and handling evaluations, treadwear analysis and durability testing across varied surfaces and climates. Each tyre’s tread pattern, construction, footprint and profile are refined through iterative testing specific to the target vehicle. While some materials overlap with replacement tyres, original equipment fitments are engineered to balance performance, efficiency and comfort.

Over the past decade, Nexen Tire has more than doubled its original equipment portfolio in North America. This growth is attributed to an engineer-to-engineer collaboration model emphasising transparency and responsiveness. Many technologies developed for original equipment programmes, including advanced compounds and tread designs, are later incorporated into replacement tyres.

For consumers, these behind-the-scenes engineering efforts result in tyres more precisely matched to vehicle performance. Neumann notes that modern tyres rank among the most complex vehicle components, having to deliver safety, efficiency and comfort simultaneously across a wide range of conditions, even if that complexity remains largely invisible to drivers.

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